Working closely with city agencies and two local community-based project partners, MNLA led a team to define the route and character of the South Bronx Greenway within the Hunts Point and Port Morris neighborhoods. A central premise of the project is balancing quality of life improvements for residents and workers alike and demonstrating that community and industry can coexist through careful planning and design. During the planning process, five priority projects were identified, each of which is now constructed.
Food Center Drive is the first protected shared use path in the Hunts Point peninsula. The mile-long route enables 16,000 employees of the Food Distribution Center as well as residents and visitors to access new public spaces along the Bronx and East Rivers.
The greenway incorporates innovative stormwater capture and biofiltration strategies and contributes significant new biomass. More than 700 trees as well as understory grasses and shrubs grow within the median and bikeway buffer. The bikeway connects to other MNLA projects throughout the peninsula including Hunts Point Landing.
The greenway is made possible by innovative thinking about rebalancing the right-of-way among vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.