New York Construction Report staff writer
Construction has started on the Gun Hill Road bus priority and safety project in the Bronx.
The New York Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to redesign more than 20 intersections to expand pedestrian safety, shorten crossings, and calm traffic along “one of the most dangerous stretches” in the borough.
The Gun Hill Road bus lane, from Bainbridge Avenue to Bartow Avenue was uniquely designed to ensure businesses can receive deliveries without blocking bus lanes. The design features new loading zones and metered parking as well as 3.1 miles of offset (next to the parking lane), center-running, and curbside bus lanes — which will be enforced with both DOT’s stationary and MTA’s bus-mounted cameras. Camera enforcement brings a $50 fine for the first offense, with escalating fines up to $250 for a driver who receives more than four violations in a 12-month period.
At two locations, DOT will install concrete, block-long bus boarding islands that allow passengers to quickly and safely board buses. This design will separate the bus lanes from general traffic, making it safer to cross the street, while also improving bus speed and reliability. The islands will be located between Hull and Decatur Avenues as well as between Tryon Avenue and Kings College Place.
“This redesign will make Gun Hill Road a safer, more efficient corridor — speeding up the commutes for 40,000 daily bus riders while improving access to local businesses, job centers, and health institutions,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “Through the Adams administration’s commitment to equity, Gun Hill Road is an example of one of many great, lifesaving projects we are delivering this year to ensure Bronxites have access to reliable transit and safe streets. We thank the MTA for their partnership, and we will be closely monitoring traffic during the construction along the corridor.”
Gun Hill Road serves 40,000 daily bus riders across the Bx28 and Bx38 routes — connecting to other local buses and the 2, 4, 5, and D subway lines.
This section of Gun Hill Road is a Vision Zero Priority Corridor and features a per-mile rate of deaths and serious injuries within the top 10 percent of corridors in the borough. On average, roughly five people are injured every week in crashes on Gun Hill Road. The redesign will add painted or concrete curb extensions at 25 intersections, discourage speeding, improve visibility between drivers and pedestrians, and help prevent dangerous wide-angle turns.
“The Gun Hill Road redesign is an urban planning triumph. We will end the era of Gun Hill Road being in the top 10 percent of most dangerous streets in the Bronx, with an average of 5 injuries per week,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “Mayor Adams and Commissioner Rodriguez spoke to the community to create a redesign that improves safety and bus service while considering everyone’s needs. More than 20 intersections along this vital corridor will receive expanded pedestrian safety, shortened crossings, and traffic calming. The new bus lanes ensure that the Bx28/38 on-time rate will go from 65 percent to 100 percent, speeding the travel time for 40,000 riders. At the same time, we are integrating parking and loading zones into the redesign, allowing small businesses along the corridor to continue receiving deliveries and welcoming customers who drive. Under the mayor and commissioner, everyone will get improved safety and convenience, while reaching their destinations in a New York minute.”
