On Tuesday, Community Board 3 unanimously approved a resolution in support of DOT's plans for improved Manhattan Bridge access, including bike lanes on Chrystie Street.
Though members of the board's transportation committee (along with Streetsbloggers) advocated for protected lanes, these recommendations were not included in the resolution, the full text of which appears after the jump.
WHEREAS, DOT plans to install a complete network of bike routes andpedestrian safety measures on streets around the Manhattan Bridge.
The project goal is safer and more comfortable streets for all streetusers. Design objectives include:
1) Creating dedicated cycling space on direct and convenient routes toand from the Manhattan Bridge.
2) Improving safety for all street users, particularly senior pedestrians.
3) Traffic calming for all street users.
4) Maintaining vehicular access and traffic flow by preserving currentvehicle capacity; and
WHEREAS, The project would install dedicated bicycle lanes in bothdirections on Chrystie St between Canal St and E Houston St and onEast Broadway between Chatham Sq and Grand St; and
WHEREAS, Between 2001-2006, there were 864 crashes on the 7 blocks ofChrystie St, of which 116 involved pedestrians (4 fatalities) and 26involved cyclists (1 fatality); and
WHEREAS, The project would install 2 pedestrian refuge islands and 7left-turn bays on Chrystie St between Canal St and Rivington St. Thenorth-bound roadway between Rivington St and E Houston St would benarrowed to one through lane; and
WHEREAS, The project would remove 52 parking spaces along the eastside of Chrystie St between Grand St and Stanton St. These are theparking presently adjacent to the wall of Sara D Roosevelt Park, which primarily serve daytime customers (all 52 of these parking spaces havemiddle-of-the-night street cleaning signage and 19 have 2-hour meteredparking between 9am-7pm); now therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, that Community Board 3-Manhattan supports theManhattan Bridge Bicycle Access Network, which includes bike lanes andstreet configuration changes on Chrystie St, Canal St and EastBroadway as described above; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that CB3 asks DOT to prepare the public andother agencies for these changes by:
1) Producing a fact sheet in English, Spanish and Chinese todistribute to residents and businesses in the area. The situation
with parking spaces should be explained, and businesses will need tounderstand traffic regulations regarding bike lanes.
2) DOT should work with NYPD so they understand the new regulationsand street geometry.
