Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Today's Headlines

Monday’s Headlines: Manhattan Needs Better Crosstown Bike Lanes Edition

Manhattan's crosstown protected bike lanes are a disaster. Plus more news.

Video Still: Streetfilms|

A typical scene on a Manhattan crosstown protected bike lane.

The Manhattan crosstown bike lanes came as a revelation for two-wheelers when the city installed them around a half-decade ago, but now need some serious love — as Clarence Eckerson of Streetfilms shows in the video below:

As Eckerson documents, the bike lanes are often too narrow and frequently blocked by parked cars and other obstructions. The buffer zones along the lanes are also filled with parked cars — which mean turning drivers can hardly see cyclists as they approach intersections.

The solution here is obvious: more concrete to prevent illegal parking, more enforcement to stop it where concrete fails and — crucially — fewer parking spots.

The latter is particularly important in Midtown, where the city opted for the narrowest possible bike lane designs back in 2020 in order to avoid the political headache of repurposing parking spots. But with congestion pricing expected to reduce car and truck traffic below 60th Street by at least 17 percent, the time for Mayor Adams and his Department of Transportation to fix this mess is now.

In other news:

  • New York again plans to allow so-called "self-driving cars" on city streets — to the chagrin of safe streets advocates. (Gothamist)
  • Taxi Workers Alliance loses bid to prevent TLC's "green" vehicle runaround. (The City)
  • Brooklyn senior "clinging to life" after driver struck her Friday in Borough Park. (Daily News)
  • Janno Lieber: "About time" for congestion pricing in New York City. (amNY)
  • NYPD brass spent the weekend picking fights with their critics on Twitter:
  • City's AI chatbot repeatedly encourages business owners to break the law. (The City/The Markup)
  • How NYC's "specialized" homeless shelter system failed one "subway shover." (NY Times)
  • WNYC/Gothamist checked in with drivers unsurprisingly upset about congestion pricing.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Cyclist: Cop Pulled a Taser During Summons Chase

In a dramatic escalation of the NYPD's criminal crackdown on bike riders, a police officer pulled a stun gun while chasing a cyclist for allegedly running a red light on a regular bike.

May 30, 2025

Albany Pols Seize the Helm(et)

Helmet laws remain controversial — they're the "common-sense" approach pushed by lawmakers who ignore that studies show they don't improve safety.

May 30, 2025

Tisch Reveals Real Reason for Her E-Bike Crackdown: E-Bike Licensing

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch doubles down on her cycling criminalization campaign, saying e-bike licensing is the only other option.

May 30, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: A ‘Critical’ Moment Edition

Cyclists will protest against the NYPD's bike crackdown with a Critical Mass ride to City Hall on Friday. Plus more news.

May 30, 2025

Eyes on the Street: Astoria’s Big Beautiful 31st Avenue Bike Boulevard

Streetsblog paid a visit to New York City's widest on-street protected bike lane ever, which is up and running in Astoria.

May 30, 2025
See all posts