Community Board 11 has received a positive response from the Department of Transportation that appears to have sealed the fate of Tomlinson Avenue.
Due to excessive bottleneck traffic jams along the service road of Pelham Parkway South, CB11 passed a motion to recommend the traffic flow reversal on Tomlinson Avenue.
Currently all of Tomlinson south of Lydig Avenue is one way in a south-bound direction, with the exception of one block between Pelham Parkway South and Lydig Avenue, which flows northerly.
Residents of the isolated block responded vehemently to the change, collecting petitions opposing the reversal. The residents believe the change will expose their children to speeding, as travelers hit the gas pedal to avoid lights and traffic on Williamsbridge road.
Despite this, with the an almost constant build up of cars along the service road and the planned reconstruction of Pelham Parkway scheduled to start in the fall, the community board found no other option.
According to a letter from DOT to CB11, following an investigation on the feasibility of reversing the direction they ‘have concluded…that Tomlinson Avenue will operate most effectively as a one-way street southbound.’
According to a DOT spokesperson, no time frame for the conversion has been established, pending an approval from CB11.
In response to the need for the speed reducers requested by CB11, DOT will reverse the flow before determining its necessity.
“They [DOT] can’t do a study for speed humps or traffic lights because there is no traffic now,” said Fratta. “We are again going to reiterate we want speed reducers put on a number of these blocks to calm the traffic.”
On Thursday, April 23, upon request from DOT, CB11 passed a motion reconfirming their support of the project, and sent a letter of confirmation.
“This is now a private street. Everyone would like to have a private block, but we can’t allow this to continue. We have the whole board to worry about and are looking at what is in the best interest of all the residents of the community,” said Frata.
