The South Bronx (Union, Accord: apartments, home, transfer to)

[strangerintown]

Hello All.

I plan to travel to the Bronx this weekend from PA and I know nothing about NY. I am going to catch the 6 train from Manhattan and getting off at 177th Street. I need to get to Bruckner Blvd. What neighborhood is this in? Should I be concerned about walking alone especially now that it's getting dark early? I went on line to get a feel for the surroundings and I read some pretty disturbing info. I'd like to know what I have to look forward to before I get there. Please help.

[Elvira Black]

Why will you be in the Bronx? Are you visiting friends or family there?

[Futcha]

The South Bronx is one of the most dangerous urban neighborhoods in the country. Believe me, I work there now. I’m not a cop yet, by the way, I’m a 16 ¾ year old kid. It’s strange for me to go to work without seeing a street fight, graffiti artists, drug dealers, druggies, homeless people, or gang members. According to FBI stats, Soundview, which is in the South Bronx, is home to the most dangerous, crime-ridden projects in the country, the Soundview Projects. People like to think it’s getting better, but those new luxury apartments going up are not in the worst areas of Boogie Down Bronx, they’re in safer areas.

[Elvira Black]

I don't hang in the South Bronx, but some areas are safer than others. And if you're just passing through from the subway (generally quite safe, though I don't know the Bronx 6 line as I use the 4 line) odds are you probably won't get jumped, unless maybe you're walking there late night. What approx time do you plan on arriving, and if it's late, can you plan to arrive any earlier?

So again, are you visiting friends? If so, why not ask them to meet you at the station? As far as walking distance from the train, if you gave more detail (Bruckner and where?) others may be able to help you more. I understand that some areas around Bruckner are relatively safer and a little more pre-gentrified.

If you ask too general a question, you will be more likely to get the same old rallying cry of how deadly dangerous the whole south bronx supposedly is. The more details you supply, the more helpful info you will probably receive. So please, be more specific if you can, and answer the specific questions posed here if you can! Not asking to be nosy, nor for my health!

[rlrl]

That sounds like Parkchester you're getting off in. You would be walking south on one of the avenues to Bruckner Blvd. My guess is you're going somewhere in Soundview/Castle Hill area. My estimation of the area is that during the day the area is passable. At night it may be a different story. Try calling the MTA , give them your address of destination and see if they can tell you which one of the streets to walk on or how far the walk would be or maybe if you could transfer to a bus. Last weekend i drove throught that area around 5PM and I didn't see any bad stuff going on.

[Elvira Black]

Wow, is Parkchester that close to Soundview? If she were walking through Parkchester proper, I'd imagine it'd be pretty safe, though I understand some blocks are safer than others. I mean, how far a walk are we talking here? Again, specifics please, OP!

PS--she's probably already here, since she said she's traveling this weekend, no? LOL...hey, let us know if you arrived in one piece at least!

[rlrl]

Pkchester pretty much borders the Soundview/Unionport area. The 177th street/Pkchester station I believe (I don't have a map infront of me right now) sits atop the hugh grant Circle and Cross bx Exp at Westchester Ave. Pkchester is bordered by E tremont Ave on the N, Castle hill Ave on the E, White plains rd on the W and the Cross Bx on the S. To get to bruckner Blvd she would have to walk a few blocks south on one of the avenues when she gets off the train. I don't know the names of the avenues she would walk and it would depend where on bruckner she was going. I think that section is a bit too east for it to be considered "Soundview" proper--it more Unionport. Soundview, the really bad part is west of the bx River Pky and south of the Cr bronx

[Elvira Black]

Wow, you sure know your Bronx blocks! Too bad the OP didn't post a little earlier and wasn't a little more specific, but hey, I have a friend who just moved to P'chester, so maybe this info will be useful to him at least (lol)!

[rlrl]

I never lived there, i live on B'way and 252 but I've known how to read maps for decades even before Mapquest and the 'net. All I have to do is look at a map that is detailed enough and I can getout of a major traffic jam. I'm driving to visit family in Atlanta next month. Can't wait until my next traffic challenge!!

[Elvira Black]

My hat goes off to you, rirl--I can't drive and have a terrible sense of direction to boot...but I do love those maps.

Subway maps are useful but so hard to read esp on a moving train...just subscribed to NY Mag again and they give you a cute little pocket map of the Manhattan subway lines.