With construction of the new Ninth Avenue separated bike path in Chelsea still underway it is way too early to draw any conclusions about the project. The new medians and planting beds haven't been built, the markings aren't done and DOT still needs to install new traffic signals. Once the Muni-Meters are turned on, every other block will be reserved for paid commercial parking -- deliveries only. Likewise, DOT says that it is working with the police department on ramping up enforcement but that hasn't started yet either.
In the meantime, Streetsblog is getting quite a few reports of cars and delivery trucks planting themselves in the cycle track like some sort of invasive species that has found a new niche to conquer. On Friday afternoon Streetsblog reader Mike Epstein took a stroll up the avenue and found that New York City's nascent cycle track is rapidly becoming Chelsea's most popular delivery truck unloading zone.
Given the NYPD's near total disinterest in enforcing traffic laws on behalf of cyclists and pedestrians, is it too soon for DOT to begin pricing out retractable bollards? I don't think so...
The good news: He's not double-parked.
This van would look really good impaled on a retractable bollard.
Plenty of space to park an 18-wheeler.
More good news: Lots of new bike parking too.
Photos: Mike Epstein and LFreedman500 on Flickr
