Bicycling

CB 8 Votes for Queensboro Bridge Bike Access Plan as CB 6 Drags Its Feet

Last night, Manhattan Community Board 8 voted, 23-6 with four abstentions, to support DOT's plan to improve bike access to the Queensboro Bridge. Meanwhile, Community Board 6's transportation committee, which has yet to consider a resolution supporting the proposal, will host its third meeting on the topic next month.

By Stephen Miller

11:35 AM EDT on May 23, 2013

Last night, Manhattan Community Board 8 voted, 23-6 with four abstentions, to support DOT’s plan to improve bike access to the Queensboro Bridge. Meanwhile, Community Board 6’s transportation committee, which has yet to consider a resolution supporting the proposal, will host its third meeting on the topic next month.

The foot-dragging from CB 6 is notable because the project’s most important changes, including a two-way protected bike lane on First Avenue beneath the bridge overpass and an extension of the avenue’s northbound protected bike lane south to 60th Street, are located in CB 8, which has already supported the project. The most significant parts of DOT’s plan that fall within CB 6’s boundaries are shared lane markings and a half-block contra-flow bike lane.

At the last CB 6 meeting, committee chair Fred Arcaro asked DOT to set up a site visit, despite the fact that some committee members said that they had already done a walk-through. Arcaro tells Streetsblog that the walk-through already occurred and that there will be a vote on the proposal in June.

CB 6’s transportation committee is scheduled to meet on June 3, followed by the full board on June 12.

This post has been updated with the correct date of the full board meeting.

Stephen Miller

In spring 2017, Stephen wrote for Streetsblog USA, covering the livable streets movement and transportation policy developments around the nation. From August 2012 to October 2015, he was a reporter for Streetsblog NYC, covering livable streets and transportation issues in the city and the region. After joining Streetsblog, he covered the tail end of the Bloomberg administration and the launch of Citi Bike. Since then, he covered mayoral elections, the de Blasio administration's ongoing Vision Zero campaign, and New York City's ever-evolving street safety and livable streets movements.