Westchester Avenue / Southern Boulevard Intersection Study
Insight Civil worked with Sam Schwartz Engineering (SSE) on the Westchester Avenue and Southern Boulevard Intersection Study for the MTA NYCT Department of Buses Traffic Engineering and Transportation Services On-Call contract. This work is part of the Bus Network Redesign (BNR) initiative to revitalize New York City’s bus network as part of the MTA’s Fast Forward plan. The BNR program takes a comprehensive fresh look at bus service patterns in each borough of New York City to better match service with current and future travel demands.
SSE evaluated the potential of re-routing buses turning right from Westchester Avenue onto Southern Blvd, which must navigate around structural support members for the 1 train viaduct as well as pedestrian crossings. A bus stop and turnaround on West Farms Road and Westchester Avenue also creates congestion on Westchester Avenue and at the intersection with Southern Boulevard due to the high volume of buses in the turnaround and back-ups at the signal of Westchester Ave and Southern Blvd. Additionally, the condition of the intersection pavement markings and asphalt deterioration create confusion and dangerous conditions for both pedestrians and buses attempting to navigate the intersection.
Engineers at Insight Civil performed existing conditions AutoCAD base mapping, AutoTURN analyses and field investigation support to SSE for bus turnaround and circulation improvements on Westchester Avenue and Southern Boulevard. Insight Civil developed base maps of the area so that SSE could develop design recommendations to improve bus circulation and flow at this heavily congested intersection. The structural members supporting the elevated 1 train tracks and viaduct presented a particularly challenging component for the analysis. All existing conditions base map information (including location of features and measurements) was field verified by the engineering team. Additionally, Insight Civil performed AutoTURN assessments for bus re-routing at approximately six intersections assuming both 40- and 60-foot articulated buses.
SSE evaluated the potential of re-routing buses turning right from Westchester Avenue onto Southern Blvd, which must navigate around structural support members for the 1 train viaduct as well as pedestrian crossings. A bus stop and turnaround on West Farms Road and Westchester Avenue also creates congestion on Westchester Avenue and at the intersection with Southern Boulevard due to the high volume of buses in the turnaround and back-ups at the signal of Westchester Ave and Southern Blvd. Additionally, the condition of the intersection pavement markings and asphalt deterioration create confusion and dangerous conditions for both pedestrians and buses attempting to navigate the intersection.
Engineers at Insight Civil performed existing conditions AutoCAD base mapping, AutoTURN analyses and field investigation support to SSE for bus turnaround and circulation improvements on Westchester Avenue and Southern Boulevard. Insight Civil developed base maps of the area so that SSE could develop design recommendations to improve bus circulation and flow at this heavily congested intersection. The structural members supporting the elevated 1 train tracks and viaduct presented a particularly challenging component for the analysis. All existing conditions base map information (including location of features and measurements) was field verified by the engineering team. Additionally, Insight Civil performed AutoTURN assessments for bus re-routing at approximately six intersections assuming both 40- and 60-foot articulated buses.
