Press Releases
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2023
Contact: (212) 839-4850, press@dot.nyc.gov
NYC DOT Completes Safety Project Along Sheridan Boulevard, Improving Road Access and Adding Bike Lane Mileage
Project delivers local access to the transformed Sheridan roadway in areas where none existed previously, and enhances the bike lane access to Starlight Park
The newly redesigned Sheridan Boulevard.
New York – New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez joined elected officials in the Bronx today to announce the completion of safety improvements to the Sheridan roadway network, following New York State Department of Transportation's transformation of the former Sheridan Expressway to that is now referred to as Sheridan Boulevard. The project serves to make safety adjustments on local streets, improve local vehicle access to and from Sheridan Boulevard, and provides multi-modal connections to and from the new Sheridan Boulevard as well as Starlight Park, Starlight Park Bridge and Bronx River Avenue. There will be a formal process to officially convert the name of the roadway to Sheridan Boulevard.
"I thank State DOT for their work in converting the highway that was the Sheridan Expressway to the much-improved roadway now embraced as Sheridan Boulevard," said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. "NYC DOT's contributions will further enhance the area by reducing vehicular conflicts, improving local access to Sheridan Boulevard, adding connections to Starlight Park and enhancing the local bike network."
Prior to NYC DOT's project, vehicles were not able to access the Sheridan roadway in the eastbound direction from East 173rd Street, nor were they able to reach the Crotona Park East neighborhood along East 172nd Street when heading northbound along Edgewater Road (the service road to northbound Sheridan). Allowing the left turn at Edgewater to East 172nd and the right turn at East 173rd onto the Sheridan Roadway connects it through a six-block stretch to Southern Boulevard. Both East 172nd and East 173rd streets were converted from two-way to one-way, following a traffic analysis that looked at each of the streets intersecting with those blocks, within the area between Southern Boulevard and the Sheridan Roadway.
The NYC DOT project also adds additional bike lane mileage to the area by adding .6 miles of bike lanes on both East 172nd and East 173rd streets, which now connects Crotona Park East to existing lanes at Starlight Park, Starlight Bridge Park and along Bronx River Avenue. State DOT's previous installation of a two-way path on Edgewater Road connected Concrete Plant Park and Starlight Park on the east side of the Sheridan Roadway. Overall, these are critical additions to a portion of the borough lacking bike infrastructure.
The project also restricts vehicular movements between West Farms Road and the Sheridan Roadway that would create conflicts between vehicles both heading in the southbound direction. This area experienced nine severe injuries (all to motor vehicle occupants between 2016-2020, and common conflicts and crash types included rear-ending, right angle conflicts due to vehicles failing to stop at Stop signs and contact when exiting parking spots.
Photos representing two-way vs. one-way streets in the area post-conversion.
"With today's announcement, we are one step closer to achieving transportation equity in our borough and to making our streets safer," said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. "The completion of safety improvements to the Sheridan Roadway network and additional bike lane mileage will increase accessibility and help connect this neighborhood with the rest of the borough. I want to thank the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) for their work on this project and commitment to increasing our biking infrastructure, improving traffic flow, and making our streets safe."
"I am thrilled to celebrate the opening of E. 172nd Street & West Farms Road. I would like to thank the Department of Transportation, and Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez, for all of their work getting this project completed in time for Labor Day Weekend. Opening up the Sheridan to local streets will help alleviate all of the existing traffic and congestion that Bronxites have been experiencing at the Whitlock exit," said Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr. "This opening we are celebrating is of course all part of the $1.7 billion set aside for the conversion of the Hunts Point Expressway to the Hunts Point Boulevard. And while this is a great first start towards addressing the transportation issues that have long plagued the South Bronx, more work needs to be done, and I look forward to continued work with DOT and with Commissioner Ydanis to accomplish just that."
"It's so important that we proactively dismantle car-dominance in communities like this one." said Jackson Chabot, Director of Advocacy and Organizing at Open Plans. "Bronxites have been saddled with harmful, isolating car infrastructure for decades, and it precludes the access to safe, sustainable, affordable transportation options that they're entitled to. Kudos to DOT for prioritizing these street improvements that will keep everyone safer, happier, and healthier."