City Reveals One-Way Protected Bike Lane Plan For Central Park W

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The Upper West Side community board's transportation committee voted Tuesday night to unanimously approve a new city plan to create a one-way protected bike line for northbound cyclists on Central Park West.

The city Department of Transportation proposed creating the lane on the east side of Central Park West by removing parking on that side of the street and replacing it with a 7-foot-wide buffer zone equipped with flexible delineators. The plan will eliminate about 400 parking spaces from the two-way avenue in order to keep traffic flow on the avenue consistent with current conditions, city planners said during Tuesday's meeting.

City planners said the new bike lane will be a critical part in Manhattan's bike network because it will provide unobstructed northbound access for 50 blocks. The lack of cars turning onto Central Park West from the east will allow cyclists to move very efficiently and safely in the lane. The lane should also benefit pedestrians by creating shorter crossings on Central Park West, city planners said Tuesday. Buses will still be able to pick up and drop off riders on the east side of the avenue, city planers said.

Plans for a protected bike lane on Central Park West were demanded by the community board and local politicians following the death of 23-year-old Australian tourist Madison Jane Lyden, who was hit by a truck last year after being forced to swerve into traffic when a cab blocked her path in the unprotected lane.

"We all asked you to do something after Madison to make sure this doesn't happen again and you clearly brought back a very thoughtful plan," City Councilmember Helen Rosenthal said during Tuesday's meeting.

Timothy Malin, the commander of the NYPD's 20th precinct, said Tuesday night that the current state of Central Park West's unprotected bike lane is too unsafe to ignore.

"Whether it is or is not a bike lane is not my place to weigh in," Malin said. "I can say this — The situation there right now is so unsafe that it's not if there's going to be another Madison Jane Lyden it's when. So either get rid of it or fix it."

Some board members voiced concerns that the city's plan does not provide safe passage for southbound cyclists on the two-way avenue. When asked to explain why a two-way protected lane was not possible on the west side of the avenue, city planners said that it would create too many conflicts with drivers turning off and onto Central Park West.

Those concerns did not prevent any board members from voting for the plan that the city pitched on Tuesday night. The board did include in its resolution a stipulation to check in with the city Department of Transportation each year to evaluate how the proposed northbound lane is working and whether a two-way lane is possible. Board member Ken Coughlin said that congestion pricing may end up reducing traffic on the avenue and may make a two-way bike lane possible in the future.

Many community members signed up to comment at the meeting, which was at full capacity. Both bikers and drivers praised the plan. A number of residents also brought up concerns about irresponsible biking and the loss of parking in the neighborhood.

Transportation committee co-chair Howard Yaruss articulated the board's position succinctly: "I live on Central Park West and I drive — and to me when it comes to a tradeoff between parking and human life there really isn't one."

The Community Board 7 transportation committee's resolution will come before the full board during its next meeting on July 2.