QUEENS BOULEVARD A BOOK OF PRECEDENTS

INTRODUCTION
This booklet shows streets that are similar in size to Queens Boulevard, but have different uses in place of traffic lanes, including transit, space for pedestrians and cyclists, and parks. Use this booklet to explore these other streets, as examples of how Queens Boulevard could be a safer place for all road users. For too long, New Yorkers have adapted to the dangerous conditions of Queens Boulevard. Though only 46 percent of New Yorkers own cars, Queens Boulevard is designed for fast travel by private vehicles, to the detriment of others. The prioritization of the car comes at a steep price for the past 15 years, ever since traffic crash data was made public and mapped, Queens Boulevard topped the list of most dangerous streets every year. In Spring 2010, the Transportation Alternatives (T.A.) Queens Volunteer Committee with T.A.s Bicycle Advocacy Director, Caroline Samponaro, embarked on a campaign to win pedestrian and cyclist safety in Queens. T.A. is a New York City-based sustainable transportation advocacy organization. Working with Planning Corps, a non-profit, volunteer network of urban planners, tools were developed to build public support for changes to the street. One major insight from our analysis is there is enough space on Queens Boulevard to accommodate all the communities needs. The only thing missing now is political will.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A project like this is a collective effort. Thank you to the many people who attended Planning Corps working sessions over many months. In particular, we would like to thank Mike Lydon of Street Plans Collaborative, Eric Galipo of H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, and Anthony Denaro of OpenPlans for working so diligently on this booklet. The dynamic Queens Volunteer Committee motivated the entire project, and we would be remiss not to mention David Dubovsky, the former committee chair, and Jessame Hannus for their continued engagement with Planning Corps. Finally, this whole collaboration would not have been possible without the support of Transportation Alternatives. Thank you Paul White and Caroline Samponaro.

QUEENS BOULEVARD
New York, NY; Urban Suburban. Residential, Light Industrial, Retail

Queens Boulevard features 14 vehicular lanes (including parking) and 5 different configurations over its 6-mile trajectory. The Boulevards auto-centric design, mixture of suburban/urban forms, lack of tree coverage, and oversized intersections do very little to enrich the quality of the public realm. Furthermore, access lanes are used as heavily as the thru-lanes, further degrading the pedestrian experience.

Right-of-Way Width Motor Vehicle Space Allocation Pedestrian/Bicycle/Transit Ratio LAND USE CHARACTER GENERAL USES PUBLIC FRONTAGE QUALITY Outer Sidewalk Width Landscape Type # VEHICULAR, PARKING LANES Traffic Lane Width Parking Lane Width BIKEWAY TYPE Movement Bicycle Parking TRANSIT TYPE Bus Accommodation Rail Accommodation

MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 200 150 25% LAND USE: URBAN, SUBURBAN Residential, Light Industry, Retail MEDIUM, LOW 15 Sidewalks Sparse Street Trees, Amenities 14 10 - 11 Traffic Lane Width 7.5 Parking Lane Width N/A n/a Bike Rack BUS, SUBWAY Bus Stops, Shelters Subway Stations/Viaduct

NO BIKE LANES

NO BUS LANES

SUBWAY

14
TRAFFIC LANES

TRAFFIC PARKING SIDEWALK LANE LANE LANE WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS NO MEDIAN AMENTITIES BUS STOPS W/ SHELTERS BIKE RACKS SPARSE STREET TREES AMENITIES

10 7.5 15 11 15

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL
Barcelona, Spain; Urban. Residential, Retail.

AVENUE MARCEAU
Paris France. Urban. Residential, Office, Light Retail

Like Queens Boulevard, the 5-mile Avinguda Diagonal accommodates very high volumes of regional traffic, and features many large, complex intersection configurations. Yet, two 30 medians separating the center roadway from the access lanes accommodate bicycling, walking, scooter parking, tram/bus stations, generous tree plantings and other public amenitie. These tame what would be an otherwise unpleasant thoroughfare.

Avenue Marceau is one of 12 thoroughfares radiating from the Etoile. Described by Allan Jacobs as an everyday boulevard, the thoroughfare is highly functional, but not the citys most eleganttwo lanes of parking on each access road often spills onto the sidwalk, creating a harsh streetscape. Numerous obtuse and acute intersections and low pedestrian counts are characteristics similar to those found on Queens Boulevard. BUS SHELTERS CONTRA FLOW BUS LANES NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES SUBWAY TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

BIKE LANES

BUS TRAM

SUBWAY

10

MEDIAN AMENTITIES BUS STOPS, BUS LANES BIKE RACKS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

8 10 9 11

BIKE LANES CONTRA FLOW BUS LANES

9 7 12 10 12

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL QUEENS BLVD

AVENUE MARCEAU QUEENS BLVD

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
Boston, MA Urban, Suburban. Residential, Retail

ST. KILDA ROAD

Melbourne, Australia; Urban. Mixed-Use, Office, Light Retail

Like Queens Boulevard, Commonwealth Avenue features many configurations over its meandering trajectory. The corridors access lanes are separated from the thru lanes by two medians, used in three different ways: planted, angled parking, bi-directional trolley tracks/stations. Bicycle lanes were recently added along portions of the thoroughfare, which connects Bostons Public Garden to its suburbs.

St. Kilda Road is one of three impressive and historic multiway boulevards radiating from the center of the city. The 4-mile thoroughfare includes dense mixed-use development as well as low-rise neighborhood retail. Almost as wide as Queens Boulevard, this regional thoroughfare sets itself apart by providing transit (trams run down the center of the roadway), bikeways, and a continuous cover of mature London Plane trees. BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES AMENITIES

BIKE LANES

TRAM

SUBWAY

TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

10- 8 8 15 16 25

BIKE LANES

TRAM

SUBWAY

10

BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

9 7 17 10 20

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE

ST KILDA ROAD

QUEENS BLVD

QUEENS BLVD

New York, NY: Urban, Suburban. Residentia, Civic, Institutional

OCEAN PARKWAY

Lisbon, Portugal: Urban, Residential and Retail

AVENIDA DA REPUBLICA

Ocean Parkway is a classic multiway boulevard. It handles large volumes of regional traffic (up to 70,000 cars per day), while also providing plenty of amenities within the public realm: generous tree cover, wide sidewalks, and two 30 medians featuring Americas oldest bike path accommodate high volumes of bicyclists and pedestrians. Despite being wider than Queens Boulevard, Ocean Parkway maintains a superior design.

TWO WAY BIKE LANES

BUS

MEDIAN AMENITIES TWO WAY BIKE LANE BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES NO SUBWAY TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

12

10 8 15 15 15

One of three boulevards connecting the city center with the Campo Grande Park, Avenida da Republica, like Queens Boulevard, is too auto-oriented. Its expanding tree cover and land use make for an attractive destination, yet much of the space has been compromised by making space for motor vehicle traffic, including the conversion of a 20 median to diagonal parking. Furthermore, few amenities exist for pedestrians or cyclists.

NO BIKE LANES

BUS

SUBWAY

12

BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

9 15 15 15

Context

Context

OCEAN PARKWAY QUEENS BLVD

Detail

AVENIDA REPUBLICA QUEENS BLVD

OCEAN PARKWAY
THOROUGHFARE TYPE Right-of-Way Width Motor Vehicle Space Allocation Pedestrian/Bicycle/Transit Ratio LAND USE: CHARACTER GENERAL USES PUBLIC FRONTAGE QUALITY Outer Sidewalk Width Landscape Type # VEHICULAR , PARKING LANES Traffic Lane Width Parking Lane Width BIKEWAY TYPE Movement Bicycle Parking TRANSIT TYPE Bus Accommodation Rail Accommodation MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 210 120 43% URBAN, SUBURBAN Residential, Civic/Institutional HIGH 15, 15 Sidewalks Street Trees, Median Amenities 12 Parking Lanes 10, 15 8 SHARED USE PATH Two-way Rack
BUS

AVENIDA DA REPUBLICA
MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 175 120 32% URBAN Mixed-Use, Office, Retail MEDIUM 15, 15 Sidewalks Tree Cover 12 Parking Lanes 9 15 N/A N/A N/A
BUS, SUBWAY

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL
MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 165 84 49% URBAN Residential, Retail HIGH 10, 11 Sidewalks Street Trees, Median Amenities 9, 10 Parking Lanes 8, 9 n/a BICYCLE LANES With Traffic, In Median Rack
BUS, SUBWAY

QUEENS BOULEVARD
MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 200 150 25% URBAN, SUBURBAN Residential, Light Industrial, Retail MEDIUM, LOW 15 Sidewalks Sparse Street Trees, Few Amenities 14 Parking Lanes 10 - 11 7.5 N/A n/a Rack
BUS, SUBWAY

ST KILDA ROAD
MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 197 90 55% URBAN Mixed-Use, Office, Light Retail HIGH 17, 20 Sidewalks Generous Tree Cover 10 Parking Lanes 9 - 10 7 BIKE LANE With Traffic N/A
TRAM

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE AVE MARCEAU

MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 200 123 39% URBAN, SUBURBAN Residential, Retail HIGH, MEDIUM 8, 25 Sidewalks Street Trees, No Median Amenities 9 Parking Lanes 10, 12, 15 8, 16 (diagonal) BICYCLE LANES With Traffic Rack
BUS, TROLLEY

MULTIWAY BOULEVARD 134 92 32% URBAN Residential, Office, Light Retail HIGH 12 Sidewalks Generous Street Trees 6 Parking Lanes 9, 10 7 BUS/BIKE LANE COMBO With Traffic N/A
BUS

Bus Stops at Major Cross Streets N/A

Bus Shelters, Bus Lanes Subway Stations

Bus Lanes, Bus Stops, Shelters Subway and Tram Stations

Bus Stops, Shelters Subway Stations/Viaduct

N/A Center Median Tram Stations

Bus Stops Tram Stations

Bus Shelters, Contra-flow Bus Lanes N/A

PEOPLE VEHICLE 57% SPACE

RATIO OF 43%

32%

49%

25%

68%

51%

75%

55%
45%

39%

32%

61%

68%

CROSS SECTION COMPARISION

Pedestrian Bike Lane Dedicated Mass Transit Planted Green Space Non Occupiable Median Motor Vehicle Parking Lane

AVENUE MARCEAU

AVENIDA DA REPUBLICA

COMMONWEALTH AVE

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL

ST KILDA ROAD

QUEENS BLVD

OCEAN PARKWAY

QUEENS BOULEVARD
NO BIKE LANES NO BUS LANES SUBWAY

14
TRAFFIC LANES

TRAFFIC PARKING SIDEWALK LANE LANE LANE WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

10 7.5 15 11 15

ALLOCATION OF SPACE BY USES

QUEENS BLVD

Ped Bike Ded Pla Non Mot Par est La icat nted Oc or V king rian ne ed G cup eh La Mas reen iab icle ne s Tr Sp le M ans ace edia it n

AVENUE MARCEAU
BIKE LANES CONTRA FLOW BUS LANES

BUS SHELTERS CONTRA FLOW BUS LANES NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES SUBWAY TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

9 7 12 10 12

AVENUE MARCEAU

AVINGUDA DIAGONAL
BIKE LANES BUS TRAM SUBWAY

10

MEDIAN AMENTITIES BUS STOPS, BUS LANES BIKE RACKS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

8 10 9 11

AVENIDA DIAGONAL

AVENIDA DA REPUBLICA
NO BIKE LANES BUS SUBWAY

12 9 12 6

BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

15 15 15

AVENIDA DA REPUBLICA OCEAN PARKWAY

OCEAN PARKWAY
TWO WAY BIKE LANES BUS

MEDIAN AMENITIES TWO WAY BIKE LANE BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES NO SUBWAY TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

10 8 15 15 15

COMMONWEALTH AVENUE
BIKE LANES TRAM SUBWAY

TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

10- 8 8 15 16 25

BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES AMENITIES

COMMONWEALTH AVE

ST. KILDA ROAD

BIKE LANES TRAM SUBWAY

10

BUS SHELTERS CENTER MEDIAN TRAM STOPS NO BIKE RACKS GENEROUS STREET TREES TRAFFIC TRAFFIC PARKING OUTER AMENITIES LANES LANE LANE SIDEWALK WIDTHS WIDTHS WIDTHS

9 7 17 10 20

ST KILDA ROAD