City Plans Pedestrian Medians for BPC

In the southern end of Battery Park City, the Department of Transportation proposes to install eight "pedestrian islands" like the one shown here (inset). Photos: NYCDOT

The city Department of Transportation announced a proposal this week to install raised, concrete medians on South End Avenue and West Thames Street with the goal of improving pedestrian safety in Battery Park City.

Following a discussion with Community Board 1’s Battery Park City Committee on Oct. 1, the DOT is planning to put six “pedestrian islands” on South End Avenue and another two on West Thames Street, between South End Avenue and West Street. A proposed median on South End, near Liberty Street, was dropped by the DOT at the committee’s request. Those street changes, along with several others, are expected to be made in the first half of next year.

The proposed medians, which would replace parts of the existing yellow-painted stripings, are intended to give pedestrians a place to wait in the middle of the wide streets, slow vehicular traffic and discourage cars from double-parking.

They would be installed next year near the following intersections:

• South End Avenue at West Thames
• South End Avenue at Rector Place
• South End Avenue at Albany Street
• South End Avenue between Albany and Liberty streets
• South End Avenue at Liberty Street
• West Thames Street between West Street and Battery Place
• West Thames Street between Battery Place and South End Avenue

Other proposed changes to the streets include:

• Painted crosswalks and “Yield to Pedestrian” signs on South End Avenue at West Thames and on South End Avenue at Rector Place.
• The sidewalk along Liberty Street near the corner of South End Avenue will be widened to make for a shorter crossing at Liberty.

A DOT traffic study concluded that the total number of traffic-related injuries—13 between 2007 and 2011, one of which was severe—as well as the volume of traffic did not justify the need for traffic lights in the area.