What’s Next for 6th Ave Protected Bike Lane and Crosstown Routes on UES

Two Manhattan bike projects went before community boards last night. The CB 8 transportation committee heard from DOT about the agency's plan for crosstown bike lanes on the Upper East Side, and CB 4 endorsed the protected lane on Sixth Avenue, which DOT plans to install in the fall.

The crosstown painted lanes would span the width of the Upper East Side, providing safer east-west access for a neighborhood that currently has only one bike lane pair -- 90th and 91st streets. The new bike lane pairs are East 67th and 68th streets between Fifth and York, 77th and 78th Streets between Fifth and John Jay Park, and 84th and 85th Streets between Fifth and East End. After the eastern termini at Cherokee Place and East End Avenue, shared lanes will guide cyclists to parks and the East River Esplanade greenway.

On the western side, all three routes terminate at Central Park. A 72nd Street bike lane could feed into the only major on-street bike path that cuts directly across the park, but DOT is not pursuing that.

Last night’s presentation to CB 8 was met with the typical NIMBY response, which NY1 previewed a few weeks ago. According to bike lane supporters who attended, opponents' arguments focused on reasons why one street or another would not work for the lanes. But Council Member Ben Kallos spoke out in favor of the proposal and vehemently defended the need to ensure cyclists' safety in the neighborhood. No vote was held, and DOT will present again next month.

Meanwhile, in Midtown, CB 4 endorsed DOT’s plan for a protected bike lane from 8th Street to 33rd Street [PDF]. The transportation committee had initially declined to support DOT’s proposal, because it did not include enough dedicated signal phases for cyclists and pedestrians or raised concrete pedestrian islands. Last month, the committee reluctantly endorsed an updated proposal that includes pedestrian islands but not more exclusive signal time.

CB 2 and CB 5, which the bike lane will also pass through, have already voted for it.