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State DOT plan for new NYPD and parks driveway through Bronx Park prompts resident outcry
Summary
State DOT and NYC Parks presented a proposed Sagamore/Unionport access driveway for NYPD Highway Unit 1 and parks operations. Residents and community groups said they were not properly notified and raised safety, tree loss and air-quality concerns; DOT and Parks offered a walk-through and further outreach.
State Department of Transportation representatives and project staff described a proposed access driveway in the Bronx that would serve NYPD Highway Unit 1 and a separate parks facility entrance as part of a Bronx River Parkway bridge-replacement program, and heard sustained public criticism over outreach and safety.
Rolando Infante, special assistant public information officer for NYS DOT Region 11, introduced the project and said it is one small portion of a larger bridge replacement commitment. Anthony Sarvadeo, project manager and community liaison with the contractor, described a design with gated, key-fob access for authorized vehicles, new curb and sidewalk work to meet accessibility standards, and re-alignment of the shared-use path out of the park facility. "The only access would be authorized vehicles and personnel," a DOT representative said during Q&A.
Residents and community groups objected to the driveway being routed within 50 feet of residential buildings, cited blind corners at Sagamore and Unionport, and said no direct outreach had been made to building residents. Multiple speakers said they discovered the plan via a flyer or news story and urged a town hall, field visit and better coordination with Parks and NYPD. Mitch, chair of the Bronx Park Peace Community Association, said standard Parks practice calls for a community input session before finalizing park infrastructure designs.
DOT and Parks representatives said the driveway request came from the agencies that would use it, that a parks permit had been obtained to do survey work, and that early survey work did not yet include tree removal. Samuel Rodriguez, DOT project manager, said there were no records of incidents on the current parkway-side access during the recent construction period but acknowledged that other historical data might exist and offered to pursue further review.
Several residents asked DOT and Parks to schedule an on-site walk-through. DOT said it would coordinate such a visit with Parks and NYPD, and staff said they would work to prevent civilian cars from being routed by navigation apps through the access points. Community board members urged placing the item on a future larger public meeting so more residents could speak.
The board did not approve a formal position at the meeting and asked DOT and Parks to return with visuals, a clear tree-impact timeline and outreach plans before final design.
