Fixing the Line’sCanarsie Tunnel

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WHAT INFORMED OUR PLANNING PROCESS?Input from over 40 community meetings

Most frequent comments:

• Buses need dedicated lanes

• Provide multiple options, including ferry

• Simple, direct inter-borough bus routing, connecting to

subways

• Bike lanes should be physically separated

• Street treatments should take emergency vehicle and

delivery access needs into consideration

• Manhattan residents fear traffic spillover on narrow, mostly

residential side streets

• Balance the needs of riders, residents and businesses.

Technical Analysis:

• Current travel patterns

• Traffic and transit modeling

• Testing of multiple scenarios.

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SANDY DAMAGE

The Canarsie Tube was inundated with saltwater during Superstorm Sandy causing corrosion of cabling, circuit breakers and power and track equipment.

The tunnel needs a complete overhaul

Contract for Tube repairs awarded (April 2017)

15 Month Closure remains on schedule to begin April 2019

Bonus for early completion & $400,000-per-day penalty for delays

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• Ongoing Work:

• Relocation of ConEd ducts and power cables completed along

Bedford Ave.

• Currently assisting National Grid with North 7th street, high

pressure gas line reroute.

• Currently Installing SOE (Support of Excavation) – Bedford Ave

Stair South –Soldier Piles are installed and installation of walers

and lagging is ongoing.

• Currently Installing SOE– Driggs Ave Stair South –Soldier Piles

are currently being installed.

• Work is currently ongoing for the new mezzanine lay out, the

exist walls have been demolished and the contractor is preparing

for CMU wall installation

BROOKLYN CONSTRUCTION UPDATE

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L SERVICE PLAN

L Service operates between

Bedford Av and Rockaway Pkwy

6-minute frequency

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CHALLENGE OF SERVING L CUSTOMERS

A total of 400,000 daily riders use the L:

− 225,000 use the Canarsie Tube under East River

− Nearly as many inbound passengers during the AM peak hour as in

private vehicles on all six East River bridges and tunnels combined

− 50,000 travel solely in Manhattan

− Greater than busiest NYC Bus route (Bx12 - 48,000 riders/day)

− 66% greater than current M14 ridership (30,000 riders/day)

− 125,000 travel solely in Brooklyn

OUR STRATEGY

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Temporary ferry service

Temporary bus service

Increased alternate subway service

Station Access and Capacity Improvements

More bike and pedestrian infrastructure

Peak period traffic management strategies

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SUBWAY SERVICE• Subway service increased on GJMZ

• JZ trains run local from Myrtle Av to Marcy Av to serve

additional demand at Hewes St, Lorimer St, Flushing Av

• Free MetroCard transfers between:

o Broadway G and Lorimer St / Hewes St JMZo Junius St 3 and Livonia Av Lo 21 St G and Hunters Point Av 7

• Weekends and Overnights, M runs to 96 St / 2nd Av

Transit Travel Paths of Current L Riders During

Closure - AM Peak Hour

(Width of line corresponds to number of shifted riders)

E

G

M

AJ

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G

M

M

C

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PERMANENT STATION IMPROVEMENTSPrior to the tunnel closure, we are improving access to and capacity in stations along the , , and lines, that will provide alternatives to service. During the tunnel closure, we will also enhance stations along the line.

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INTER-BOROUGH BUS ROUTING

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PROPOSED STREET TREATMENTS

BICYCLE NETWORK CONNECTIONSTimes Square

Upper West Side

Midtown

Upper East Side

Downtown

2,069 – 3,490 cyclists projected

to enter Manhattan on the

Williamsburg Bridge during AM

rush hour (8A-9A)

HOW TO MAKE L TRAIN CROSS-RIVER BUSES WORK

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• Combined frequency of about 70 buses per hour in

peak

• Target: end-to-end bus run times of about 25

minutes

• Near free-flowing speeds across the bridge

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IF WE DO NOTHING

• Highly variable travel times across Williamsburg

Bridge: 10-40 minutes in AM Peak

• Buses will be stuck in traffic and not be a reliable travel

option

• Reduces some crowding on the J and M trains

• Some transit riders shift to for-hire vehicles, adding to

existing congestion

• Peak hour demand for ferry will exceed capacity

Doing nothing is not acceptable

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OUTER ROADWAY:• Not wide enough for two true

lanes when buses, trucks are

present

• Queues for heavy right turn at

Clinton St in Manhattan lead to

spillback congestion

INNER

ROADWAY:• Buses and trucks not

permitted on inner

roadway

• Traffic from BQE and local

streets backs up past

inner/outer roadway split

WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE: EXISTING CONDITIONS

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HOV 3 restrictions on

all lanes are necessary

to reduce traffic volume

enough to make bus

lane work

• Shifting 2,200+ cars currently using

outer deck to inner deck for a bus

lane would lead to very long queues

spilling on to local streets

• Even with bus lanes on approach

streets, traffic sorting at ingress and

egress of bridge slows buses to “do

nothing” speeds

DURING THE SHUTDOWN

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OUTER

ROADWAY:• Buses

• Trucks

• HOV 3+ to Clinton St

INNER

ROADWAY:• HOV 3+ only

MANHATTAN BOUND

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THRU HOV 3+

BUS/THRU

TRUCKS ONLY

RIGHT TURN ONLY

WESTBOUND

2 4

CLINTON ST1

2 3

4

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HOV 3+ RESTRICTIONS ON WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE

Policy

• Buses, Trucks & HOV 3+ Only

• Manhattan-Bound & Brooklyn-Bound

• All Lanes

• Peak Hours (hours under development)

Vision Zero Priority Area with numerous calls for safety improvements

Three times expected

increase In bicycle volume

A reliable connection for East

River crossing

Numerous Buses Will Need

To Operate Safely And

Reliable On Grand St

Dedicated truck route

connecting industrial business

zones to Williamsburg Bridge

Curb regulations will

be updated to

promote commercial

loading

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Parking Protected Bike

Lane In The Westbound

Direction

Existing

Proposed

Proposed

Buffered Curbside Bike

Lane In The Eastbound

Direction

Standard Bike Lanes In

Both Directions

• Restricting traffic to buses and local traffic only during

peak hour periods

• Reduces road “friction” and maintains reliable

operations for shuttle service

• Local bus service on Grand Street will remain

• Provides a safe bike facility eastbound and westbound

GRAND STREET DESIGN

Maintain parking and

loading along the

south curb

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TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PLAN

Grand St Will Be Restricted To Buses And Local Traffic Only During Peak Periods (To Be Determined)

• Short segments of bus only lanes on either side of the shuttle route will divert traffic off of Grand Street

• Traffic traveling eastbound from the Williamsburg Bridge offers a variety of options for turning off Grand Street

• Westbound traffic will be able to use Metropolitan Avenue to access the bridge

• Local traffic will be able to access Grand St via the side streets

• Further traffic analysis and curb regulation changes on Metropolitan Avenue, Grand Street, and adjacent cross streets

LEGEND

Bus Only

Shuttle Route

Bike Route

Bus Only On Ramp

Peak Period Diversions

Alternative Traffic Route

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ADDITIONAL BIKE FACILITIESDevoe St

Morgan Ave

Union Ave

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Problem

• Curb and sidewalk parked with NYPD school safety agent cars

• Frequent double parking and truck traffic limits access and throughput

• Right turn from Grand Street onto Waterbury Street will be tight for buses

Recommendation

• Updated curb regulations

• Convert to one way southbound

WATERBURY STREET

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FERRYService Plan:

• Weekdays/Sunday: 6 AM – midnightFriday/Saturday: 6 AM – 2 AM (pending NYCDPR coordination)

• Rush hours: 8 boats per hour per direction, carrying up to 1200passengers per hour per direction

• Fares will be integrated with the M14 SBS and M23 SBS

• Transfer to these bus routes at temporary bus terminal atStuyvesant Cove (E 20th St and Avenue C)

• Temporary landing modifications at N Williamsburg

• Ongoing coordination with NYCEDC, NYCDOT, and NYCDPR

L Train Ferry

NYC East River Ferry

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ALTERNATE SERVICE