Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycle Safety

DOT Proposes Solution to Houston Street Cycling Danger

bikelane_prince.jpg

In response to the deaths of three cyclists on Houston Street in two years and the ensuing community pressure to make the area safer for biking, the Department of Transportation is proposing to establish two new bike lanes along streets running parallel to traffic-heavy Houston Street.

DOT's plan seeks to transform Bleecker and Prince Streets into Lower Manhattan's primary east-west bike routes. A DOT Powerpoint presentation, available for download here, compares the Houston Street "parallel facilities" plan to the heavily-used bike lanes on Dean and Bergen Street running adjacent to Brooklyn's busy Atlantic Avenue.

bikelane_bleecker.jpg

Perhaps most notable, DOT's plan includes the removal of 187 on-street parking spaces from the area, the bulk of which would be eliminated from Prince Street. The results of a recent study by transportation expert Bruce Schaller suggested that Soho businesses, visitors and residents would all benefit by removing parking space from crowded Prince Street. Schaller's study, however, pointed more towards replacing parking space with expanded sidewalks, particularly on weekends.

bikelane_parking.jpg

Ian Dutton of Manhattan Community Board 2 has been organizing many of the efforts to make bicycling safer along Houston Street. DOT will present its plan at CB2's Transportation Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 13, 6:30pm at the NYU Silver Building, 32 Waverly Place, Room 411. Also on the agenda Tuesday evening is the Lower Manhattan Transit Priority Plan, a proposal to improve bus service along Broadway south of Houston Street.

On his Bike Houston Street web site Dutton says, "With the release of this proposal, it is evident that DOT has taken our cries for action seriously, even though that was not clearly communicated to us until now. Regardless of the merits or problems within the proposal itself, DOT's carefully studied response to our concerns is most appreciated."

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Will Indicted Mayor Adams’s Bid to Eliminate Parking Mandates Survive Council Review?

As the City Council review proccess begins, experts say it is crucial to keep getting rid of parking mandates in the City of Yes.

October 3, 2024

Room for Improvement: What New York’s Subway System Can Learn from Cities Around the World

New York’s subway was once an international model of modernity. But it's not anymore.

October 3, 2024

Stop Making Sense: TWU’s Head-Scratching Opposition to Congestion Pricing Doesn’t Add Up

Thanks in part to union sabotage, New Yorkers are staring into an abyss of impoverished transit.

October 3, 2024

Subway Elevators are Not Just a Nice Lift, But a Basic Civil Right

Accessibility is a must-have as cities compete to attract visitors and retain residents.

October 3, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Apples and Honey and Game 3 Edition

Sure, the Mets didn't win on Rosh Hashanah, but did we ever tell you about our favorite Mets-Rosh Hashanah story? Plus other news.

October 3, 2024
See all posts