The Southbound bus stop on Riverside Drive and 104th Street.
The Parks Department is making some changes to bus stops along Riverside Drive that should make them more accessible to people in wheelchairs, and keep buses from blocking intersections. At 104t Street, a new pedestrian island would make it easier for people to cross the street before the light changes.
The plans were unveiled at a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing last week, according to NY YIMBY. The park is a scenic landmark, so the preservation commission reviews changes to it, though its vote isn’t binding. They voted to approve the new bus stops.
“The specific stops that would receive work are the northbound and southbound stops at West 100th Street, the northbound stop at West 103rd Street, the northbound and southbound stops at West 104th Street, the northbound stop at West 106th Street, and the southbound stops at West 112th Street, West 113th Street, West 114th Street, West 116th Street, West 119th Street, West 120th Street, and West 122nd Street.”
Currently, many stops are not accessible to people in wheelchairs and there is often too little space for people to stand.
How about fixing the stairs down to the playing fields at 101?
Good question. What was exactly wrong with those stairs that caused them to be fenced in? Now it looks really really bad.
The stairs-in-question (in Riverside Park, at roughly 102nd street, leading-down to what is known as the “101st Street Soccer Field”; the basketball court just slightly north of it; and, from it, a number of other sports fields) is literally disintegrating. I first became aware that there was a problem roughly eighteen months ago, in March of 2015 when, upon walking down the steps, one of them felt loose underfoot. I reported this to the Parks Department at that time, via the nyc.gov web site. By that May (2015), the condition had visibly worsened considerably, as can be seen in these photos that I took then. I filed a 311 report. Sometime that July I noticed that the stairs had been fenced-off. I know that it could not have been done before June 23rd because I had seen the stairs then and taken this photo
Other egregious safety hazards in Riverside Park that I have noticed (and, in some cases, reported) include:
–potholes (slope from 103rd staircase to lower-level of park; pavement along railing at river’s edge)
–loose steps (stairway just beyond 95th St. underpass; eastern edge of 103rd St. promenade overlooking basketball court)
–severely broken-up pavement along ledge at uppermost-level of park (caused me to trip and nearly fall)
One has to question the priorities of the City and whichever other entities have been responsible for neglecting such conditions while proceeding with any number of other projects that would appear to be less urgent or critical (often much less so). I am not the only one to feel this way, as can be seen from a number of comments that have been made by others. Consider, for example, the recent thread for the WSR story (posted September 9th),
MASSIVE RIVERSIDE PARK REDEVELOPMENT BEGINS; NEW PLAZAS, VOLLEYBALL COURTS COMING”. Note, especially, this comment from “Beth”, in which she wrote,
(I took the liberty of correcting an obvious typo- Ind.)
Let me add that I, too, have many times seen people circumnavigating the fence and using the stairs in their decrepit, dangerous condition. Worse, I have even seen adults (presumably parents) leading children in such reckless behavior. Appalling.
NOTE: The proper way to currently access the areas that the staircase leads-to is via the paved path that runs along the highway, west of the fields. Simply walk southward along the main level of the park for just a bit. You will quickly arrive at where the path splits, leading to the underpass on the left and, to the right, where you need to go.
Does the bus stop there?
I wish they would pay attention to the M5 stop at 87th and Riverside The disgusting cesspool dumpster from the rehab center and the nauseating fumes and pools of water around the stop make it inaccessible to everyone.
Changes at these stops on Riverside Drive are needed. You often have to guess exactly where the bus driver will stop.
There’s something of a Heisenberg element to it: If people are standing in one place — it doesn’t matter where or how well marked “Bus Stop” it is — then the driver will stop somewhere else.
Uncertainty and buses?
can’t be
Why do I feel that this is going to cause traffic snarls and construction obstacles for many months to come???
Moving the southbound stop from 104th to 103rd is interesting. The claim is that its being made for two reasons. (1) Bus stops should not block crosswalks. (2) Bus stops should be every 3 blocks and the prior stop is at 106.
Unfortunately, moving the stop to 103, means we lose our seating while waiting for the bus. It also means that a sidewalk will be constructed between 103 and 104 along the street. I will assume this will be a trashy looking sidewalk as it will not be maintained just like the one further west against the wall is not maintained.
The 100th street stop? Even if the make the stop more accessible it will be a waste without larger improvements. The steps up to the fireman’s memorial are to steep, as is the hill side. They would have to make a switch back type of ramp into the hillside just north or south of the bus stop.
Another thing that they should focus on are more no.5 buses along the route! Especially going downtown from the 90’s. I have waited 25 min or longer during the day and rush hours.
Still waiting for the promised return of the M104 route. Guess someone paid someone and it’s not gonna happen. Who calls the shots with these decisions? Thanks to anyone who can help with this.
Why aren’t there any bus stop shelters on Riverside Drive??????
Bus stop shelters can become homeless shelters. That’s why. Who wants some crack smoking, four loko chugging, degenerate camping out across the street?
or the elderly and disabled sheltered from the elements
i’d guess it’s because the coop owners don’t want them
The article does not say WHY the changes are being made. Its not out of the goodness of anyone’s heart. There was money from the state to do this.