NYC begins effort to ‘harden’ 20 miles of protected bike lanes
The New York City Department of Transportation is implementing new strategies to keep cyclists safe while navigating the hectic city streets. Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday announced the start of a new project that will fortify half of all delineator-protected bike lanes in NYC, which better protects cyclists and keeps lanes clear of vehicles. Originally set to be completed within the first 100 days of Rodriguez’s term, as Streetsblog reported, the city now aims to harden 20 of the city’s 40 miles of delineator-protected bike lines by the end of 2023.
DOT workers have already begun replacing the plastic bollards currently separating the city’s bike lanes with 20-foot-long cement barriers. Lane hardenings at two locations in Manhattan with high ridership have been completed, with work continuing on a third location.
The 20 miles the city is focusing its efforts on include areas with high ridership, a history of vehicle non-compliance, or with lanes next to heavy vehicle corridors. DOT will continue its efforts to build new bike lanes using new designs that aren’t dependent on existing delineators while strengthening old ones.
“New York City’s cyclists deserve to be safe everywhere, but especially in protected lanes – where drivers will too often disrespect and block that critical space,” Rodriguez said. “We have an actionable, concrete plan to protect cyclists and we are going to deliver on this work to keep our lanes clear. We thank our friends in the advocacy community for helping us identify top targets – and we know that these twenty miles of barriers will make a real difference.”
In Manhattan, work is being done to upgrade the bike lane that runs from Clinton Street and Delancey Street to South Street. Bike lanes in Manhattan that have already been upgraded include:
- 40th Street, 11th Avenue to 12th Avenue
- Broadway, Barclay Street to Morris Street
- 11th Ave, 40th Street to 39th Street
In Queens, work is being done to upgrade bike lanes located at:
- Crescent Street, Queens Plaza North to Hoyt Ave N
- Vernon Blvd, 46th Ave to 30th Rd
- Queens Blvd, 73rd Street to Yellowstone Boulevard
The DOT is also experimenting with new rubber and concrete barrier and curb designs that don’t require the installation of large concrete protectors. These new design methods will be installed this summer for observation and if they are efficient, will be integrated into the Department’s toolkit.
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