Department of Design and Dr. Fenlosky Pefia-Mora Construction Commissioner November 18, 2016 Hon. Ritchie Torres New York City Council Member, District 15 573 East Fordham Road Bronx, NY 10458 Dear Council Member Torres, | am writing in follow up to the November 18, 2016 meeting at City Hall, where the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) and the NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) made @ presentation about the reconstruction of East 177" Street and Devoe Avenue. The proposed project is @ component of the Bronx River Alliance's Greenway Master Plan, The Bronx River Greenway runs for eight miles in the Bronx from the mouth of the East River to the border of the Bronx and Westchester County. DDC will connect a portion of the greenway, which includes Starlight Park with Bronx River Park, The goal of the reconstruction is to improve pedestrian and vehicular safety at the following intersections: Boston Road and East Tremont, Devoe Avenue and East Tremont, and the Sheridan Expressway and Devoe Avenue and East 177"/ Sheridan Expressway. DDC’s design proposes shortening the pedestrian crossings by adding refuge islands, Re-timed signals to provide additional crossing time for pedestrians. The design also channelizes the vehicular traffic on the following intersections to better organize pedestrian and vehicular ‘movements, These improvements will slow turning vehicles by tightening up intersection geometry and improve pedestrian-vehicle visibility Another component of the project is the completion of the Bronx River Greenway. DDC's design calls for the connection of the bicycle and pedestrian paths between Starlight Park and the Bronx River Park and building separate dedicated facilities bicycle and pedestrians. There will also be an additional signalized mid-block crossing on East Tremont Avenue that will provide a continuous safe crossing between Starlight Park to the south and the future Bronx River Park north of East Tremont Avenue, Finally, this project will upgrade infrastructure including street lighting, traffic signals, signage, new water mains and rehabilitated sewers. We will also upgrade the look of the pedestrian space by a building a planted median along East Tremont Avenue, constructing a large open pedestrian plaza along west side of Devoe Avenue and widening the pedestrian sidewalks. 20-80 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 nye.gov/dde twitter.com/@nyeddeDepartment of Ree Design and Construction Page 2 November 18, 2016 Hon. Ritchie Torres Currently, the project is still in the design phase and several design elements are awaiting approval from the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Once we obtain NYSDOT approval we will then can complete the design by spring 2017. We look forward to continued communication with your office and the community about this important project which will make the Bronx River Greenway more accessible to the community and improve pedestrian and vehicular traffic safety. Please feel free to reach out to my Executive Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Jeff Margolies, at 718-391- 1593 if you have any questions. | look forward to working with you as the project gets underway. Sincerely, brebucihe 30-30 Thomson Avenue, Long I nye.gov/dde twitter.com/@nyedde nd City, NY 11101