After two confusing months, Clinton Street finally got its two-way protected bike lane back this week.
DOT repaved Clinton Street and East Broadway on the Lower East Side on November 30. But when temperatures drop, the street markings stop. The thermoplast that DOT uses for crosswalks and bike lane markings doesn't adhere well to asphalt in the cold. So this block of Clinton lost its bike lane in early December.
This block is an important connection to the Williamsburg Bridge. DOT could have set off space for biking with temporary barriers while the cold set in, but through December and January, it remained without a functional bike lane:
That changed last week, we're guessing because a warm spell hit the city. After an adjustment period where people had to re-learn not to park in the bike lane, it seems to be functioning properly again.