By Daniel Katzive
The rebuilding of the 79th Street Rotunda Complex has moved into a new phase (Phase 1) which will create some new traffic disruptions in the area. Beginning today, the southbound entrance ramp to the Henry Hudson Parkway from the Rotunda will be closed. You will still be able to exit the parkway from the southbound lanes, with traffic diverted to make a sharp left immediately upon exiting the highway. Signs have popped up today around the neighborhood advising south bound drivers to head for 55th Street or 96th Street to access the Parkway. For more on the closure, see this link shared by CB7.
The northbound entrance and exit lanes, which do not actually use the Rotunda structure, remain unaffected. The little used u-turn ramps that allowed drivers to access the Rotunda from the northbound lanes and vice versa have already been and will remain closed for the duration of the project for equipment staging.
Bicycles will also be unable to access the Rotunda during the construction and will have to use pedestrian ramps north of 79th Street to access the waterfront or go south to 72nd Street.
Update, 6:50pm: According to the DOT, the southbound entrance ramp is expected to remain closed for about two years.
Thank you for this information. Two questions/comments:
1. How long will this take?
2. I clicked through to the link and thought it was important to highlight that since the M79 bus can no longer turn around at the Rotunda, it will be going down West End to 72nd and then back up Riverside. This could really slow down service a lot. Will they be running extra buses to accommodate this? I did not notice whether the bus will make additional stops between 72 and 79 (I assume it will not).
On question 1, we did not have an estimate at the time we published the original article, but we have now updated with an estimate from the DOT.
The most incompetent DOT in the history of DOTs and the one who doesn’t gives two figs about drivers.
If this is not done NOW, the whole thing could collapse. It has be done and the way it being done. You may be in this word but you sure are not thinking about it!
For how long?
We did not have that information at the time we published the article originally but we have now updated with an estimate obtained from the DOT.
The entrance off Riverside dr to the west side hwy should be reopened. Since Bloomberg closed it the traffic on wea at rush hours can be enormous. Backed up4-5 blocks from 96 st, in front of a public school…..
I don’t know how anyone can say the DOT “doesn’t care about drivers.” This entire project is about “caring about drivers.” The West 79th St rotunda has been in such bad shape for so many years, it’s a wonder many of us who drive in and out of the City have not lost our axles or tires. Instead of criticizing the DOT, please be grateful this project has finally risen to the top of the priority list.
Increase access from Riverside Drive to the West Side Highway.
And cut more entrance ramps through Riverside Park is what you forgot to include.
I have no issue with fixing/updating the rotunda. What is unreasonable is putting 2 YEARS on it. This is clearly bureaucratic nonsense. In china, hell in Las Vegas this thing would be complete inside of a month. I can only imagine how many times we will see no one working on it for days at a time. It’s ridiculous.
I wonder what maps the DOT is using. We live on W. 87th between WEA and RSD, and there is on of these signs directing drivers to go up RSD to get to the WSH SB. Problem, is there is no entrance of any kind from RSD to the WSH. The entrance is only accessible from 96th St., which means drivers should go up WEA. How many road rage events is the DOT prepared to take responsibility for? Such as furious drives piling off 95th St , turning left on WEA, and mowing down students and elderly folk who live nearby.
Does DOT ever check out their proposed detours at street level, in real vehicles?
Gail Brewer, is your office aware of this?
Gonna be finished just in time for New Year’s Eve . . . 2035
The roundabout at 79th has been a mess for years and years. Untold numbers of cars – including my own on a freezing night 2 years ago – must have suffered popped tires due to the pot holes and uneven surface. That the rotunda has held up is just dumb luck. Agree with writer Weerth, makes NO SENSE that it can’t be fixed/re-built/re-opened way faster than two years.