DOT

Eyes on the Street: Pedestrian Islands Arrive on Amsterdam Ave

DOT has finished striping the protected bike lane on Amsterdam Avenue between 72nd Street and 110th Street, and now it's moving on to the concrete. A reader sent in this photo of a brand new pedestrian island, more of which will be going in on the north side of intersections along the corridor.

By David Meyer

5:03 PM EDT on August 4, 2016

Pedestrian islands, like this one at 73rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue, shorten crossing distances while providing additional protection for cyclists. Image: Robert Baron — The new addition to Amsterdam Avenue at 73rd Street.

DOT has finished striping the protected bike lane on Amsterdam Avenue between 72nd Street and 110th Street, and now it’s moving on to the concrete. A reader sent in this photo of a brand new pedestrian island, more of which will be going in on the north side of intersections along the corridor.

The nine-foot-wide raised concrete islands shorten crossing distances and tighten the turns drivers make from side streets onto Amsterdam.

A rendering of a typical pedestrian refuge island on Amsterdam Avenue. Image: DOT — The typical design of a pedestrian island on Amsterdam Avenue. Image: DOT

Earlier this week, DOT said most pedestrian islands on Amsterdam will be installed this year. Between 107th Street and 110th Street a separate capital project will likely delay construction of ped islands until 2017.

The redesign began this spring, dramatically changing the feel of an avenue that used to function more like a highway than a neighborhood street. Some drivers still haven’t gotten the message that the bike lane isn’t for them, however. Our tipster also sent in this photo of illegal parking by 72nd Street.

David Meyer

David was Streetsblog's do-it-all New York City beat reporter from 2015 to 2019. He returned as an editor in 2023 after a three-year stint at the New York Post and is now Managing Editor.