New Crosstown UWS Bike Lanes Take Step Toward Reality After Board Vote

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — A network of fully protected bike lanes running across the Upper West Side took a step toward reality on Tuesday night after a Community Board 7 committee passed a resolution requesting a detailed plan from the Department of Transportation.

The east-to-west bike lanes would run approximately every 10 blocks from 60th to 110th streets in the neighborhood.

"Let's start being proactive about protecting the lives of the residents of CB7," Andrew Rosenthal, a nearly 40-year-resident of the Upper West Side said during the meeting, while also bringing up the amount of bike-related accidents that have happened in the neighborhood since the board first discussed the idea in November. "Please don't fail again tonight and vote (in favor) for this resolution."

Roughly 40 speakers from the public spoke during the two-hour plus Transportation Committee meeting, many of who spoke emotionally and passionately about the need for the crosstown protected bike lanes throughout the Upper West Side.

"Please don't wait until there's another death," said Thomas Proctor, whose brother was killed in 2020 at an Upper West Side intersection. "Pass this resolution."

The current east to west bike routes on the Upper West Side currently only include painted-bike lanes on 110th, 106th, 91st, 78th, and 77th streets.

"Such painted lanes provide only a minimal level of protection and are often blocked by double-parked delivery and private vehicles," the Community Board 7 resolution reads.

While the large majority of speakers voiced support for the crosstown bike lanes, there were some residents and board members that questioned the possibility.

"It is not that the proposal is a bad idea. It's impossible," committee member Jay Adolf said while also questioning the loss of car parking space that would occur. "That essentially means two lanes to park, one protected bike lane and one lane where cars can actually move. It’s impossible to do that on side streets, it would be a disastrous mess."

The Upper West Side committee ended up passing the resolution with a vote of nine in favor, two opposed, and 1 abstainment.

The bike lanes part of this resolution would not go in or adjacent to any public parks in the neighborhood, including Central Park, Riverside Park, Dante Park, Verdi Square, Theodore Roosevelt Park, or Straus Park.

Upper East Side's Community Board 8 passed a resolution in September 2022 to support fully protected crosstown bike lanes in its neighborhood throughout the same 60th to 110th streets stretch.

Here is how the exact Upper West Side resolution reads.

"THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT Community Board 7/ Manhattan requests that the New York City Department of Transportation present to Community Board 7 a detailed proposal for an all-ages-and-abilities network of fully protected east-west bike lanes with appropriate pedestrian refuges and protections approximately every 10 blocks between 60th and 110th Streets."

There will be a full Community Board 7 final vote on the resolution on April 4.