Commuting - Bicycle Lane Planning 101

So this is new to my commute this year. Riding north on St. Nicholas Avenue as it approaches Amsterdam Avenue, the bike lane on the right hand side of the street suddenly shifts to the left hand side of the street accompanied by dotted white lines and becomes a “green” bike lane - photo #1.

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The idea is apparently to ride along the green bike lane and then up on to the sidewalk – TICKET #1

From there you cross the street where the bike lane resumes leading off of the sidewalk to the right of the Zebra crossing next to the three pedestrians below – photo #2 and #3. TICKET #2.

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Once safely across Amsterdam you ride on to the sidewalk and pick up the bike lane again – photo #4. TICKET #3.

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So within the distance of 150 feet or so, it is technically possible to pick up three tickets.

I think whoever planned this bike lane should be issued a summons.

Wow, that is jank. I'd rather there just not be a bike lane at all at that point.

Is it prohibited to take the lane there?

Seems like we're missing some context here. I've seen setups like this, usually to allow a cyclist to go straight where cars are forced to turn, or other accommodating features.

Also, in most cities in which sidewalk riding is illegal, an exception is made for marked bike routes.

As much fun as bike lane bashing is, this doesn't really seem to poorly engineered. Like I said, sounds like we're missing some context here. What was the intersection like before?

Also, in most cities in which sidewalk riding is illegal, an exception is made for marked bike routes.

If this is New York City, I cannot find such an exception. Link (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicyclerules_fy08_english.pdf).

Is this in NYC?

This is NYC. The intersection used to resemble open scissors bisected with a third cross street and only had traffic lights with no pedestrian islands. Nothing is marked anywhere on the sidewalk itself indicating that it is part of the bike route, and yes, illegal to ride on the sidewalk anywhere in NYC. I think it is poorly engineered.

If you ask me, the lanes were put in to corral the cyclists and then charge them with any infraction. It does not make for safer riding. 1st and 2nd Ave downtown are the worst. They put you next to the people that complain the most and make it impossible to avoid them when they step in front of you yapping on their cell phones, oblivious to anything else. I'd rather be out in the traffic where at least you have a sense of what the cars will do, which is mostly go straight, and sometime they even signal when turning.

If this is New York City, I cannot find such an exception. Link (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bicyclerules_fy08_english.pdf).

Is this in NYC?

Perhaps you should have read what you linked:

§ 4-07 (c)(3) - Restrictions on crossing sidewalks
No driving bikes on sidewalks unless sign allows or wheels are less than 26 inches in
diameter and rider is twelve years or younger. See also Administrative Code §19-176.

I think that adequately covers this situation: A 'bike lane' marking certainly fits the definition of a 'sign' for this purpose... and the bike lane markings pretty clearly lead to and from the sidewalk. Could you be ticketed? sure. Would it stand up in court? Doubtful. (Which is, of course, little consolation if you have to spend a day getting it thrown out, of course...)

If you ask me, the lanes were put in to corral the cyclists and then charge them with any infraction.

Indeed!

http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/photos/uncategorized/2008/03/25/tinfoil_db52b2f10e7fa983f0f9d799a20.jpg

Also, in most cities in which sidewalk riding is illegal, an exception is made for marked bike routes.


Perhaps you should have read what you linked:

§ 4-07 (c)(3) - Restrictions on crossing sidewalks
No driving bikes on sidewalks unless sign allows or wheels are less than 26 inches in
diameter and rider is twelve years or younger. See also Administrative Code §19-176.

I think that adequately covers this situation: A 'bike lane' marking certainly fits the definition of a 'sign' for this purpose... and the bike lane markings pretty clearly lead to and from the sidewalk. Could you be ticketed? sure. Would it stand up in court? Doubtful. (Which is, of course, little consolation if you have to spend a day getting it thrown out, of course...)

Yeah, in NYC where a connection is impossible one can ride on a sidewalk, but sidewalk is then marked with "bike buttons", round bike symbols painted on the sidewalk and/or erected signs.

Yeah, in NYC where a connection is impossible one can ride on a sidewalk, but sidewalk is then marked with "bike buttons", round bike symbols painted on the sidewalk and/or erected signs.
In addition, per Streetsblog (http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/08/dot-plans-safer-st-nick-amsterdam-with-more-uptown-action-to-come/), it appears that motorist traffic has no choice but to turn right at this particular point in the intersection, but engineers had the foresight to give cyclists a way to keep traveling straight.

Seems to me this is just bike lane bashing with no merit.

Yeah, in NYC where a connection is impossible one can ride on a sidewalk, but sidewalk is then marked with "bike buttons", round bike symbols painted on the sidewalk and/or erected signs.

There are no signs and no bike buttons.


In addition, per Streetsblog (http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/04/08/dot-plans-safer-st-nick-amsterdam-with-more-uptown-action-to-come/), it appears that motorist traffic has no choice but to turn right at this particular point in the intersection, but engineers had the foresight to give cyclists a way to keep traveling straight.

Straight onto the sidewalk.


Seems to me this is just bike lane bashing with no merit.

I disagree. Does Streetsblog show any other instances of sidewalks (without cut throughs) in NY being part of official bike lanes? If so, do those examples also have no signs and no "bike buttons"? Following along with photo 1 and 2, when you initially ride onto the sidewalk, you have to look pretty hard to find the continuation of said bike path in photo 3 and ride through another zebra crossing and on to the opposite sidewalk to get to it. No other markings. The Streetsblog diagram shows a nice straight dotted blue line, but it doesn't work that way.

There are no signs and no bike buttons.
If there were signs and / or bike buttons, would you feel differently? Or would you still be here bashing about some horrible bike lane?

Actually, I don't like riding in bike lanes at all and prefer the road, but along with the strict laws about riding on the sidewalk, NYC had another annoying law that you must ride in a bike lane if one is available. That being the case, they really should try to get it right. The execution of this particular example seems like an afterthought. There are some interesting comments on the Streetsblog article.

The same speculation and interpretation being done here would be done at those street/sidewalk interfaces. Cops and peds might think cyclists are supposed to dismount when they get on the sidewalk. Cyclists might be unsure since there's no signage on the sidewalk that they can continue to ride. And the laws are not widely known and may be unclear. I can see cyclists getting ticketed and having to show pics and explain to the judge why they're not guilty for riding on the sidewalk when the bike lane clearly led them onto the sidewalk. I can also see the judge telling them that riding on the sidewalk is illegal unless clearly marked and in this case, it wasn't clearly marked. It might be inferred, but it's unclear.

As for bike lane planning, I always loved this one on 3rd Ave. on the way back from Shore Rd. in Bklyn.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3157/2661693583_4507ed5535_z.jpg

As for bike lane planning, I always loved this one on 3rd Ave. on the way back from Shore Rd. in Bklyn.
Now that is just special.

Here is another favorite stretch of bike lane, also on St. Nicholas Avenue south of 125th street.


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I thought briefly about trying to find the entrance to the bunker and asking the nice men if they would mind moving their vehicles out of the bike lane.


And in the shot below, although it’s not easy to see the painted lines, the precinct’s unmarked and personal cars on the opposite side of the street protrude well into the bike lane. Hey, somebody give that guy on the bike a ticket!


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These pictures were taken today, but coincidentally, just found this on Streetsblog (http://www.streetsblog.org/2010/09/08/eyes-on-the-street-28th-precinct-loves-the-st-nicholas-ave-bike-lane/).

Article on blocked bike lanes in NYC - http://www.dnainfo.com/20110614/manhattan/police-among-worst-offenders-blocking-manhattans-bike-lanes