Broadway Bike-Lane
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Broadway Bike-Lane
Has anyone checked out the currently–under-construction bike-lane on Broadway? It's very nice: segregated from traffic (sidewalk, motor-vehicle traffic, car-parking, buffer-zone, bike-lane, sidewalk — as noted from west to east, bird's-eye view). I'm not sure how extensive the thing will be, but I think it's an excellent model for how New York City ought to implement bike-lanes on adequately wide streets (i.e., most avenues). I'd love to see something like this along the length of most of Second Avenue and Third or First Avenue — the east side of Manhattan is sorely lacking "bicycle-friendliness," especially in the mid-town region.
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Yup. I bike down there last weekend. It was still under construction. Similar to the one on 9th ave. I would love to see something similar on the east side like 2nd and 3rd ave. like u said. It is seriously lacking bike lanes from upper east side to downtown. Heck I would be happy with just a bike lane.
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I think that's setting the expectation too low. I feel "bike lanes" (be they signed or painted, though the former is just pointless, in my humble opinion) don't do much to facilitate bicycling — they might be helpful; they might not be. I'd really like to see a segregated bike (/skate/jogging, I suppose) path on the east side of Manhattan.
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Yeah, the east side is sorely lacking. I want to commute to the Grand Central area from Brooklyn but First and Third are bad even on the weekends.
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While I appreciate the effort the city has put into making better bike lanes, I really do hate the one on Broadway. I ride from the East Village to CP and back 4 days a week, and since they put that whole mess in there I've stopped taking Broadway down, and now take Fifth (I go up First, but it's early enough that it's mostly empty).
I'd rather contend with cars that are generally predictable and heading in one direction than meandering pedestrians (and I'm back from my rides by 7:30am so it's not even crowded!) who step out into traffic without looking and think the bike lane is an extension of the sidewalk, not to mention the stupid turning lanes. Now that they've put in those 'pedestrian malls' it's just impossible to get across.
I'd rather contend with cars that are generally predictable and heading in one direction than meandering pedestrians (and I'm back from my rides by 7:30am so it's not even crowded!) who step out into traffic without looking and think the bike lane is an extension of the sidewalk, not to mention the stupid turning lanes. Now that they've put in those 'pedestrian malls' it's just impossible to get across.
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Just out of curiosity, how do they handle intersections?
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While I appreciate the effort the city has put into making better bike lanes, I really do hate the one on Broadway. I ride from the East Village to CP and back 4 days a week, and since they put that whole mess in there I've stopped taking Broadway down, and now take Fifth (I go up First, but it's early enough that it's mostly empty).
I'd rather contend with cars that are generally predictable and heading in one direction than meandering pedestrians (and I'm back from my rides by 7:30am so it's not even crowded!) who step out into traffic without looking and think the bike lane is an extension of the sidewalk, not to mention the stupid turning lanes. Now that they've put in those 'pedestrian malls' it's just impossible to get across.
I'd rather contend with cars that are generally predictable and heading in one direction than meandering pedestrians (and I'm back from my rides by 7:30am so it's not even crowded!) who step out into traffic without looking and think the bike lane is an extension of the sidewalk, not to mention the stupid turning lanes. Now that they've put in those 'pedestrian malls' it's just impossible to get across.
So the bigger question is, how can the city make bike lanes that actually work for their intended purpose? Maybe we should discuss this and then go to a City planning meeting and voice our opinions. The City gov't is definitely trying to improve the biking situation in NYC.
Last edited by palladio; 06-30-09 at 10:11 AM.
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I think that's setting the expectation too low. I feel "bike lanes" (be they signed or painted, though the former is just pointless, in my humble opinion) don't do much to facilitate bicycling — they might be helpful; they might not be. I'd really like to see a segregated bike (/skate/jogging, I suppose) path on the east side of Manhattan.
Then, when riding up on the Fort Washington Ave (between the 179st St 181st St) I see this bike lane sign on the pavement. I must admit, some of the driver were avoiding that lane. But not all of them. So you cannot rely on this type of signs when riding in Manhattan, but it might help as the lane will be mostly free of cars.
But the wide avenues -- that's a different story. They are wide enough for segragated bike paths.
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I don't feel anyone can (or should) fault the design of the Broadway bike-path because of pedestrian-carelessness. How can we try to make people more cognizant? Advocacy is one way. Practice is another: people in the City seems simply to be largely unaware of "bicycling," altogether, which makes sense when we consider New York car-happy history. I think, as more bike-lanes are created, and more bikes occupy them, pedestrians will absorb the fact they these roads are not mere "extensions of the sidewalk," and will be mindful of them similarly to as they are of motor-vehicle–occupied lanes.
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Um, I'm not sure that 'mindful' is the word I'd use to describe NYC pedestrians, especially in midtown.
Also, we can fault the design of the bike path because they put it right between the sidewalk and the hanging out area. Of course pedestrian traffic is going to filter between the two. Horrible design.
Also, we can fault the design of the bike path because they put it right between the sidewalk and the hanging out area. Of course pedestrian traffic is going to filter between the two. Horrible design.
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The new Broadway Bike Lane that runs between Central Park and Times Square is better.
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I thought it was all one long bike-lane cluster-****, but I'm glad to hear it works for someone...I'm sticking to Fifth from now on.
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5th or 7th. I tried the Broadway bike lane, but I lost it w/in the first 10' from peds wandering all over the place. I'd rather ride w/ the cars where it's safer and more predictable. Bike lanes are great for encouraging people to ride, but truthfully, I barely ride in them when they're available b/c they put them right in the door zones.
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The problem with the Central Park to Times Square bike lane is that it only goes to Times Square. Then you're lost in a mire of tourists. What this City needs are bike lanes that actually go somewhere and not on little narrow streets that don't have much traffic anyway.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
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I don't feel anyone can (or should) fault the design of the Broadway bike-path because of pedestrian-carelessness. How can we try to make people more cognizant? Advocacy is one way. Practice is another: people in the City seems simply to be largely unaware of "bicycling," altogether, which makes sense when we consider New York car-happy history. I think, as more bike-lanes are created, and more bikes occupy them, pedestrians will absorb the fact they these roads are not mere "extensions of the sidewalk," and will be mindful of them similarly to as they are of motor-vehicle–occupied lanes.
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5th or 7th. I tried the Broadway bike lane, but I lost it w/in the first 10' from peds wandering all over the place. I'd rather ride w/ the cars where it's safer and more predictable. Bike lanes are great for encouraging people to ride, but truthfully, I barely ride in them when they're available b/c they put them right in the door zones.
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Um, I'm not sure that 'mindful' is the word I'd use to describe NYC pedestrians, especially in midtown.
Also, we can fault the design of the bike path because they put it right between the sidewalk and the hanging out area. Of course pedestrian traffic is going to filter between the two. Horrible design.
Also, we can fault the design of the bike path because they put it right between the sidewalk and the hanging out area. Of course pedestrian traffic is going to filter between the two. Horrible design.
Really, I even like the "hanging-out"-style one: pedestrians will need to learn to be mindful when more bicyclists use the lane, but suggesting placing a lane between two pedestrian regions is horrible makes me wonder what to label the necessity of riding a bike through trucks, buses, and cars during rush-our.
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The problem with the Central Park to Times Square bike lane is that it only goes to Times Square. Then you're lost in a mire of tourists. What this City needs are bike lanes that actually go somewhere and not on little narrow streets that don't have much traffic anyway.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
As east-side greenway would be fantastic, as the East-River path is missing from a good bit of mid-town.
Regarding Times Square, getting through is hell, no matter your mode of movement. If one finds traversing those ten blocks or so to be too much trouble, one ought to just move a couple of blocks east or west, rather than wait for some kind of remedy.
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I doubt it. The bike lanes have been in Central Park for some time and an awful lot of people aren't mindful of them. I've tried politely asking people to use the sidewalk and they just give me an f*** y** look. I'm not sure how to solve this problem given the general sense of entitlement of a lot of New Yorkers (and why do women with strollers seem to be among the worst in this?). Maybe dividers of some sort around bike lanes or police giving tickets to pedestrians using them. I know the police give tickets to bikers if they are in prohibited areas. Then maybe they could use the ticket revenue to maintain more bike lanes!
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The problem with the Central Park to Times Square bike lane is that it only goes to Times Square. Then you're lost in a mire of tourists. What this City needs are bike lanes that actually go somewhere and not on little narrow streets that don't have much traffic anyway.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
I just read Transportation Alternatives is starting an East Side committee to improve cycling on the East Side of Manhattan. They're meeting next Tuesday night at the Puck Building. Let's hope they can get something done.
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Yes, but, I feel, the problem is, in New York, people simply aren't trained to be aware of bicycle (or any non-motorized) traffic, which stems from culture and a general (historical) lack of bikes and bike-facilities. As more of these "green-ways" are constructed, and more people take to using them, I expect (and hope) it will become habit, in the City, to actually look both ways at a bike-lane as one would at an intersection through which cars pass; to avoid strolling down a bike-path when an empty sidewalk is available; to stick to the right when indeed using an M.U.P., rather than bouncing around it from edge to edge. I don't feel the answer is ticketing or new-design; it's something I believe will change as, as I said, Manhattan caters more greatly to bikes and bicyclists, and as the former gain a greater presence (outside just the delivery-person circle).
Edit: I placed in bold part of Commando303's posting when quoting him.
Last edited by bagel007; 06-30-09 at 10:56 PM. Reason: Edit: Placed in bold part of Commando303's posting.
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They've done a lot of construction work on the West side in the past year. Several new stretches of the Hudson River bike path have been opened, and it looks as though they are trying to complete the last missing piece above the 79th St. boat basin. Once that is done, there will be a clear path all the way from Battery park to the GW bridge. If you haven't ridden it, check it out. There is a really beautiful area just South of GW bridge along the river where you can take break and enjoy the scenery in a park like setting with great views of the city down the Hudson.
Even so, one great bike lane doesn't make for great bicycle infrastructure and the West Side Greenway is often overcrowded with cyclists, skaters, runners, and tourists. It's a good start but we still need real bike lanes that go to real places.
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Well, you placed in bold part of my statement, and ignored (or didn't care for) the rest. I won't reiterate it, here, for you. If you'd like to know how I feel about your objection, please, refer to the very post of mine that you quoted.
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The Greenway is fantastic! That's why I bypass the Broadway Bike Lane and Fifth Avenue, 90% of the time. I may have to go out of my way a bit but having a non-stop route along the length of Manhattan is well worth the extra distance I have to travel to use it.
Even so, one great bike lane doesn't make for great bicycle infrastructure and the West Side Greenway is often overcrowded with cyclists, skaters, runners, and tourists. It's a good start but we still need real bike lanes that go to real places.
Even so, one great bike lane doesn't make for great bicycle infrastructure and the West Side Greenway is often overcrowded with cyclists, skaters, runners, and tourists. It's a good start but we still need real bike lanes that go to real places.
On a separate note, I'm looking forward to "Summer Streets." I heard about it just a couple of days ago, and think it sounds pretty fun.
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I didn't ignore what you said. I just wanted to add one observation -- namelly, that there is nothing in the news (TV, newspapers) about the whole idea of turning NYC into a biker-friendly city.