The Citywide Congested Corridors Project will make Beverly Road narrower with a wider sidewalk, according to the New York City Department of Transportation. Photo: Yeong Lim

Reported on July 30

Whether you are a driver or pedestrian in Kensington, commuting on Church Avenue could become easier and safer as the street gets repaired and upgraded this summer, according to the New York City Department of Transportation.

The Citywide Congested Corridors Project initiated by the department began its construction on Church Avenue in June. The construction will improve safety and mobility for pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and motorists in the neighborhood, according to Gregory Haas, the project’s coordinator.

The construction on Church Avenue goes from McDonald Avenue to Utica Avenue, a 2.7-mile corridor. Of that corridor, approximately 0.54 miles, or 20 percent, of the construction will take place in Kensington. According to the agency’s website, the Church Avenue improvement in Kensington focuses mainly on installing signs, widening the sidewalks, and building two additional bus shelters. The project will make Beverly Road narrower with a wider sidewalk, and improve traffic signal timing.

The Citywide Congested Corridors Project is a construction project funded by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program or the CMAQ, which provides more than $8.6 billion in federal funds to state transportation agencies and urban planning groups. The CMAQ program, established in 1991, provides funds to invest in projects that improve air quality and reduce congestion, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.

“Church Avenue is one of 14 busy roadways across five boroughs being studied and upgraded right now,” said Haas.

According to Haas, the first five roadway projects began in February 2008. The project areas included Church Avenue in Brooklyn, Amboy Road in Staten Island, White Plains Road in the Bronx, Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens, and West 181 Street in Manhattan.

The constructions around the McDonald Avenue area began in June, according to Haas.

But, residents are more concerned about the potential safety implications than they are about the funding or timeframe of the project. “I hope it stops all the accidents around here,” said Veronica Valentine, 37, a Kensington resident. “It’s a mess here.”

According to the New York City Department of Transportation 2009 crash report, there were eight crashes at the intersection of Church Avenue and McDonald Avenue prior to the construction; seven of these were pedestrian crashes. The Church Avenue roadway between McDonald Avenue and Ocean Parkway had 12 crashes, with seven as pedestrian accidents.

According to Councilman Brad Lander’s office, there were more than a dozen traffic complaints earlier this year. The intersection at Ocean Parkway and Church Avenue had many of the problems with 22 crashes last year. Of those, four involved pedestrians.

Construction at that intersection is scheduled to begin in August. The plans include raising the height of the pedestrian refuge island and median extension, installing new pedestrian signals, pavement markings, and upgrading “No Turns” and “Yield to Pedestrian” signs.  The construction project will also repaint the stripes on the crosswalks, stop bars and other pavement markings.

According to the study done by the Congested Corridors Project Team, islands and upgraded signs are expected to reduce the number of crashes. The anticipated traffic delay reduction by 2017 on Church Avenue corridor from McDonald Avenue to Utica Avenue will average at 187.5 seconds during the morning peak hours, and 140 seconds during the evening peak hours, the study said. Speed improvement is expected to increase traveling time at approximately 1.25 mph during the morning peak hours, and 0.8 mph increase during the evening peak hours.

Construction is expected last until December 2010.

More stories by Yeong