By Joseph Morales

The area around Father Capodanno Blvd in Staten Island’s Midland Beach neighborhood is a hub of outdoor activities on the island. For one, Father Capodanno Blvd runs directly adjacent to Midland and South Beaches along with the boardwalk. These beaches along with the boardwalk are extremely popular amongst those who want a less crowded alternative to beaches in Brooklyn and Queens.  Father Capodanno Boulevard is also home to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, which is larger than any other track and field facility in NYC including the Washington Heights Armory. Another major destination along the corridor is Miller Field. This is one of Staten Island’s largest assortments of sports fields and one of the borough’s main hubs for league sports. It is likely that Father Capodanno Blvd sees more road users making trips to recreation destinations than any street on Staten Island and most streets in NYC. Outside of recreation facilities, there are multiple senior centers nearby along with a plethora of residences.

          Unfortunately, Father Capodanno Blvd has several conditions that have led to pedestrian and cyclist safety problems. Much of the street’s issues stem from it being extremely wide in both directions along with traffic volumes being pretty low. Conditions like these encourage speeding no matter where they are located and this being near so many recreation destinations is definitely cause for greater concern. The wide roadway also creates the issue of pedestrians having to cross longer distances. An NYU study found that three cities with incrementally higher average crosswalk lengths saw collisions increase by 15%, 23% and 43% respectively, with the most significant increase going to the city with the longest average crosswalks. Safety problems along Father Capodanno Blvd are even more concerning given the number of youth who cross the street to access the beaches and parks. 

          As for cyclists, there is an unusual bike sharrow in the left lane of the boulevard in the southbound direction that creates confusion and discomfort for those on two wheels. A bike sharrow is a lane that is designated for shared use for bikes and cars. The goal of a sharrow is usually to create and indicate the safest place for cyclists and drivers to travel when a standard or protected bike lane does not exist. However, the setup fails to achieve that objective on Father Capodanno Blvd. This is mainly because the design is rare in NYC and the left lane is generally the faster lane for motorists on a street as wide as this. Therefore, it is probable that motorists do not expect to see cyclists let alone a shared designation as they use the lane. 

        The New York City Department of Transportation(NYCDOT) is now set to take steps to address all of the corridor’s main issues between Midland Ave and the street’s southern terminus. A proposal from the agency includes eliminating a travel lane and adding a protected bike lane in each direction. The city will also add and/or extend median tips at intersections with both Lincoln and Midland Avenues. A median tip is a painted curb extension that exists at the end of a street’s yellow median at an intersection. 

         While this redesign sounds simple, it will make the street much safer for everyone and may even help to save lives. This is because the elements will be able to work cohesively to remedy the problems that make the street dangerous for all road users. For starters, removing the travel lane will narrow the roadway and discourage higher speeds. The lane’s removal will allow for the addition of a PBL, which will provide cyclists with a secluded place to ride without having to share the lane with cars. Both of these moves will lead to a shorter crossing distance for pedestrians since cars will be using a much more condensed portion of the roadway. 

        It is also worth noting that this design will have absolutely no impact on parking along the corridor. This is important here because the number of recreational land uses coupled with the neighborhood’s high car ownership rate mean that parking demand is high and parking spot turnover is likely low. A plan that called for the loss of parking spaces might have garnered opposition and made it harder for the NYCDOT to achieve the safety benefits the project is capable of delivering. It may have also made visits to the recreational facilities less desirable for families considering that most Staten Islanders drive and hence need parking in order to access destinations. 

         Statistics show that all of these additions independently are known to be effective. Data from the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA) shows that converting a standard bike lane to a protected bike lane can reduce bicycle/vehicle crashes by up to 53%. The impact will likely be even more pronounced on Father Capodanno Blvd where there are only sharrows on the southbound side. In addition, the lane removal and narrower street also stand to bring significant safety benefits to the corridor. A study from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials that involved nine American cities found that narrow, 9-ft lanes often experience fewer crashes than wider lanes. For reference, the proposal for Father Capodanno Blvd calls for one 10 foot lane in each direction as opposed to the 20 foot and 11’ foot lanes that exist today. The median tips should also be productive, with median tips leading to a 56% reduction in pedestrian incidents nationwide according to FHWA data. 

          Based on the numbers, it is clear that the NYCDOT is relying on a group of nationally proven street design elements to make Father Capodanno Blvd safer. This means that it is probable that Staten Islanders will see safety improve dramatically on what is such an important corridor in the borough. The project is set to be completed this fall along with a street repaving.

        Safety improvements will likely be welcome for everyone but they may be especially important for Staten Island parents and their kids. Staten Island is known for not having so much for young people to do during their spare time compared to the other boroughs. Hence, the area around Father Capodanno Blvd is one of the borough’s only true recreation hubs where youth can gather and have fun. An unsafe street can make it harder for youth to be safe and for parents to feel comfortable allowing them to travel to destinations on their own. Improved street designs such as this one with several strong safety elements could ease these concerns and make it easier for youth to enjoy everything the community has to offer. 

          In addition, the improvements are particularly important as many who drive on Father Capodanno Blvd are not familiar with the street. This is because many people travel from throughout the region to go to the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex or one of the beaches. Given the increased popularity of youth travel sports, Miller Field may play host to travel sports tournaments if it has not already. Travel teams are youth sports teams that travel to different areas in order to play against more advanced competition. With the street’s unorthodox bike sharrow design, many who are unfamiliar with it likely have not done the best job sharing the left lane with cyclists. Others may have failed to obey the speed limit on Father Capodanno Blvd simply because of how the street’s wide roadway implied that higher speeds were welcome. Father Capodanno Blvd’s new design should help to address these issues and provide everyone with a street with clearer regulations that is more comfortable to walk or bike on.

           The redesign of Father Capodanno Blvd redesign is set to bring an array of benefits to all road users. A variety of street design features including a protected bike lane and median tips are poised to reduce crashes and create a safer street environment for everyone. This will make it easier for Staten Islanders to enjoy the neighborhood’s beaches, parks, athletic fields and other recreation destinations. In addition, families will have more peace of mind with their children crossing the street near what is one of Staten Island’s main recreation hubs for youth. Hopefully, the safety benefits are realized so that more people can safely travel along Father Capodanno Blvd and enjoy local activities for years to come.

Works Cited

“Bicycle Lanes | FHWA.” Federal Highway Administration, https://highways.dot.gov/safety/proven-safety-countermeasures/bicycle-lanes. Accessed 4 August 2025.

Menking, Katie. “The economic weight of youth travel sports.” Engage TU, 11 April 2025, https://www.engagetu.com/2025/04/11/the-economic-weight-of-youth-travel-sports/. Accessed 4 August 2025.

New York City Department of Transportation. “Father Capodanno Blvd, Midland Ave. to Miller Field.” NYC, May 2025, https://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/father-capodanno-blvd-midland-ave-miller-field-may2025-2.pdf. Accessed 4 August 2025.

Winkless, Laurie. “Want Safer City Streets? Make Traffic Lanes Narrower.” Forbes, 21 December 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/lauriewinkless/2023/12/20/want-safer-city-streets-make-traffic-lanes-narrower/. Accessed 4 August 2025.

Zukowski, Dan. “Wider streets are more dangerous for pedestrians to cross.” Wider streets are more dangerous for pedestrians to cross, 23 October 2024, https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/wider-streets-crosswalks-more-dangerous-for-pedestrians/730694/. Accessed 4 August 2025.