Cyclists Can Now Use the 311 App to Report Blocked Bike Lanes. But Will Drivers Care?

SUNSET PARK and PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN, NY — Cyclists have a new tool to report illegally blocked bike lanes. This week, the city's 311 app was updated with an option to report the violation, as noted first by Streetsblog New York City.

The app update doesn't let you take a photo of the offending vehicle, according to the site, but it does mean a blocked bike lane report will be recorded in the 311 system under its own category, rather than under the more general heading of "illegal parking."

Blocking a bike lane for any reason is illegal under city law, as this helpful graphic from the Department of Transportation points out. Commercial vehicles are also not permitted to block lanes, even when making deliveries.

The first lane blockage we found was caused by a truck parked just south of 39th Street:

We then had an unobstructed ride until a casual conversation broke the flow at the corner of 21st:

At 20th, a van was on the job:

Followed by an SUV:

A car was being unloaded at 16th:

While a worker was prepping for his job site at 14th:

At 12th, this minivan appeared to be innocently pulling out into the traffic lane, before it took up a position in the bike lane instead:

But then, we made it all the way to 2nd before coming upon this van:

The final block was smooth sailing, though gazing beyond 1st revealed an impenetrable fortress of beer kegs:

Pictured at top: an obstructed bike lane near the corner of 39th Street and 5th Avenue in Sunset Park. Photos by John V. Santore.