Pitch In on the UWS!
On Tuesday, April 8, the NYC Department of Transportation is coming to Community Board 7 to present a new plan to add bike lanes to West 106th Street. This proposed bike route will provide a vital link between NYC’s two busiest biking facilities in Central and Hudson River Park.
The downside? There isn’t one - more space for cyclists is always a good thing. However, there is one crucial way that this plan could be improved. By only offering to install standard painted lanes on W. 106th St., the DOT is ignoring all the evidence that such lanes don’t function nearly as well as lanes that are physically protected. By physically separating the bike lane from traffic, both drivers and cyclists are made safer, and the potential for conflict is almost entirely removed. The DOT should know the value of protected lanes better than anyone; their recently-installed 9th Ave. lane has won them acclaim from cyclists and advocates around the city and the world.
So what do we do about it? Pitch in by attending the April 8th meeting, and writing letters of support for a protected lane on W. 106th St! The DOT is tired of hearing from the same old people, but just a few residents speaking up to ask for the world-class facilities that they deserve could make all the difference. Let them know that you support their work to bring a true bike network to the Upper West Side, and that you will stand behind them if they find the courage to do what they know is right.
Interested in helping? Contact Peter Goldwasser (peter@transalt.org ) or Nathan John (nathan@transalt.org) for more information about how you can make a difference on this crucial issue.
