Lentol: DOT Study of Pulaski Bridge Bike Lane Slated to Wrap By March

Photo: Clarence Eckerson, Jr.

Quick update on the campaign for a protected two-way bikeway on the Pulaski Bridge: We don’t know if DOT is going to implement one yet, but we know when they’ll make a decision. Yesterday, Assembly Member Joe Lentol sent out word that DOT chief Janette Sadik-Khan told him the agency will wrap up its feasibility study of the bikeway by March:

Although the response from Commissioner Sadik-Khan did not provide a definitive answer to the likelihood of the dedicated bike lanes installation, it did explain that the Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs unit is investigating the matter. The investigation will examine various factors, including the traffic conditions on the roadway, the structure of the movable bridge and the connections on the Brooklyn and Queens sides of the bridge. The investigation is slated to be completed by March 2013.

Lentol asked DOT to study the bikeway in October, after hosting a public meeting about the increasingly crowded conditions on the bridge’s narrow bike-ped path. DOT announced their feasibility study the next month, saying the main engineering challenge would be designing physical protection for cyclists that works on the drawbridge section of the roadway.

As Lentol noted in his statement yesterday, converting a southbound traffic lane on the bridge to a protected bikeway would also help control drivers’ speeds as they head off the bridge onto McGuinness Boulevard, which has a terrible safety record:

“I have long advocated for traffic calming measures on McGuinness Boulevard and this proposed bike lane would undoubtedly slow drivers down, while making the Pulaski Bridge safer for pedestrians and cyclists who travel along this road everyday. This bike lane is a common sense solution to a multi-faceted problem and I hope Commissioner Sadik-Khan’s investigation will result in the correct decision to make this bike lane a reality.”

  • Adam Anon

    I’m pretty sure it’ll happen. This is really a no-brainer. The lane is needed and there is tons of excess capacity. The only issue is to find a good way to cover the gaps, but that can’t be too difficult.

    Also, some speeding enforcement would be nice, people drive like mad over that bridge. 60mph is not uncommon.

  • Agnesnyc2006

    what about doing something about all the careless and irresponsible asshole bikers that swerve between cars, run stop signs and stop lights and cause hazards on the roads?

  • Andrew

    If your goal is to improve safety, I’d suggest focusing on careless and irresponsible asshole drivers of motor vehicles before worrying about “bikers.” Here is a list of pedestrians and cyclists killed by motor vehicle drivers in New York City in 2012. There is no list of people killed by cyclists in New York City in 2012 (or 2011 or 2010), since there were none.

    I’m not sure what your comment has to do with this article, in any case.

  • bk

    Youre an idiot. Probably a biker. You asshole bikers dont follow the rules youre supposed to like stop at red lights, stop signs and swerving in and out of traffic. You assholes are a hazard on the road. Ive seen many accidents in greenpoint where cars have collided because if one of you assholes and the biker just rides off. Just because nobody was killed by a cyclist doesnt mean you guys dont cause accidents and pose a hazard to vehicles. Thats why I always squeeze you douchebags off streets that have no bike lanes ( another rule you assholes dont follow)

  • anon

    What “rule” is that, Ms. Psychopath?

  • anon

    Please post more, “youre” [sic} hilarious.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

G Train Disruption Strengthens Case for Pulaski Bridge Bike Lane

By Stephen Miller |
Over the past week, the long G train outage caused by flooding from Hurricane Sandy brought the need for changes to the Pulaski Bridge into starker relief. Streetsblog received multiple reports of extreme crowding on the bridge’s narrow bike and pedestrian path, which could have been relieved with a protected bikeway across the bridge. Crowded conditions […]

Construction Has Begun on the Pulaski Bridge Bikeway

By Brad Aaron |
DOT has started work on the much-anticipated Pulaski Bridge bikeway, which will more than double the space for people walking and biking on the bridge. The Pulaski Bridge spans Newtown Creek, linking Greenpoint and Long Island City. Right now people who cross the bridge on foot and by bike are crammed into one eight-foot lane next to […]