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

Eyes on the Street: New Manhattan Bikeways in Progress

The extension of the First Avenue protected bike lane up to 72nd Street is nearly complete. Photo: ####Jacob-uptown/Flickr##

Photo contributor extraordinaire Jacob-uptown has uploaded a new batch to the Streetsblog Flickr pool, taking us on a tour of the major new bikeways DOT is implementing in Manhattan.

The extension of the First Avenue bike lane from the Queensboro Bridge up to 72nd Street is nearly complete. It's the first protected bike infrastructure on the Upper East Side -- "very exciting progress," Jacob says, but he notes that the connection from the bike route south of the bridge could be better:

There is a big gap between the sharrows on 1st Ave leading up to 57th, and the beginning of the protected lane on 61st. At 57th the sharrows simply end, with no indication that a much nicer facility is only a few blocks away.

More photos from Jacob after the jump.

sd

The Eighth Avenue protected bike lane looks like it's on the cusp of rideability. When it's finished, it will open the west side of Midtown to safe, protected cycling for the first time. A southbound pair on Ninth Avenue is also in the works. This is huge.

Photo

Jacob says the northern end of the Eighth Avenue lane looks like it will be a little hairy:

...this photo shows how the protection ends at 56th street, where the lane becomes a buffered bike lane for one block until 57th Street. At 57th Street, there is a bike box, where cyclists are supposed to cross to the east side of the street. From 57th to Columbus Circle, it appears that there will be either a bike lane or sharrows. In Columbus Circle, there is a small section of buffered bike lane and little else guiding cyclists through. It is this type of weak connection between facilities that is DOT's biggest weakness right now. While the overall project is very well designed, this section fails to meet the 8-80 standard and poses a major obstacle to less experienced cyclists.

[Editor's note: A few years ago, DOT installed a two-way, circumferential bike lane in Brooklyn's Park Circle that seems like good template for upgrading bike access to and through Columbus Circle.]

Midtown sharrows. Photo: Jacob-uptown

Jacob says the new bike stencils on 29th Street are having a noticeable effect:

Sharrows definitely do not meet the 8-80 standard, but they have their place. For whatever reason, drivers actually show some repsect for sharrows, leaving a nice gap between parked cars and slow moving cars, where cyclists can easily get by. In this picture, the sharrows aren't even finished, but they are pretty well respected.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Eyes on the Street: DOT’s ‘Broadway Vision’ Starts to Clear Up

The Department of Transportation has transformed Broadway into a new corridor for pedestrians and cyclists.

July 8, 2025

Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?

The city's biking- and walking-friendly streets expose the hypocrisy harsh e-bike enforcement without better street design.

July 8, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Rethinking Avenue B Edition

DOT is taking feedback on the future of Avenue B. Plus more news.

July 8, 2025

Eric Adams’s ‘Dept. of Sustainable Delivery’ Isn’t Actually A Department

The "Department of Sustainable Delivery" will launch with 45 "peace officers" in 2028, the mayor said on Monday.

July 7, 2025

New Air Quality Stats Dispel Earlier Forecasts for Congestion Pricing Pollution

Air quality has improved or remained steady across the five boroughs since congestion pricing launched in January, city health department data showed.

July 7, 2025

‘Rush’ Routes Debut in Queens Bus Map Overhaul More Than Five Years in the Making

The MTA's new "rush" routes make fewer stops in busy downtown areas to avoid wasted time merging in and out of traffic.

July 7, 2025
See all posts