Bronx Greenway unveiled.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has unveiled the master plan for the South Bronx Greenway, a key component of the Hunts Point Vision Plan that will improve access to the waterfront, provide recreational opportunities, improve transportation safety and enhance the network of bike and pedestrian paths on the South Bronx peninsula.

The City will start the Greenway plan with four short-term projects and additional improvements that will create 1.5 acres of publicly accessible open space and 2.3 miles of green streets. When it's completed, the South Bronx Greenway will encompass 1.5 miles of new waterfront greenway, 8.5 miles of new green streets, and nearly 12 acres of new waterfront open space.

The Hunts Point Vision Plan is an initiative announced in March 2005 aimed at promoting a competitive business environment and sustainable community on the Hunts Point Peninsula in the South Bronx.

Divided into three phases--shortterm (five years), mid-term (five to 10 years) and long-term (more than ten years)--the master plan calls for the implementation of a widespread series of projects in the Hunts Point residential and commercial area.

The creation of the master plan was funded through a Federal Department of Transportation Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) planning grant of $1 million, $95,000 from Iroquois Gas Transmission System, L.P., $25,000 in State funds secured by State Senator Jose M. Serrano, $5,000 from Con Edison, and in-kind contributions by Sustainable South Bronx, the Point Community Development Corporation and the Pratt Center for Community Development.

The City is initiating the design of the first four projects of the short-term phase that are expected to cost approximately $30 million.

The City is allocating about $24 million from the Hunts Point Vision Plan for these projects and additional funding is coming from the State-administered Transportation Enhancements Program ($1.7 million), the State Environmental Protection Fund ($808,000) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($718,000).

The City is working with State and Federal partners to identify additional funding sources.

The first four projects include a waterfront park at the Hunts Point Landing; truck traffic improvements on Food Center Drive within the Food

Distribution Center; a greenway lane and direct access for pedestrians to the waterfront via jogging and bike paths; and the greening of Lafayette Avenue with streetscaping, a landscaped center median and dedicated bike and pedestrian paths.

The City is working also with the State and local partners to acquire the land to develop a connection to Randall's Island that will provide pathways allowing pedestrian and bicycle access to the Island's sports and recreational spaces.

Construction on the projects is slated to begin by summer 2007 and is scheduled for completion in 2011.

In addition to the four initial, projects, the City is also implementing: three improvements as part of the short-term phase of the Greenway master plan.

The Hunts Point Avenue Streetscape and Signage project will provide improved traffic signage, streetscaping and dedicated bike and pedestrian paths.

Shoreline improvement and bulkhead repair efforts along the waterfront will allow for future greenway within the Food Distribution Center.

Finally, the replacement and beautification of the Produce Market fence will complement the new greenway.