Hudson River Valley Greenway

Contents:

Answer our Greenway Questionnaire: go to the Greenway Questionnaire page

Map of Preferred Alternatifves for HRV Greenway through the Bronx (source: NYMTC Technical Memo Task 7 Alternatives Analysis, page 535)

Technical Reports

Joint statement on the Greenway by the Preservancy and Friends of the Hudson River Valley Greenway in the Bronx

Project Description

Project Goals

Principles and Values that guide the Preservancy's work on the Greenway

Past Planning Efforts for the Hudson River Valley Greenway in the Bronx

Current Status

September, 2010 - Greenway planners issued Technical Memo Task 7 Alternatives Analysis, which ranks 5 possible greenway routes through the Bronx, according to criteria that was identified by the project goals, community input, and the relevant city and state agencies.

The options for a Greenway route are being evaluated according to the following characteristics:

Greenway experience
Safety and convenience
User comfort
Connectivity with transit, neighborhood destinations, and other trails/bicycle networks
Implementation issues such as legal compliance/constraints and cost

Project Technical Reports

The Alternatives Analysis is a detailed description of the potential routes and how they are being studied. It also contains several useful maps. You can find this and other reports by the planners on the website of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. Please follow the directions below:

To find the report, select Programs and Projects on the left of NYMTC's website, then select Bicycling and Walking, then scroll down to the photograph of Palisade Avenue and find the purple words in the paragraph that say "click here". On the new page, scroll all the way down, and click on the purple link that says "Technical Memo Task 7 Alternatives Analysis". Click here for NYMTC's website.

November 18, 2009 - The Riverdale Nature Preservancy, Friends of the Hudson River Valley Greenway in the Bronx, and Wave Hill co-sponsored a public meeting with greenway planners from NYMTC (New York Metropolitan Transportation Commission), to discuss the greenway planning process and scope. Speakers included:

Howard J. Mann, project planner, NY Metropolitan Transportation Council

Joshua Laird, Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Natural Resources, NYC Dept. of Parks and Recreation

Representatives of Community Board 8

Elected Officials

Some 75 residents and other interested individuals attended this 2-hour meeting. Attendees were supportive of increased public access to the Hudson River and the greenway goals.

On October 1, 2009, the Riverdale Nature Preservancy and the Friends of the Hudson River Greenway in the Bronx sent a joint statement that detailed community needs, to greenway planners at the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council.

Project Description

The Hudson River Valley Greenway will one day reach from Troy, NY, north of Albany, to Battery Park in Manhattan. According to the New York State Greenway office, as of May 2007, 564.54 miles have been designated as part of the greenway.

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) is currently leading a planning study for the Bronx Link of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, using federal transportation funding in the " Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: a Legacy for Users" (SAFETEA-LU) Act of 2005.

The Preservancy is a member of the project's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which brings local expertise and community voice to the project.

The ongoing planning study is looking at all previous planning studies, including the advisory committee report of 1998 -- see the history of Hudson River Valley Greenway planning in the Bronx, below -- and reevaluating them in light of current conditions and the project's goals.

You can view project documents and reports, including:

scope of work
members of the TAC and Steering Committees
minutes of the TAC meetings
summary of the February public workshop
project timeline

at the Bronx Link of the Hudson River Valley Greenway page of NYMTC's website.

(From the home page, select Programs and Projects, then select Bicycle and Pedestrian projects. About 3/4 down on that page, you will find a section on Linking the Greenway along the Hudson River. A link within the paragraph that says "click here" to learn more, brings the reader to project details).

Project Goals

Goals for the Bronx Link of the Hudson River Valley Greenway (HRVG) include:

linking to a broader greenway system and to cultural, natural, recreational, scenic, and other resources in the corridor
public access to the Hudson River waterfront
functional transportation
safety
multi-use
historic and environmental education.

Principles and Values

Every land use discussion is framed by the principles and values, and the overarching goals, of the participants.

Read the Principles and Values that guide the Preservancy in our work on the TAC.

Past planning efforts for the Hudson River Valley Greenway in the Bronx

The Hudson River Valley Greenway was created by the New York State legislature through the Hudson River Valley Greenway Act of 1991.

In 1996, the New York State Greenway office created an advisory committee of Riverdale community members, who were asked to consider potential routes for the Hudson River Valley Greenway through the Bronx. The Preservancy was a member of the advisory committee.

The committee developed and presented alternative routes for a Hudson River Valley Greenway, with the assistance of a landscape architect and grant funding from the State. The Preservancy contributed substantial staff time to the project, which was used to coordinate public participation and write the committee's report. The Preservancy's contribution provided the required community match to the State grant.

Additional greenway planning in the Bronx has been undertaken over the years by the Bronx Borough President, several City agencies, and greenway organizations.