The Grand Concourse & the Henry Hudson Parkway

Subject: Fwd: The Grand Concourse & the Henry Hudson Parkway
Date: 11/22/2004 3:45:24 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: SBaileymcc
To: Reysmont



Click here: Columbia Spectator Online - Task Force Seeks Makeover for Hudson Pkwy
http://www.columbiaspectator.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2004/11/19/419d99f630d58?in_archive=1


News


Task Force Seeks Makeover for Hudson Pkwy

By Lauren Melnick
Columbia Daily Spectator
November 19, 2004



Amid New York City’s sprawling sky scrapers and concrete-paved avenues, an initiative is underway to protect an unexpected stretch of scenic roadway in the metropolitan jungle—the Henry Hudson Parkway.

The Henry Hudson Parkway Task Force, a subgroup of the Riverdale Nature Preservancy, has led the crusade to certify the parkway under the New York State Scenic Byways Program in order to ensure its preservation as a green space. This would be the first scenic byway in New York City.

Encompassing all of Manhattan’s West Side and a section of the South Bronx, the Parkway’s 11-mile span stretches from Battery Park to Westchester. However, the group’s focus is on redesigning the section of the parkway that runs directly through the Riverdale section of the Bronx.

On Nov. 16, New Yorkers for Parks, the only citywide parks advocacy organization, hosted an event entitled, “Putting the Park Back Into Parkway” at the Urban Center in Manhattan. The organization introduced landscape recommendations for the Bronx section of the Henry Hudson Parkway.

“Our goal is restoring equity among city parks. There are disparities between the way parks are designed and viewed,” Pamela Governale, New Yorkers For Park’s design program manager, said.

Even areas within the HHP corridor are classified differently. While the Parkway is designated as a New York City landmark as well as listed with the National Register of Historic Places from 72nd to 125th streets, the sections of the parkway in Harlem and the Bronx lack these classifications.

The byway designation would make the area eligible for federal and state scenic byway funding, eliminating competition with other transportation projects such as mass transit.

Last spring, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council approved funding to develop a comprehensive corridor management plan. All Federal money goes through the NYMTC which acts as a regional transportation planning agency, funneling funds to other agencies.

The management plan is a “greater financial benefit than the funding itself,” Hilary Kitasei, the HHPTF chairwoman, said.

The New York State Scenic Byways Program, established in 1992, is a locally-driven effort designed to bring attention to the roadway corridors in the state that have regionally significant scenic, natural, recreational, cultural, historic, or archaeological resources.

“One of our goals is to identify a greenway within the corridor,” said John Benfatti, former NYC Department of Transportation bicycle director. “Riverdale is the least developed in that aspect. Manhattan has Riverside Park, Fort Tryon Park, and Inwood Hill Park, but once you go across the Henry Hudson Bridge you’re on the street again.”

The recommendations for the Riverdale area emphasize landscaping, roadway infrastructure, and preservation of the Parkway’s historic character. HHPTF’s goals include maintaining Riverdale’s seven stone overpasses and preserving old fireboxes and police call boxes.

They are also looking to design new safety structures with the parkway’s historical aesthetic in mind. Originally, stone barriers and wooden guardrails were chosen to blend with the natural landscaping, but now concrete barriers and steel guardrails line the parkway.

Rock stabilization barriers in the Bronx and Northern Manhattan conceal natural rock outcroppings and make it difficult to remove litter or graffiti. The New York State DOT originally constructed these heavy fences and hairnets as protection from liability issues.

Philippa Brashear, Harvard University Graduate School of Design/Community service fellow, responded to these concerns.

“Safety is paramount, but we can’t lose the historic aesthetics and feel of the parkway,” she said.

While the NYC DOT has been supportive of the initiative overall, there have been conflicts of interest with the HHPTF. The area between 160th St. and Dyckman Street has had a higher than average accident rate due to the road’s dangerous S-curves. At the request of a local assemblyman, last year “DOT corrected the banking problem so that cars now lean into rather than out of the curve,” HHPTF reported. The DOT reported a dramatic decrease in accidents as a result.

However, the DOT wanted to go further by straightening the S-curves and raising the speed limit to 50 mph along the entire length. According to HHPTF, this would inevitably destroy parkland, decrease the appeal of the scenic route for motorists, encourage speeding, and cost too much. Recently the HHPTF was able to reduce the speed limit to 35 mph as an alternative measure.

A DOT representative said, “We are interested in supporting the initiative and are anxious to be a part of the corridor management study. Hopefully any differences can be worked out.”

A more local concern for the Morningside Heights community is the prevalence of signs and billboards along the waterfront from 125th to 135th streets, such as Fairways’ illuminated message billboard.

“It should be an experience for drivers as well as pedestrians and residents,” said Brashear.

Peter Rothschild, a renowned landscape architect and partner of Quennell Rothschild & Partners, commented, “More people see the Henry Hudson Parkway than the bridle trails of Central Park. This project is essential.”