Broadway: Union Square

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 1

Broadway: Union Square

Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan New York City Department of Transportation Presented August 22, 2011

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 2

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Project Summary

After Before

Implemented September 2010:

•

Converted E. 17th Street from

two-way to one-way

•

Installed 12,784 sq. ft. of

pedestrian plaza space on

Broadway and E. 17th Street

•

Upgraded 1.3 miles of bicycle

facilities

•

Eliminated conflicting vehicle

movements at USW and E.

14th Street

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Implemented September 2010:

•

Constructed landscaped

pedestrian safety islands

•

Added farmer’s market parking

•

Implemented side street traffic

mitigation measures, particular

focus on 18

th

Street

•

Restricted turns off Park Avenue

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Project Summary

Before

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 4

•

Signal timing adjustments to 22

nd

Street

at Broadway and Park Avenue

•

Neckdown removed at 17

th

Street and

Park Avenue

•

Neckdown radius altered for easier turns

off Broadway at 22

nd

Street

•

New flexible delineators to clearly mark

parking on Broadway from 23

rd

Street to

21

st

Street

•

Signal timing changes on 12

th

Street to

improve traffic flow

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• BEFORE: 28% of vehicles exceeded 30mph speed limit (average speed 27mph)

• AFTER: 12% of vehicles exceeded 30mph speed limit (average speed 25mph)

28% 12% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% Before After

Percentage of Drivers Travelling above Speed Limit

Broadway between 20th_{and 19}th_Streets

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Safety

Before: radar speeds 7-9a and 8-10p July 27&29 2010, sample size 1300 vehicles After: radar speeds 7-9a and 8-10p October 26&28 2010, sample size 400 vehicles

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 6

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Mobility

• Combined southbound traffic volume of Broadway and Park Avenue was maintained

472 231 431 195 570 814 809 1,092 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400

Before After Before After

AM PM A ver ag e V ehic le V olume

Average Vehicle Volume

Park Ave between 19th_{and 18}th_{, Broadway between 18}th_{and 17th}

Broadway Park Ave

1,042 1,045

1,240 1,287

Before: Average midweek peak volume week of May 16, 2010 After: Average midweek peak volume week of October 24, 2010

AM Peak Hour 11am – 12pm

PM Peak Hour 8pm – 9pm

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 7 6.0 8.3 11.4 12.3 7.0 8.5 11.5 11.8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18th Street (EB) 6th-Irving Park Avenue (NB) 26th-13th Park Avenue (SB) 26th-13th 5th Avenue (SB) 26th-13th Median T axi Spee d ( MPH) Corridor

Project Area Taxi Speeds Before (MPH) After (MPH)

• Median speed for trips taken on 18th Street within the project area (6th

Avenue to Irving Place) improved by 14%

• Speeds on Park Avenue remained relatively unchanged in both the

northbound and southbound direction

• Median speeds for trips on 5th Avenue between 26th and 13th Streets

decreased modestly

+14%

+2%

0%

-4%

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Mobility

Source: TLC GPS Data, Taxi Global Positioning System (GPS) data are provided by the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) with results compiled by DOT. The GPS devices track the average speed of taxis in revenue service including time moving freely, stopped at traffic signals and delayed in congestion. Before results represent the median of average taxi travel speed taken Sun-Sat 7a-12p & 4p-9p from October 18th_{– 31}st_{, 2009. After results represent the median of average taxi travel speed taken Sun-Sat 7a-12p}

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 5:02 4:15 5:05 4:59 0:00 1:12 2:24 3:36 4:48 6:00

5th Ave-14th St via Broadway Before: Vehicle uses E/B 17th Street

After: Vehicle uses E/B 18th Street

5th Ave-14th Street via Park Ave S Same Route Before and After

Minu tes : S econd s Before After 8 •Vehicles traveling from 5th_Avenue/24th_{Street to 14}th_{Street/Park Avenue South who used}

Broadway via 17th_{(before) or 18}th_{Street (after) saw no change in travel times, however}

those using Park Avenue via 23rd_{Street saw a 15% increase.}

0% _+15%

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Mobility

Note: Field travel time survey. Before results were taken in July 2010 while after results were taken in October 2010. In the before and after periods 78 runs were taken on both routes on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between 7am and 8pm.

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Mobility

• Bicycle volumes on Broadway increased by 16% on weekdays and 33% on the weekends.

Note: Data from single weekday counts and single weekend counts between 7a & 7p on 6/2/2010, 6/5/2010, 7/21/2010, and 7/23/2010

1,150 372 1,362 554 0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 Weekday Weekend Bicycle Volume

Broadway between 20th_{St. and 19}th_St.

Before After

+16%

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 10

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Mobility

East Crosswalk of Broadway at 17

th

Street

• The crossing is 42% shorter (from 43ft to 25ft)

• “Walk” time more than doubled from 11 to 24 seconds

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 11

•The number of taxi pickups and drop offs in the project area were relatively unchanged before and after the project

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Economic Vitality

3,467 3,155 3,290 _3,148 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

Pick Up Drop Off

Numb

er

of Pa

ss

egers

Taxi Passenger Volume Core Area Before After 12,875 10,499 13,824 10,815 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000

Pick Up Drop Off

Numb

er

of Pa

ss

engers

Taxi Passenger Volume Neighborhood Area

Before After

Note: “Neighborhood area” data includes data from the “core project area” Source: TLC GPS taxi trip records. Before: Oct 22-25, 2009, After: Oct 21-24 2010

4-Day Period

4-Day Period Core Project Area

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NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 12

Unions Square Partnership Survey Results:

•74% of respondents reported that they like the new traffic

configuration

•20% of store owners/ managers say the plazas have improved

business and none have reported a negative impact

Greenmarket Response:

“Overall, having the pedestrian aisle along 17th Street has greatly

benefited [the] Greenmarket.”

- Michael Hurwitz, Director

Broadway: Union Square Plazas, Promenade and Bicycle Path

Economic Vitality:

Local Response

Sources: Union Square Partnership 4th_Annual

Community Opinion Survey and Union Square Business Survey

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Issues & Potential Enhancements

Issues Being Monitored

Potential Enhancements

•Illegal left turns at Union Square West and 14th_Street

•Consider additional traffic network modifications

•Install flexible delineators on 14th

Street centerline

•Cross-town traffic congestion •Install turn lanes at heavy turn locations

•Southbound express bus operations at Broadway & 23rd_{Street and Park}

Avenue & 23rd_Street

•Explore new bus routes on alternate cross streets

• Longevity of existing plaza elements •Prioritize capital funding to upgrade elements and enhance plazas

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