It’s a great day if you’re a dedicated cyclist in the big city.
Community Board 7, which represents Manhattan’s Upper West Side, has approved a proposal for a new bike lane on 72nd Street.
The crosstown, directional lane will offer critical protected space along a busy route for cyclists, running from 72nd Street from Central Park West to Riverside Drive.
The vote by the board’s Transportation Committee was unanimous, and gives local cyclist and advocates a protected lane in an area that has been especially problematic.
A Vote for Much Needed Protection
Polls cited by StreetsBlog have shown that 72nd Street is the most popular cross-town connecting street for cyclists, even though the route has no protected lanes.
That lack of protection has been an issue.
According to Crash Mapper, 169 cyclist crashes resulting in 36 injuries have occurred along that route since 2018.
Local cycling advocate Lisa Orman told StreetsBlog the decision to pass the proposal was overdue.
“We need crosstown protected bike lanes on many streets of the UWS and 72nd Street is a great place to start. 72nd Street connects us to our two glorious parks, to the East Side, the Hudson River Greenway, and to all of the businesses along West 72nd Street. This will be especially important as people start commuting to schools and work,” Orman said.
A Local Cycling Boom
The decision comes during a cycling boom in New York City. Weekend cycling trips across the East River are up 60% year-over-year — likely a result of people seeking safer recreation options during the pandemic.
Many local cycling shops have also reported significant sales increases and depleted inventory.
In addition to Community Board 7’s decision to build a new protected lane on 72nd Street, several community boards in Upper Manhattan are urging the city to build new bike routes through Central Park in an effort to reduce the number of collisions and injuries in that area. Central Park has also experienced a sharp increase in cyclists during the pandemic.
Community Board 7 must coordinate with the Department of Transportation before work can begin on the 72nd Street project. Currently, there is no projected timeline for work to begin.
Finding the Right Cycling Accident Attorney
At the Frankel Law Firm, we’ve been fighting for the rights of injured persons for more than 40 years. If you need help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today at (212) 888-5100 or at https://frankellawfirm.com. All plaintiff accident and injury cases which are accepted for representation are on a contingency basis which means that there will be no attorneys fee unless successful. Given the coronavirus pandemic, we can arrange for a free consultation by Facetime, Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp. Please feel free to give us a call.
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