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

Behold the Worst-Plowed Bike Lane in New York

Somewhere under all that snow and ice is a bike lane.

It's been three days since Stella dropped its wintry precipitation on the city, but the protected bike lane on Grand Street in Manhattan remains unusable beneath three-foot mounds of snow.

The Department of Sanitation identifies Grand Street as a "critical" corridor for snow removal, but that doesn't extend to the bike lane. While DSNY crews cleared snow from other bike lanes, Grand Street is entirely untouched except for where Citi Bike crews have shoveled out bike-share stations. Most other protected bike lanes are wider than Grand Street, but the city does have vehicles to clear snow from narrower paths.

Streetsblog asked DSNY about the strategy for clearing snow from Grand Street and other bike lanes. This was their response:

Bike lanes are generally cleared after snow and ice has been removed from streets and roads.

When the temperatures drop as they have with this current storm, the Department takes additional steps to remove snow and ice from City streets by piling and hauling it away. As we receive warmer temperatures, Sanitation deploys smaller vehicles such as haulsters and skid steers to attempt to clear bike lanes. This has been made much more difficult by the icy nature of the mounds.

For now, the Grand Street bike lane remains snowbound, hardening into an icy mess that's impossible to bike on.

grand street1
Looking west from Crosby Street. Photo: David Meyer

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

OPINION: Can Regional Governance Break New York Out of Its Constant State of Transit Emergency?

The New York region needs to fundamentally change the way it governs its transit system, our contributor writes.

December 20, 2024

Friday’s Headlines: ‘So, How Was Your Day?’ Edition

You didn't come here to find out about yesterday's crime news. Instead, here's the livable streets news!

December 20, 2024

Albany Should Use ‘Underutilized’ Transit Fund For LIRR, Metro-North Discounts: Report

An "underutilized" pot of state transportation funds could help lure more New York City residents onto the LIRR and Metro-North, according to a new report.

December 19, 2024

See It: The McGuinness Road Diet Works — But Only Where the City Installed It

The road diet works, exposing the need to extend it all the way.

December 19, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Snow and Tell Edition

The Sanitation Department is even better prepared for winter. Plus other news.

December 19, 2024
See all posts