Eyes on the Street: Leading Bicycle Intervals and Semi-Protected Intersections
A reader sends in this shot of a new signal at 3rd Street in Park Slope, at the intersection with Prospect Park West.
It's what DOT calls a "split leading pedestrian interval": Pedestrians and cyclists get a green ahead of turning drivers, then the red turn arrow becomes a flashing yellow. In addition to providing giving people on bikes some separation from turning traffic, it makes official what comes naturally to cyclists -- proceeding at the same time as pedestrians. That behavior is technically illegal at typical LPIs (Council Member Carlos Menchaca is sponsoring a bill to change that), but the bicycle signal sanctions it while adding some clarity for everyone involved.
DOT had installed nine of these signals at the beginning of the year and said it would be implementing more in a program to test out new intersection designs for bikeways.
The other type of bikeway intersection treatment DOT is trying out is this one on Amsterdam and 85th Street, one of four we're aware of.
Like its near-identical counterpart on Columbus Avenue at 70th Street, this intersection previously had a "mixing zone." The new design, which advocates and community boards have been requesting from DOT, directs drivers to turn more slowly and better positions them to see passing cyclists.
It also adds a painted pedestrian island, effectively shortening the crossing distance:
As far as we know, there's no official name for this new intersection treatment. It's not quite a protected intersection, though it incorporates several elements of that design. What should we call it?
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog New York City
Analysis: Everyone Agrees — Less Parking Means More Housing
Let's take a second-day look at Mayor Adams's "City of Yes" zoning proposal to do away with mandatory parking in new developments.
What is the Life of a Dead Pedestrian Worth?
A cop laughed that a normal person is only worth $11,000 — and that figure was partly due to his racism, but also how little we value the lives of people on foot.
Monday’s Headlines: ‘What is Up With All These Flip-Flops, Mayor?’ Edition
It's the same old story with this mayor and his chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Plus other news.
Why Sustainable Transportation Advocates Need to Talk About Long COVID
Covid-19 transformed many U.S. cities' approach to sustainable transportation forever. But how did it transform the lives of sustainable transportation advocates who developed lasting symptoms from the disease?
Analysis: ‘Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program’ is a Failure By All Measures
The Department of Transportation wants the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program to simply expire in part because it did not dramatically improve safety among these worst-of-the-worst drivers and led to a tiny number of vehicle seizures.
