DOT proposes pedestrian refuges, bus-stop extension and a one-block one-way reversal on Morris Park Avenue; neighbors question one-way plan

Theresa Cruz, Bronx borough commissioner for the New York City Department of Transportation, presented a package of safety and circulation changes for Morris Park Avenue to Community Board 11 on May 11, saying DOT’s study identified long pedestrian crossings near the College of Psychology and congestion in a short block between Tenbrook and Seminole avenues.

"We are proposing to install pedestrian refuge island on the east leg and, similarly on the west leg at the Herring Avenue, to enable a pedestrian crossing to the safe refuge for pedestrian while they're crossing," said Milorath, project manager for the Morris Park Avenue Street Improvement Project. He described additional measures including painted curb extensions (neckdowns) to shorten crosswalks, a "no standing anytime" sign to prevent parking that blocks bus access, and extending an undersized 53-foot bus stop to roughly 75 feet (which may remove one parking space).

DOT told the committee a traffic signal at the short block was infeasible after study, and instead proposed reversing Tenbrook Avenue for one block (from northbound to southbound) and converting Newport Avenue to two-way traffic so drivers would have an alternate route. "This is short term that we're proposing measures," Milorath said, describing the package as intended to relieve queuing and reduce conflict at turning movements.

Board members and residents generally supported the pedestrian refuge proposals but pressed DOT on the one-block Tenbrook reversal and Newport conversion. Several speakers said the change could reroute traffic onto Yates Avenue (near a school), make some local trips more circuitous, and create new conflict points for drivers trying to turn left from a newly two-way Newport onto Morris Park Avenue. One resident asked whether any pedestrians had been struck at the intersection; DOT said it had analyzed multiple years of crash and traffic data but did not have numbers on hand at the meeting and offered to provide the three-year crash and vehicle-count data after the meeting.

Theresa Cruz said DOT "came to the community board to get feedback" and offered to meet with homeowners and coordinate follow-up. Milorath said DOT used engineering tools and field observation, and that counts and crash data could be shared with the board: "We will send you a bunch of ... for every location, you know, for the last 3 years," he said.

Public commenters raised related issues. Gabriel, a Morris Park resident, asked DOT to study protected bikeways for Morris Park Avenue between Eastchester Road and Tremont to better connect to the Bronx Greenway. Michael Cass, another resident, praised DOT’s prior Morris Park road-diet work and said pedestrian islands would be an improvement. Members of the committee offered to do coordinated field visits with DOT staff to observe turning movements and confirm volume and conflict points in person.

The committee asked DOT to supply: crash counts (by location and type), peak and off-peak vehicle counts and the dates/times of field observations; DOT agreed to share those data and continue the dialogue before any changes are finalized. DOT staff also committed to follow up on other neighborhood maintenance requests raised during the meeting, including sinkhole/pothole conditions and lighting repairs.

The committee did not take a final vote on the Morris Park design package at the May 11 meeting; members asked DOT to return with the requested data and for the board to hold additional field review and discussion at a subsequent meeting.

The next procedural step: DOT will provide the three-year crash and count data and coordinate scheduling for community field observations; the committee will reconvene discussion of the one-way conversion after reviewing those materials.