Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bicycling

Eyes on the Street: NYPD Sanctions Bike Lane Blocking on Henry Street

Photo: Peter Kaufman
Photo: Peter Kaufman

Looks like Assembly member Joan Millman's efforts to keep the Henry Street bike lane clear of cars belonging to church-going motorists yielded only a Pyrrhic, pre-primary day victory.

For those who are just tuning into this saga, Ink Lake blogger and Brooklyn Heights resident Peter Kaufman has been trying to get the 84th Precinct to stop allowing members of the First Presbyterian Church to park in the Henry Street bike lane on Sundays. In August, a phone call from Millman's office to the 84th seemingly put a stop to the compact between church and police (a variety of informal arrangement that some city synagogues take advantage of as well).

Then Kaufman started to notice some backsliding, and finally this Sunday he saw several copies of the above notice attached to the fence in front of the church. Here's his reaction:

Compromise? Church-goers, with the acquiescence of the police, will continue to be allowed to block the lane when they want, and now the congregants have it in writing.

I contacted Ms. Hudson [Millman's chief of staff], who said she had not been informed of this apparent codification of the arrangement between the church and the police, wherein people attending church won’t be ticketed. She said she would bring this to the attention of the Assemblywoman, and would be contacting Captain DiPaolo of the 84th.

Here’s a shot from this past Sunday, of the cars of the poor congregants who would rather park in the bike lane than find a legal space or a lot.

Photo: Peter Kaufman

Streetsblog's phone calls to the 84th Precinct have yet to be returned.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday Video: Meet the Subway’s Straphanger-Free Trains

We've all seen them. Now, thanks to YouTube's "Half as Interesting," we can tell you the purpose of each one.

October 3, 2025

The MTA Is Headed To The Lab To Design The Ridgewood Busway

A filthy private road underneath the elevated M tracks could become a gleaming bus-first corridor.

October 3, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Good News Edition

The Department of Transportation reports that traffic deaths are way down through the first three quarters of 2025. Plus other news.

October 3, 2025

‘Bean-Counting Street Safety’: Advocates Blast Gale Brewer’s Daylighting Flip-Flop

The Upper West Side pol's inconsistent safety record is getting a second look from activists who once supported her.

October 2, 2025

There’s Good Science Behind the Human Craving for Livable Streets

It's time to understand the science of pedestrian-friendly cities. Or, why streets should be designed like gardens.

October 2, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Mourning Becomes Enforcement Edition

Why were cops ticketing cyclists at the very intersection where a bike rider was killed by a driver on Saturday? Plus other news.

October 2, 2025
See all posts