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

Eyes on the Street: Why Bike Lanes Need Protection

If it weren’t for those Jersey barriers, someone could have been hurt. Photo: Dirk Peters

Why is it so important for bike lanes to have physical separation from traffic? Because without it, you never know when a two-ton metal box is going to fly across your path.

The photo above was snapped on 59th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue and posted to Twitter by Dirk Peters last night. If those Jersey barriers weren't there to protect the westbound bike lane, this might not have turned into a story about bike lane design -- it could have been about someone on a bike getting seriously injured.

Meanwhile, on West Street in Greenpoint, where the Department of Design and Construction has installed seven blocks of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, you can see the other downside to going without protection: Motorists turn the bike lane into a parking lot.

The bike path is in serious need of physical barriers, judging by these photos that Doug Gordon posted on Twitter earlier this week. Between Noble Street and Milton Street, the entire path was filled with parked cars.

Nice bike lane, bro. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke
Nice bike lane, bro. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke
Nice bike lane, bro. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke

There was some of that going on when I visited the site in January, but it was mostly contained to one or two blocks. That is no longer the case:

The West Street bike lane earlier this week. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke
The West Street bike lane earlier this week. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke
The West Street bike lane earlier this week. Photo: @BrooklynSpoke
The same location on January 6. Photo: David Meyer
The same location on January 6. Photo: David Meyer
The same location on January 6. Photo: David Meyer

Clearly, motorists abhor a vacuum.

The design here called for a mountable curb but no other physical separation. That's not going to be enough. To make this section of the greenway a viable bike path, Jersey barriers, heavy planters, or some other form of protection will be needed.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

DOT Reveals Transformational Plan For Flatbush Ave. — But Needs To Get The Details Right

The bus-first transformation is an ambitious project that could speed buses by 20 percent while also calming the roadway's notorious traffic. But it's not perfect.

August 4, 2025

Monday’s Headlines: We’re Living Rent Free in Mayor Adams’s Brain Edition

Mayor Adams doesn't want you talking about his record on bike lanes. Plus more news.

August 4, 2025

Here’s A Bus Rapid Transit Plan For New York … If the City Cares

It sure beats the current method of guessing or simply basing the route on how strongly a given neighborhood opposes or supports it.

August 1, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: Water Here, Water There Edition

Blame Father Time, not Mother Nature for Thursday's subway meltdown. Plus more news.

August 1, 2025

Komanoff: Data Show Time Loss from 15 MPH E-Bike Speed Cap is No Big Deal

A 15-mile-per-hour speed limit for motorized two-wheel devices — which e-bikes are — is eminently reasonable. And it doesn't cost much time at all, our columnist found.

August 1, 2025

Cities Matter More Than Ever After Trump Officially Denies Climate Change

We're entering a new era of federal climate denial, and it's time to use a different set of tools (like congestion pricing) to fight back.

July 31, 2025
See all posts