Eyes on the Street

When we last checked in on the intersection of 114th Street and 34th Avenue in September, construction was about to start on a new pedestrian island and crosswalk leading to an existing path next to the Whitestone Expressway [PDF]. Now, work is nearly complete as winter sets in, and pedestrians and cyclists have a safer crossing to the path.

The intersection of Liberty Avenue and 101st Avenue sits on the border of Cypress Hills, Brooklyn, and Ozone Park, Queens. A few blocks from the A train and surrounded by small businesses, it's a natural hub for the neighborhood, but the road configuration gave over large areas of the angled intersection to cars. Last year, the Bangladeshi American Community Development and Youth Services Corp. (BACDYS) applied to DOT's plaza program, and last month, the finishing touches were put on the new plaza space.

Two months after a presentation to Manhattan Community Board 6's transportation committee, and less than one month after the full board voted to support the plan, DOT crews were on Second Avenue today painting new stripes to convert the buffered bike lane in Kips Bay to the parking-protected variety.

The Bronx River Greenway has given many South Bronx residents a place to feel comfortable biking, but the streets nearby are often filled with speeding drivers navigating sometimes-confusing intersections. A project adding bike lanes, curb extensions, and lane striping aimed to fix that -- and since the end of the summer residents have seen some of the results. An anonymous reader who lives in Soundview and commutes by bike through the area sent in some photos showing the changes.

Buffered bike lanes on Vernon Boulevard in western Queens are getting upgraded to a buffered two-way bikeway. Gil Lopez was near Hallet's Cove this morning when he snapped a photo of DOT crews installing the bike lane, which when complete will include flexible posts to keep out car traffic.

Many commuters on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge this morning noticed new markings going in on First Avenue for a short but critical extension of the protected bike lane between 59th and 61st Streets. The changes, part of a plan supported by Community Boards 6 and 8 last spring, bring safer connections to both First Avenue and 59th Street.

What strikes me about the Cops in Bike Lanes Tumblr, which we first wrote about last week, is the variety. Cruisers, vans, motorcycles, scooters -- regardless of vehicle type, NYPD will leave it in the path of cyclists.

A reader sent in this photo of what looks to be several dozen minivans in Williamsburg parked all over the sidewalk and bike lane on Kent Avenue.

Noah Budnick at TA tweeted this shot yesterday of a new pedestrian wayfinding sign at Flatbush Avenue and Empire Boulevard, between Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Unlike traditional maps, where north is up, WalkNYC maps are oriented to the direction the viewer is facing. Initial rollout areas include Chinatown, the Garment District, Herald Square, and Long Island City, and they've started popping up in Crown Heights and Prospect Heights. Forward-facing maps can also be found on most Citi Bike stations.