Tonight: Carmine Street Parking-Protected Bike Lane Back Before CB 2

With the support of DOT, Community Board 2 and the local block association, a parking-protected bike lane could be in the works for Carmine Street in the West Village. But despite prior approval of the plan, it will again be a topic of discussion at tonight’s CB 2 transportation committee meeting.

In late 2007, a bike lane was added to Carmine as part of DOT’s Lower Manhattan crosstown bike route. In response to merchant complaints over the loss of delivery access, a community-generated proposal was put forward to convert Carmine to one-way eastbound with parking on both sides and a parking-protected bike lane, a la Grand Street. Though the plan subsequently drawn up by DOT [PDF] has been approved by CB 2 and the Carmine Street Block Association, it remains in limbo due to what has been described as a "one-man crusade" to derail it. For a taste of the histrionics fueling the opposition, click here.

The CB 2 transpo committee has already endorsed the protected lane and tends to embrace street
designs that are most beneficial to vulnerable street users. Still, some who have shepherded the plan for two years now fear a "compromise" that could result in the conversion of Carmine to one-way with a conventional Class 2 unprotected lane, rather than the configuration that has brought marked safety benefits (and similar ill-founded controversy) to Grand Street. Needless to say, the more friendly voices heard tonight, the better.

WHAT: Manhattan Community Board 2 Transportation Committee meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 6:45 p.m.
WHERE: NYU Languages and Literature Building, 19 University Place (at W. 8th St.), Rm. 102

  • WE SEEM TO HAVE NO VOICE AT ALL

    Just FYI, this is often the motivation for the rage that comes out at these meetings. There are people who think that they’re big machers in their neighborhoods and then discover that a decision was made without their knowledge.

    Sometimes their opinion was solicited, sometimes it wasn’t. If it wasn’t, then the DOT needs to do a better job of outreach. If it was, then the “community leaders” need to do a better job of keeping up with proposals.

    There are also people who get off on the quest for justice.

  • Hey, does anyone have a contact email or number at that crazy website?

    They used a photo of mine without permission or credit and I need to know where to send a cease & desist..

  • J

    The contact info for 4 people is at the bottom of the linked page. I’m not sure which one is responsible for the site.

  • I left a message with someone named vincent, and just called me back literally as soon as I couldn’t pick up the phone..

  • Stuart

    Carmine Street is the shortest two way street in Manhattan. It’s width and ease of passage are its two key charms. I’m all for bike safety and plenty of room for bikers, but there are numerous bike lanes on adjacent streets. The Carmine Street bike lane suddenly moves into the middle of traffic as it crosses from Clarkson across Seventh to Carmine, which just makes no sense. This is a commercial street and taking away the parking was a bad idea. Make the other side metered and you’ll restore quite a bit of parking to the neighborhood businesses. In this case, the aesthetics of the streetscape trump the needs of cyclists. Take away the wide two-way street and nothing’s left, except a bunch of bikers who are seldom seen on Carmine Street. Pardon me, but this is a case of paving paradise to put up a parking lot.

  • Kaja

    I use Carmine to bail Bleecker when southbound. The painted green strip is one of the dangerous ones that’s got trucks in it constantly while making cabs think cyclists shouldn’t be in the road and deserve tailgating. I have given uncounted fingers and hawked extreme lugies on Carmine.

    Here’s hoping it gets the Kent Ave treatment.

  • Looks like it’ll stay the way it is for now. They did remove my photo though.

  • I Live on Carmine Street

    um, the author seems to think that the Carmine Block Association is a well-run, well-documented, well-publicized, community-active, outreaching, fair block association. As if it really embraced the diverse needs of and connected with the community it claims to represent.

    ..it began in 2001 with what seemed to be really positive and good intentions. at this point in time, it’s dwindled into a “virtual” block association, with barely any meetings or notices. an email announcement is sent out here and there. haven’t heard about elections of officers in too long to recall. and what about dues?

    yea, the author seems to think that the Carmine Block Association is something other than what it has sadly morphed into.

    politics = politricks

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