NYC Roads

[bluecountry]

Few questions:


1.  I heard that 2nd Avenue is the most congested/traveled avenue in Manhattan, why?

2.  FDR/Tri Boro interchange project, when is that done?

3.  Why is it the FDR/HRD during weekdays seems to be so congested well beyond peak periods in both directions?

4. Exit 13 on the GCP - the Kew Garden Interchange, is that all supposed to be done this year, and if not when?

[crispy93]

Few questions:


1.  I heard that 2nd Avenue is the most congested/traveled avenue in Manhattan, why?

2.  FDR/Tri Boro interchange project, when is that done?

1. I'd guess it's the easiest way to get downtown if you're coming in on one of the Harlem or East River Bridges and can't use the FDR Drive

2. Do you mean the one where they built a direct ramp from the Harlem branch onto the northbound HRD? That was done maybe late last year. But that area is a bottleneck in both directions and always under construction so maybe something else is going on there

[J Route Z]

Widening is planned on Belt Pkwy in Brooklyn near Verrazzano Bridge. There's typical opposition, but I actually am in favor of it because this area is known for tons of congestion. Some say this will add more vehicles on the road, while they could be adding a pedestrian walkway across that bridge which has been under discussion for a while.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/07/15/mayor-de-blasio-mta-congestion-pricing/

[Plutonic Panda]

I'm sure in a city like NYC there is so much latent demand widening a road for simply two miles won't help at all. There needs to be a massive initiative which includes new lanes on every single highway along with removing bus and parking lanes and building new subways all at once. Only that will truly help mobility and even then won't solve the issue of traffic congestion but it'll definitely make it more bearable and help with off peak hours.

[storm2k]

I'm sure in a city like NYC there is so much latent demand widening a road for simply two miles won't help at all. There needs to be a massive initiative which includes new lanes on every single highway along with removing bus and parking lanes and building new subways all at once. Only that will truly help mobility and even then won't solve the issue of traffic congestion but it'll definitely make it more bearable and help with off peak hours.

Put simply, wealthy and motivated NIMBYs who care far more about their cars will never allow parking lanes to be removed. Easiest thing they could ever do is convert all parking lanes to separated bus lanes so buses could move effectively even with traffic and that would be a boon. But it will never happen.

[empirestate]

I'm sure in a city like NYC there is so much latent demand widening a road for simply two miles won't help at all. There needs to be a massive initiative which includes new lanes on every single highway along with removing bus and parking lanes and building new subways all at once. Only that will truly help mobility and even then won't solve the issue of traffic congestion but it'll definitely make it more bearable and help with off peak hours.

Put simply, wealthy and motivated NIMBYs who care far more about their cars will never allow parking lanes to be removed. Easiest thing they could ever do is convert all parking lanes to separated bus lanes so buses could move effectively even with traffic and that would be a boon. But it will never happen.

Put rather too simply, probably. There are a great many New Yorkers with no cars at all who would have no interest in seeing parking lanes replaced with travel lanes; if anything, the appetite would be to replace them with more transit or bicycle lanes (the "wealthy and motivated NIMBYs" already don't have to worry about on-street parking). NYC just isn't that type of city, for better or worse.

[D-Dey65]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/
I should show this to Streetsblog I'll bet that'll create a uproar there.

[TheDon102]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/
I should show this to Streetsblog I'll bet that'll create a uproar there.

Isn't that the site that thinks an auxiliary lane is EVIL DANGEROUS CAR CENTRIC CITY PLANNING 1!!1!

[Plutonic Panda]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/
I should show this to Streetsblog I'll bet that'll create a uproar there.

Isn't that the site that thinks an auxiliary lane is EVIL DANGEROUS CAR CENTRIC CITY PLANNING 1!!1!

Streetsblog is awful. I was banned by Joe Linton for absolutely no reason other than he didn't like the fact I supported freeways and widenings.

[D-Dey65]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/
I should show this to Streetsblog I'll bet that'll create a uproar there.

Isn't that the site that thinks an auxiliary lane is EVIL DANGEROUS CAR CENTRIC CITY PLANNING 1!!1!

Streetsblog is awful. I was banned by Joe Linton for absolutely no reason other than he didn't like the fact I supported freeways and widenings.

I've been doing the same, but under another screen name. I haven't been banned yet.

[bluecountry]

Few questions:


1.  I heard that 2nd Avenue is the most congested/traveled avenue in Manhattan, why?

2.  FDR/Tri Boro interchange project, when is that done?

1. I'd guess it's the easiest way to get downtown if you're coming in on one of the Harlem or East River Bridges and can't use the FDR Drive

2. Do you mean the one where they built a direct ramp from the Harlem branch onto the northbound HRD? That was done maybe late last year. But that area is a bottleneck in both directions and always under construction so maybe something else is going on there

Yea the FDR/HRD/125th street area is still under construction...

[J Route Z]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/
I should show this to Streetsblog I'll bet that'll create a uproar there.

Sadly this happens all the time.

[empirestate]

Another incident where a biker thinks they're better than the cars, trucks and buses:
https://www.reddit.com/r/IdiotsInCars/comments/okk8ds/just_a_regular_drive_in_nyc_beware_of_cyclists/

I mean...it's true that NYC bicyclists are a chaotic lot, but it's not as if there aren't motorists out there who seem to know just as few of the rules of the roads as many bikes do!

[RobbieL2415]

Is there a reason why they can't ticket cyclists for this kind of behavior?

[empirestate]

Is there a reason why they can't ticket cyclists for this kind of behavior?

No reason they can't, but since bicycles aren't registered nor bicyclists licensed, it's rather less practical to pin down a citation and make it stick.

Also, there seem to be unwritten rules for what sorts of transgressions warrant a consequence and which don't. Take for example the alternate side parking regulations for street cleaning: few people would knowingly flout those rules, but the same people will very happily double-park their cars during the street cleaning period, despite it being equally unlawful and actually carrying a stiffer penalty.

[storm2k]

Welp, looks like the City is punting on the BQE full rebuild because it's easier than dealing with Brooklyn NIMBYs.

Officials Announce Plan To Preserve Crumbling BQE For Another 20 Years

The mayor said the overarching plan involves limiting oversize trucks, using waterways to transport freight, and more.

Officials say they will reduce the lanes from three to two, which will reduce the weight load and make driving safer. Traffic volume would be lessened by 11%, officials said.

I don't think there's any great way to fix all of this without creating a major ton of pain, but also guessing that the possibility of an Adams Administration whose power base is downtown Brooklyn means that making the lives of his biggest supporters (who are likely near the area of the BQE) difficult at all.

[Alps]

Welp, looks like the City is punting on the BQE full rebuild because it's easier than dealing with Brooklyn NIMBYs.

Officials Announce Plan To Preserve Crumbling BQE For Another 20 Years

The mayor said the overarching plan involves limiting oversize trucks, using waterways to transport freight, and more.

Officials say they will reduce the lanes from three to two, which will reduce the weight load and make driving safer. Traffic volume would be lessened by 11%, officials said.

I don't think there's any great way to fix all of this without creating a major ton of pain, but also guessing that the possibility of an Adams Administration whose power base is downtown Brooklyn means that making the lives of his biggest supporters (who are likely near the area of the BQE) difficult at all.

"We should create intermodal distribution centers in all five boroughs, where things can be off loaded into electric carts, and small electric vehicles for the last mile delivery,"  he said.

who hired this guy

[SignBridge]

Well what about big trucks that are not making deliveries in NYC but going straight thru from New Jersey to Long Island? Does Mayor DiBlasio think NYC is the whole world?

[Duke87]

Well what about big trucks that are not making deliveries in NYC but going straight thru from New Jersey to Long Island? Does Mayor DiBlasio think NYC is the whole world?

Those aren't supposed to be on the BQE as it is. Full-length 18-wheelers are blanket prohibited on all NYC roads except the following:
- I-95
- I-295 north of I-495
- I-495 east of I-295
- I-678
- I-695

So essentially, there is a single prescribed route through the city from New Jersey to Long Island, from New Jersey to Westchester, and from Westchester to Long Island. And then I-678 is on there in order to allow full-size trucks to get to JFK.
Note this map.

I am guessing that by "limiting oversize trucks" what they are actually aiming at is enforcing the rules against 53' trailers on the BQE. This rule is not currently subject to much enforcement.

[Plutonic Panda]

Well this is certainly welcoming news:

https://www.amny.com/transit/city-rolls-back-fifth-ave-busway/

It's a breath of fresh air in cloud of ridiculously anti car bullshit.

[D-Dey65]

Another site that won't let you read their articles unless you sign in.

[Mergingtraffic]

I see the HRD/FDR is now in it's final configuration southbound by the Triboro Bridge finally.  Looks nice. Hope to get a pic soon.

[D-Dey65]

Well what about big trucks that are not making deliveries in NYC but going straight thru from New Jersey to Long Island? Does Mayor DiBlasio think NYC is the whole world?

Those aren't supposed to be on the BQE as it is. Full-length 18-wheelers are blanket prohibited on all NYC roads except the following:
- I-95
- I-295 north of I-495
- I-495 east of I-295
- I-678
- I-695

So essentially, there is a single prescribed route through the city from New Jersey to Long Island, from New Jersey to Westchester, and from Westchester to Long Island. And then I-678 is on there in order to allow full-size trucks to get to JFK.
Note this map.

I am guessing that by "limiting oversize trucks" what they are actually aiming at is enforcing the rules against 53' trailers on the BQE. This rule is not currently subject to much enforcement.

Wasn't the clearance on the Grand Central west of the BQE raised?

[Duke87]

Wasn't the clearance on the Grand Central west of the BQE raised?

That's a separate issue, and overhead clearance isn't even it - the posted clearance of the 31st St overpass on the highway is 12'6". The posted clearance under the N/W trains on the service road? Also 12'6". Which, since NY posts legal clearances that are a foot less than actual, any truck that is under the usual 13'6" height limit will slip under either.
But yes, 3-axle box trucks are allowed to use that section of the Grand Central now. Larger trucks are still legally required to use the service road to get from the bridge to the BQE. Not because of overhead clearance but because of lingering drama over "it's technicallyyyyy a parkway, sooooo....."

All of this is distinct from the issue of maximum truck length. Standard US-spec big rigs have 53' trailers. Except for the through routes outlined previously, NYC limits trucks to 55' overall length including the cab, which generally translates to a trailer no longer than 48'.

[vdeane]

The signs saying trucks over a certain height need to exit onto Astoria appear to have been removed.  Is that still there in some regulation even if it's not signed?  Believe it or not, allowing commercial vehicles on select sections of parkways is not completely unprecedented.  The Lake Ontario State Parkway used to allow them in Orleans County, for example, at least until the pavement deteriorated.