No-Drama CB 3 Transpo Committee Votes for Chrystie Street Protected Lane

The city plans to install a two-way protected bike lane on Chrystie Street in the fall. Image: DOT
DOT’s rendering of the two-way protected bike lane slated for Chrystie Street in the fall.

Last night, Manhattan Community Board 3’s transportation committee unanimously approved DOT’s plan to install a two-way protected bike lane on Chrystie Street [PDF]. The bike lane would run on the east side of Chrystie between Canal and Houston.

Chrystie is an essential connector for the thousands of people who bike over the Manhattan Bridge every day. It’s also completely overrun by double-parked vehicles and gets a lot of truck and bus traffic that makes it stressful to bike on. Last year, 16 cyclists were injured in crashes within the project area.

Last night’s unanimous vote and accompanying DOT presentation took all of 20 minutes, Transportation Alternatives volunteer Brandon Chamberlin told Streetsblog. The committee gave the proposal a conditional thumbs up in March, asking that DOT hold a public forum on the project in coordination with the Sara D Roosevelt Park Coalition. The forum happened on April 12.

Chamberlin said he and one other attendee spoke in favor of the plan. No one spoke against it. “It seems to have been much ado about nothing,” he said of the two-month delay.

The full board will take up the project at its monthly meeting on May 24. DOT has previously indicated the the project would be implemented in the fall.

  • kevd

    I for one cannot wait for this to be filled with oblivious, elderly pedestrians like the 2 way bike lane around the corner on Canal….

  • BBnet3000

    The one in Canal is pretty clear compared to the one on Allen/Pike where they failed to continue the bikeway at the corners. It’s not much of a surprise that people stand in it and force people cycling into the other travel lanes, it’s painted tan.

  • BBnet3000

    Great, now how long until we get a comfortable route between the Manhattan Bridge and Allen Street? Pretty big omission if they’re claiming to be improving the bridge approaches.

  • kevd

    Funny, I’ve always had the opposite experience on allen (I don’t take it much)
    I’m just being complain-y.

  • BrandonWC

    Depending on how far north you’re going cutting over on Stanton is pretty comfortable. Agree that the east-bound sharrows on Canal are useless for anything but wayfinding.

  • Hats off to Dave “Paco” Abraham for seeing this one through for a long, long time.

  • SSkate

    FWIW: As of last weekend, that two-block chunk of Canal between the bridge and Allen St had been milled and was awaiting repaving.

  • William Farrell

    Would be nice if they were able to slip a little curbside bike lane into the pavement markings after it is repaved <_<

  • SSkate

    If we had some spare thermoplast and green paint sitting around, maybe we could help out DoT out.

  • BBnet3000

    Given that the whole junction is already pretty crowded and narrow, it would be nice to provide an incentive for as many people as possible to divert to Allen straight from the bridge.

    Also, if you’re going south on Pike you’re either stuck on Canal or can take Forsyth, which is often just as congested and has more lights and turns.

  • BBnet3000

    It might need physical barriers to keep the FDNY from parking in it.

  • Jonathan R

    Canal Eldridge Hester Allen?

  • Bike Commuter

    How was this not built five years ago? Come on, already.

  • Lora Tenenbaum

    I am glad they are improving the bike lane, which was much needed, but do wish they had also provided a sidewalk for pedestrians between Grand and Houston, along the east side of Chrystie. That’s been sorely missed, and I don’t see it in the plans.

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