NEW YORK—As part of continuing efforts to link unconnected bicycle lanes together into a larger network, officials with the city’s Department of Transportation have been seeking to extend a lane on Columbus Avenue both north and south.
A protected lane on the avenue between 77th and 96th streets exists, but lacks continuity into the bigger network of lanes, according to the department’s presentation to Community Board 7’s Transportation Committee.
The proposal would extend lanes north to 110th Street and south to 59th Street, with mostly protected lanes (lanes that are separated from vehicle lanes by a buffer zone and a parking lane).
But the committee did not pass on Tuesday evening a nonbinding resolution approving the project, instead voting 5–4 in favor with one abstention, which basically counts as a tie.
“I felt like the will of the people was definitely ignored, and people were really frustrated and quite angry that their testimony seemed to not matter at all to this community board and this committee,” said Lisa Sladkus, director of the Upper West Side Renaissance, a safe streets advocacy group.
About 150 people packed into the meeting, said Sladkus, and about 85 percent of them spoke in favor of the extensions.
But the committee was concerned with some of the information presented by the DOT, including how 42 parking spaces in the areas where the lanes would go would be eliminated. Among the committee, co-chair Dan Zweig said he wanted more information about the proposed lanes before he would vote yes.
“He has done that for every project that’s brought before him,” said Sladkus. “He will ask for more and more information, and no matter what you do, no matter how much outreach you do, no matter how many people you convince, he will say he needs more information.”
