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

Eyes on the Street: Mixing Zone, D.C.-Style

Reader Mike Epstein sends in this photo of a "mixing zone" on L Street in downtown Washington, D.C., that looks a lot different than the ones here in NYC. Mixing zones are the areas where bike traffic merges with turning car traffic at the approach to intersections along protected bike lanes. New York's mixing zones don't have flexible posts, and the markings are supposed to emphasize that drivers should yield to passing cyclists, instead of directing cyclists to merge to the right of turning cars, as seems to be the intent in D.C.

Here's a look at a couple of NYC mixing zones for comparison. This one, courtesy of John del Signore at Gothamist, is on Second Avenue:

And here's a look at a mixing zone on Grand Street:

Personally, I like the D.C.-style markings, which describe the movement I tend to make at NYC intersections to avoid getting hooked by turning drivers. The posts would be nice to have, but I expect they would get flattened by New York's careless motorists. Some sturdy steel bollards would do the trick though.

In the absence of hard numbers about the safety records for each type, which one looks better to you?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Friday’s Headlines: Habemus Knicksum Edition

It was a big day yesterday, but we're not on the sports or the religion desk, so let's get to our news.

May 9, 2025

Friday Video: Who Ruined Outdoor Dining?

We sent our own video team to find out.

May 9, 2025

Decision 2025: Mayoral Hopefuls Discuss E-Bikes … With Joy and Concern

E-bikes are a vital tool for delivery workers and for people seeking to reduce their use of private cars. What would you do to both expand e-bike use and make streets safer? And the answers are...

Live from Albany: Hochul’s ‘Safety’ Measures Stripped from Budget

Lawmakers dropped three initiatives that Gov. Hochul said would have made roadways safer (though, as we'll see, that's very much in question). Let's review them.

May 9, 2025

Anatomy of an Operation: How Cops Target Cyclists for New Criminal Summonses

Streetsblog brings you inside what's happening on the street.

May 8, 2025
See all posts