How Long Will It Take?

According to yesterday's Crain's Insider, a New York State Department of Transportation spokesperson estimates that an Environmental Impact Assessment for the Sheridan Expressway's future won't be available until at least 2010. That's more than three years behind the schedule.

It seems like an awfully long time to prove what even the DOT spokesperson was willing to admit yesterday: all four options on the table for the Sheridan's future would improve truck travel times in the region... even the options that call for getting rid of the Sheridan all together.

So what are we waiting for? Affordable housing development is failing to keep pace with demand. Open space and parks continue to be an unattainable luxury for residents of the South Bronx. Access to living wage jobs for locals with modest levels of education is continuing to shrink. It's time to replace the Sheridan Expressway with over 1,000 units of housing, open space, and new economic development opportunities.

A Civic Activist Bootcamp

Just found on YouTube:


This is a heavily edited video, courtesy of the Municipal Art Society, documenting "A Civic Activist Bootcamp" – one of multiple events hosted around a exhibition at the MAS on the life and work of Jane Jacobs.

Tune in to hear Alexie Torres-Fleming, Executive Director of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, representing the Sheridan Expressway campaign on the panel.

Presentation Anytime

Last fall, the Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance presented its community-inspired vision to replace the Sheridan Expressway at an event hosted by Solar 1, the "green energy, arts, and education center" in lower Manhattan. The event was part of Solar 1's ongoing "Green Renter" series, giving "local activists, experts and artists the chance to share with Solar One’s growing community information and news about what is, isn’t and can be done to make New York a more sustainable city."

Thanks to a cool new online presentation platform called "Articulate," now you can check out the virtual presentation 24/7 on the Solar 1 website.

Thanks to Chris Neidl at Solar 1 for putting the presentation online!

Hot Off the Presses

The Hunts Point Express is running an article on the Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance's efforts to spread the word about the Sheridan Expressway's future to New Yorkers in all five boroughs. Reporter Daniel Allen had this to say:

"The Sheridan, Silva noted, was the brainchild of Robert Moses, whose bridge, tunnel and highway projects, including the Bruckner Expressway the Cross Bronx Expressway, transformed New York. He originally planned to link the Sheridan with I-95 by steamrolling through the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden. When opposition doomed that effort, he was left with the short stub of the Sheridan, dubbed by opponents “the road to nowhere.” It remains underused and unwanted, according to Silva."

Thanks to our friends at Solar One for the venue. Check back soon for video of our presentation at Stuyvesant Cover Park in mid-November.

If you'd like the Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance to come to YOUR organization, contact Philip Silva, Alliance Coordinator, at psilva[at]ssbx [dot]org.

One Week Later

It's been over a week since automobiles were restricted from the Sheridan Expressway, making it available to the thousands of bicyclists participating in the 2007 Tour de Bronx . Most of the 1.25 mile highway was closed to traffic for much of the day on October 21... and trucks and cars continued to flow throughout the rest of the City - and the Bronx - without a hitch. There were no catastrophes. There were no monumental traffic jams (at least not resulting from the Sheridan's closure). We are proud to report that, one week later, there's little chance that any motorist in New York City would know that a "major" highway was closed to traffic for hours on end this month.

So why not make it permanent?

Thanks to Clarence Eckerson, Jr. of New York City Streets Renaissance for the excellent photo showing the Sheridan at it's best: empty and ready to be replaced with greenways, bike paths, affordable housing, and new economic development opportunities.

Our Hats Off to Jane

The Community Vision for replacing the Sheridan Expressway with affordable housing, open space, and new economic development opportunities was a huge hit at last night's SOLD OUT "Civic Activist Boot Camp" panel discussion at the Municipal Art Society.

The panel was just one in a series of events connected to "Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York", an exhibit at the Municipal Art Society that explores the life and work of New York's Patron Saint of community-driven urban planning. The exhibit comes on the heels of three exhibits launched last spring in tribute to Sheridan-builder Robert Moses.

Alexie Torres-Fleming, Executive Director of Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, represented the Alliance on a panel that included such local luminaries as the Reverend Billy of the Church of Stop Shopping, Joshua David of The Friends of the High Line, and Marshall Brown of the Atlantic Yards Redevelopment Project.

Couldn't make it to the discussion? Stay tuned for links to a PBS webcast. In the meantime, download, print, and sign our new Letter of Support for the Community Vision and mail it to:

Philip Silva
Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance
c/o Sustainable South Bronx
890 Garrison Avenue, 4th Floor
Bronx, NY 10474

It will just take a minute, but collectively, all of your letters will have a huge impact!

On The Road With The Alliance

The Southern Bronx River Watershed Alliance will be hitting the road this fall with the following four event dates secured through to November (click on event title for location, time, and additional information):

Bronx River Festival :: September 29 :: Bronx River Alliance
A Civic Activist Boot Camp :: October 16 :: Municipal Art Society
Tour de Bronx :: October 21 :: Bronx Borough President's Office
Sheridan Swap :: November 13 :: Solar One

The Alliance is actively seeking opportunities to participate in panel discussions, lectures, and other public events to promote the community vision for replacing the Sheridan Expressway with affordable housing, green space, and new economic development opportunities. Email psilva [at] ssbx [dot] org with your suggestions and invitations.

Check back for more event dates in the near future...