A new report from the New York City Department of Transportation and the New York State Department of Transportation outlines how to fix the division created by the Cross Bronx Expressway.
The final vision report includes shot-, mid- and long-term recommendations that directly address issues around public health, safety, open space and traffic congestion that were created by the expressway dividing neighborhoods across the Bronx. The report also includes proposals for street redesigns, transit and accessibility improvements, as well as bike network connections, Open Streets and other amenities.
“Seeing beyond what’s there today – in this case, a highway trench that divides neighborhoods across the Bronx, increasing asthma rates and decreasing safety and walkability – towards what can be isn’t always easy. But it is essential,” Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi said.
Officials said the report is the culmination of a more than two-year public engagement period addressing concerns in the historically underinvested communities. The city said it will advance the short- and mid-term projects within its jurisdiction while the state said it will lead a study in coordination with the NYC DOT and others to advance long-term concepts, including capping portions of the expressway.
“The Cross Bronx Expressway cut a deep hole in the heart of the Bronx, and the release of this visioning study represents the first important step in reclaiming the expressway for the borough and its people. This two-year, community driven effort is a clear demonstration of the possibilities that truly exist along the corridor,” New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “Thanks to funding included in Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposed executive budget, NYSDOT will begin a planning and linkages study to take an even deeper dive into exploring ways to reimagine the Cross Bronx Expressway and reconnect the communities in the Bronx torn apart by the original construction of this concrete barrier.”
Short-term projects from the city to improve safety and connectivity include improvements to public transit reliability, new biking connections and enhanced safety for all roadway users, including Vision Zero safe street redesigns, planning initiatives to expand the cycling network, new bus stop upgrades, public seating, bike parking, and quality of life improvements for neighborhoods abutting the highway, and upgrades to connect Starlight Park and the Crotona Park East neighborhood, among others.
Officials said mid-term projects will focus on more complex project requiring capital planning and design development, while long-term projects will focus on a possible new north-south connection across the Cross Bronx Expressway and new east-west transportation options that would require funding resources.
“After two years of thorough, community-based planning, this report represents an important next step toward ending the generational harm the Cross Bronx Expressway has caused,” NYC Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick said. “With these proposed initiatives, from highway capping to public realm improvements, better transit access to street redesigns, and more, we can reconnect these divided neighborhoods and create a healthier, safer future for the Bronx.”