Case Study: The South Bronx Transportation Education Initiative by Edwin Lee with Nicole Cox |
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Community Organization: Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association Project Coordinator: Ryan Fitzpatrick PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION The Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association is committed to the growth and independence of individuals, families and to the self-sufficiency of the community as a whole. Banana Kelly's vision is to satisfy the community's need for self-reliance so that the community itself can realize its ideals. Its mission is to build and maintain affordable housing, help residents become active and contributing citizens, provide access to traditional educational programs and develop alternative vocational training opportunities, create jobs and business opportunities, and link environmental justice and economic development initiatives with broader ecological concerns. STATEMENT OF NEED The key transportation problems facing the South Bronx are similar to those in other areas of New York City. The South Bronx faces the ongoing threat of eroding air quality due to the high volume of truck traffic, which in turn is the result of the high density of major highways, industrial land use, and waste transfer sites. Other transportation challenges include pedestrian safety and the lack of community participation in transportation planning and related issues. CAMPAIGN SUMMARY The South Bronx Transportation Education Initiative (SBTEI) was designed to improve the South Bronx community’s understanding of the transportation planning process and to encourage community participation in this process. As in many large metropolitan areas, the residents of the South Bronx hardly knew what transportation decisions were being made, much less how to impact those decisions. The Education Initiative was the first step in developing an educated, involved public from the South Bronx Community. It also served as a means to educate and further engage a local community development corporation. While the Banana Kelly Community Improvement Association had been deeply involved in housing and redevelopment issues for years, they had not specifically focused on transportation and the transportation planning and decision making process. The goal of the CEP was not only to educate the South Bronx residents, identify issues of concern and provide the community with the tools to address crucial transportation issues, but also to establish Banana Kelly as a community resource on transportation issues. THE PLANNING PROCESS The Education Initiative was structured as a series of five workshops. The first four workshops focused on different elements of the transportation decision making process and issues specific to the South Bronx. The last workshop was designed as a wrap up session in which representatives from Banana Kelly, STPP, the New York City MPO, and workshop participants would reflect on the topics of the workshop series and identify the next steps for the community. The topics addressed at the four workshops were:
For each of the workshops, guest speakers were invited to provide information and a variety of perspectives. Raymond Ruggieri, then Director of the New York MPO, moderated the entire series, which ensured ongoing participation of a the key decision maker. While all of the workshops were designed to encourage the community to become involved in transportation issues, each session had specific goals. The Workshops The workshop series began with An Introduction to Transportation Planning Issues to effectively introduce the key issues and players involved in transportation planning and to lay a solid framework upon which the remaining workshops could build. Topics addressed included the basic decision making structure, the flow of money to transportation projects, and how the community can be involved in the decision making process. The second workshop, Tools for Influencing Transportation Policy and Planning, focused on practical tools and methods needed to actively impact transportation decisions. The goal of this session was that participants use the knowledge to take action on at least one specific local issue. Once the community residents had a handle on the transportation planning process and some tools to impact that process, the focus of the workshops turned to issues in the South Bronx. The third workshop dealt with local transportation issues and focused upon the conversion of a large rail yard, one of the most controversial issues in the community. The fourth workshop dealt with the integration of economic development and environmental initiatives. The speakers used examples from other communities to provide ideas and examples to the South Bronx residents for future initiatives. The final workshop in the series focused on the priorities of the community residents. The participants identified their priority issues and divided into work groups to put together an action plan for the community. Key Community Issues The workshop participants identified two main issues to address: safety and transit access. The safety concerns included general safety for pedestrians, children and transit riders. Specifically, residents were worried about safety at an major intersection of three streets with a bus stop in the middle of the intersection. Safety: Pedestrian, Public Transit & Environmental In the workshops, the concern most consistently voiced was that of pedestrian safety. Participants and speakers cited New York City statistics that showed automobiles as the leading cause of death for children. The intense community concern about safety makes it the logical focus issue for ongoing transportation work in the community. This concern also illuminates the negative perception residents have about local transit. Many parents spoke of the dangerous traffic conditions at or near their children’s schools and of the need for appropriate response. Parents expressed an interest in mobilizing around this issue by advocating for changes such as speed bumps to slow down traffic. The issue of environmental safety, especially poor air quality as a result of heavy truck traffic, is also a concern among many South Bronx residents and businesses. Because poor air quality is not as visible a problem, it is difficult to correct. It is also a politically difficult issue because of the high use of trucking as a mode of transport and local industry’s dependence upon it. The Longwood/Prospect/Westchester Intersection The workshop participants decided to address one specific safety concern as an initial project. The group ultimately focused on the Westchester Intersection. This intersection is beset by several problems pertaining to pedestrian safety as well as mass transit-related safety. A major bus route runs along Westchester Avenue and stops in the middle of two lanes of traffic where three streets intersect, making it very dangerous for riders, especially children. The elevated train runs above Westchester Avenue and the resulting cover of the intersection is dark, noisy and confusing for pedestrians. At this major intersection very few pedestrians follow the crosswalks because they are unclear and impractical. Transportation Alternatives, a New York City bicycle and pedestrian advocacy organization, was interested in working with residents through its Neighborhood Streets Network to improve safety at the Westchester intersection. Staff from Transportation Alternatives and Banana Kelly organized a field trip to the intersection with residents to discuss possible improvements. They also discussed possible improvements with Community Board 2, an important local decision making body and the Project for Public Spaces, a nonprofit design organization. Public Transit Access to Hunts Point Regarding transit access in the South Bronx, participants chose to focus on transit access to a major employment center. The Hunts Point Food Distribution Center is the largest employer in the Banana Kelly neighborhood as well as the largest distribution center of its kind in the country. However, it is only accessible by one public bus route (the Bronx 6) that cannot meet the demand. Also, the closest subway stop (the Hunts Point station on the 6) is not within walking distance, so riders have to pay a second fare. As a result, many local residents are effectively prevented from seeking employment at the Center. As a potential solution to this issue, the residents suggested the creation of a public/private shuttle bus to run regularly between Hunts Point and mass transit hubs (the closest 2, 5 and 6 subway stops and/or the bus stops). The question of who would fund such a venture is, clearly, the most pressing issue, and there are no apparent answers. Further study of this issue is required. CONCLUSION The SBTEI enhanced the scope of neighborhood planning expertise. Banana Kelly and community residents learned the basic tenets of the transportation field and how decisions are made. Perhaps more importantly, the workshops introduced community residents to many of the people who are critical to the transportation planning process in New York City in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. The SBTEI allowed Banana Kelly to foster ongoing relationships with many players in the transportation sector who could be helpful in the future. Allies include Raymond Ruggieri of New York’s MPO and Michelle DePass of the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance. New colleagues will help Banana Kelly increase community participation and education in transportation planning. This project also strengthened Banana Kelly’s ongoing ability to educate the community about transportation planning and related issues. The issues raised in the transportation workshops continue to inform our activities and programs in other arenas. As the South Bronx looks toward the 21st century, the critical issue of transportation will become increasingly important. Planning now for sustainability gives long-term hope for a community that is easily accessible on the inside from the outside, and for residents as well as non-residents. The SBTEI has served as Banana Kelly’s first step in this process. CONTACT INFORMATION Edwin Lee
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