UPGRADES CARRIED OUT during Grand Concourse Phase 4, completed in 2023. Phase 5 will also add bike lanes, upgraded medians, bus lanes, and other traffic calming features.
Photo courtesy of NYC Department of Design & Construction

Phase 5 of the reconstruction of the Grand Concourse in the Fordham / Kingsbridge Heights / Bedford Park sections of The Bronx kicked off Aug. 25, as announced by NYC Department of Transportation (DOT), the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC).

 

City officials said the $44 million project stretching from East Fordham Road to East 198th Street will rebuild the street from end to end with safety features, improved pedestrian access, and additional enhancements such as bike lanes, bollards, wider medians, and better street lighting.

 

They said the project follows four previously completed phases of a wider effort to improve safety and calm traffic in what is a major Bronx corridor. DDC is managing the project which, this spring, received the Envision Silver Award from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure for DOT and DEP.

 

They said Grand Concourse Phase 5, like previous phases, will add bike lanes, upgraded medians, bus lanes, and other traffic calming features. “We continue to make Grand Concourse safer and more inviting for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike,” said DDC Acting Commissioner Eduardo del Valle in part.

 

“This fifth phase of the program will reconstruct roads and sidewalks, will widen medians and add traffic calming and safety measures, including underground infrastructure upgrades,” he added. “The previous phase of Grand Concourse was completed on time and on budget and we expect similar results on Phase 5.”

 

DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said expanding lifesaving public safety infrastructure to all NYC communities was central to the work of DOT. “Our continued investment in the dramatic reconstruction of the Grand Concourse proves it,” he said in part.

 

Meanwhile, DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala said Phase 5 of the project will strengthen the water delivery and sewer systems, improve roadway drainage with new catch basins, and help build a more resilient and safer community. “The newly planted tree canopy will also reduce the urban heat island effect, and offer a shaded, welcoming space for pedestrians and cyclists to rest and recreate,” he said.

 

Aggarwala added that DEP was working closely with DOT and DDC to align streetscape upgrades with critical underground infrastructure improvements.

 

Finally, Anthony Kane, president and CEO of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI), said in part, “This transformative effort to revitalize a key corridor reflects outstanding leadership and collaboration. The project will deliver lasting benefits, enhanced safety, advanced mobility, and improved livability for Bronx residents and surrounding communities.”

 

City officials said Phase 4 of the project was completed in 2023, on time and on budget at a cost of $62.5 million, and Phase 3 of the program, which rehabilitated Grand Concourse from E. 171st Street to E. 175th Street, was completed in August 2020.

 

They said Phase 5 will install service roads, wider medians, and implement enhanced safety and mobility features such as raised bike lanes, pedestrian islands, new signage, and curb extensions.

 

Additionally, they said traffic calming measures will also include slip lanes with stop signs, dedicated bus lanes, and raised crosswalks for pedestrian safety. Over 10 acres of new asphalt will be installed, curbs and sidewalks in the area will be upgraded, as well as sewers, water mains, and utilities to improve infrastructure performance and reliability.

 

Additionally, 30 catch basins will be installed to redirect stormwater, and over 100 trees and 1,300 shrubs will be planted to beautify the corridor.