Today: Celebrate a Livable Streets Milestone With TA

3765874380_b534b07592.jpgWorkers add markings to the Sands Street lane. Photo: brooklynbybike/Flickr

Later today, Transportation Alternatives will mark the completion of a major Brooklyn livable streets improvement — a protected bike lane on the Sands Street approach to the Manhattan Bridge.

Sands Street is where, in 2005, TA Senior Policy Advisor Noah Budnick was seriously injured after hitting a pothole. Reads a TA media release:

In the years that followed, cycling in New York City has seen some massive improvements, including the nation’s first on-street traffic-separated bike lane and the installation of hundreds of new bike-parking spots. Concurrently, the number of city cyclists increased 80 percent with the number of daily Manhattan Bridge bike-commuters soaring from 829 to 2,232.

Noah helped make many of these improvements happen and nowhere is that more apparent than on the stretch of Sands Street that connects Navy Street with Jay Street.

DOT and DDC personnel will be on hand, as will Council Member Tish James. The event begins at 6:30 at the Manhattan Bridge and Sands Street and will culminate in a ride along the new path, followed by a gathering at nearby Recycle-a-Bicycle in DUMBO.

  • Michael1

    Bollards should be added to prevent motor vehicles from access. Markings won’t be enough; it looks way to similar to an auto travel lane.

  • Agreed with Michael1 that there needs to be a clearer demarcation of the Sands St path. I think bollards could cause a hazard for cyclists though.

    I was very surprised that DOT did not paint the lane green. Especially closer to Navy St, there needs to be a visual cue to drivers — the sloped curb doesn’t cut it!

  • Jen

    There is a major oversight in the implementation of this bikeway at the intersection of Sands and Gold St. The dedicated bicycle traffic light has been obscured by a street sign installation!

    See my blog post here for more details and pictures:

    http://nerdifer.blogspot.com/2009/08/bike-lanes-love-em-or-hate-em.html

  • Matt H

    I rode on this today with a small group! Great improvement from the bad old days.

    The first part of the path (shown in the photo) isn’t separated from the auto lanes by a high barrier at present, but there is a curb. Auto drivers would probably notice if they had their 2 left wheels higher than their right.

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