The NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC) today announced the start of phase 5 of the reconstruction of Grand Concourse, a $44 million project from East Fordham Road to E. 198th Street that will rebuild the street from end to end with safety features, improved pedestrian access and additional enhancements such as bike lanes, bollards, wider medians and better street lighting.
The project follows four previously completed phases, part of a comprehensive effort to improve safety and to calm traffic in this major Bronx corridor. DDC is managing the project, which this spring received the Envision Silver Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, for DOT and DEP.
“With this $44 million project, we continue, in partnership with DOT and DEP, to make Grand Concourse safer and more inviting for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle. “This fifth phase of the program will reconstruct roads and sidewalks, will widen medians and add traffic calming and safety measures, including underground infrastructure upgrades. The previous phase of Grand Concourse was completed on time and on budget and we expect similar results on Phase 5.”
“Expanding lifesaving public safety infrastructure to all communities in New York City is central to all that we do, and our continued investment in the dramatic reconstruction of the Grand Concourse proves it,“ said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank our colleagues at DDC for beginning construction to bring new amenities—as well as the new bicycle lanes, pedestrian islands, and raised crosswalks that we know will make these communities safer.”
“This project will strengthen the water delivery and sewer systems, improve roadway drainage with new catch basins, and help build a more resilient and safer community. The newly planted tree canopy will also reduce the urban heat island effect and offer a shaded, welcoming space for pedestrians and cyclists to rest and recreate,” said DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “As with earlier phases of the Grand Concourse reconstruction, DEP once again worked closely with our partners DOT and DDC to align streetscape upgrades with critical underground infrastructure improvements.”
“Congratulations to New York City Department of Design and Development (NYCDDC), the partner agencies, and the entire project team on the success of the Grand Concourse, Phase 5 Project,” said Anthony Kane, President & CEO of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). “This transformative effort to revitalize a key corridor reflects outstanding leadership and collaboration. The project will deliver lasting benefits—enhanced safety, advanced mobility, and improved livability—for Bronx residents and surrounding communities.”
The previous phase of Grand Concourse was completed in 2023, on time and on budget at a cost of $62.5 million. Phase 3 of the program, which rehabilitated Grand Concourse from E. 171st Street to E. 175th Street, was completed in August 2020.
Project Details
Phase 5 will install service roads, wider medians, and implement enhanced safety and mobility features such as raised bike lanes, pedestrian islands, new signage, and curb extensions. Traffic calming measures will also include slip lanes with stop signs, dedicated bus lane and raised crosswalks for pedestrian safety. Over 10 acres of new asphalt will be installed. Curbs and sidewalks in the area will also be upgraded, as well as sewers, water mains, and utilities to improve infrastructure performance and reliability. Additionally, 30 catch basins will be installed to redirect stormwater, and over 100 trees and 1,300 shrubs will be planted to beautify the corridor.
Envision Award
This spring, the project was recognized with the Envision Silver Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI). ISI developed and manages Envision, a framework that encourages systemic changes in the planning, design and delivery of sustainable and resilient infrastructure through education, training and third-party project verification. The Envision sustainable infrastructure framework assesses project sustainability across five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Resource Allocation, Natural World and Climate and Resilience. To earn an Envision Verified award, a project must achieve a range of sustainability and resilience outcomes.
Grand Concourse Phase 5 was cited for addressing community needs and goals through the project’s design features for a busy corridor, while appropriately mitigating negative impacts by engaging the community through DDC’s robust community alerts, introductory letters, mass mailings, and community board presentations, as well as communication and training programs for sustainable design, and job creation. The project was also commended for how it will enhance public safety and infrastructure while also promoting local economic development and improving the attractiveness of the surrounding area to businesses. The project was awarded for the sustainability and resiliency measures integrated in the design and construction processes to improve the community, such as energy efficiency requirements, and mitigation features that will reduce the heat island effect and flood risk in the area, including the inclusion of planters and vegetation, planted medians, and catch basins.
DDC’s Broad Channel project in Queens, East Side Coastal Resiliency project and Starlight Park projects have previously received Envision Awards.
Featured image credit: DepositPhotos.com
