You are reading

DOT: Bicycle Lanes Planned For Greenpoint and Roosevelt Avenues

Share bike lanes (47th Ave)

Shared Bike Lanes (47th Ave)

March 5, 2015 By Christian Murray

The Department of Transportation has plans to install bicycle lanes on Greenpoint and Roosevelt Avenues.

The lanes would be “shared lanes” installed on both sides of the street.

These plans are part of the DOT’s attempt to build a bicycle network throughout Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City. Last year, the department put down bike lanes on Skillman, 43rd and 47th Avenues– as it kicked off phase 1 of its plan.

GreepointAvenue

Photo: Google Earth

The Greenpoint Avenue lanes—which go through the heart of Sunnyside—would be part of Phase 2 and might be installed as early as this summer if Community Board 2 signs off on them. The lanes on Roosevelt Avenue would extend as far as 58th Street.

The proposed bike lanes stem from the results of two workshops held in 2012, when the Department of Transportation invited the community to an event where they could provide their feedback as to where they would like to see the lanes go.

The plan was shared by DOT representatives at a community board 2 meeting this week.

Joe Conley, chairman of CB2’s Transportation Committee, expressed doubts about including the lanes on Roosevelt Avenue given the traffic congestion. He recommended that the DOT take another look to see if it could find a connection to its network via an alternative street.

Phase II is also likely to bring changes to several other streets in the district.

The DOT plans to install shared bicycle lanes on Jackson Avenue—between Queens Plaza and 11th Street.

Two-way bicycle lanes are expected to be added to the Honeywell Street Bridge, which goes over Sunnyside Yards—from Skillman Avenue to Northern Boulevard.

The DOT also plans to install lanes connecting Sunnyside to Maspeth through a web of industrial streets. The lanes would be installed on 56th Road (Maspeth) and Review Avenue.
.

2015 03 Queens Cb2 Network by sunnysidepost

.

email the author: [email protected]

23 Comments

Click for Comments 
Ferdia

For most of my life (and I believe this is still true) EVERY road in NYC was a shared bike lane. All the same rules apply to drivers, if only they cared to know or follow them.

Reply
MA

A protected bikelane would be better but anything to help alternative transportation in NYC is good.

We have too many fat drivers in fat SUVs clogging the streets. Unfortunately the only way I see to prevent them from going to and from and idling in front of White Castle and Burger King is to add more bike lanes and leave them with less roadspace. More congestion for cars and less for walkers, joggers and bikers. Add to this meters, fines and less parking spots and this town will improve a lot.

A good idea if they build over the Sunnysid yards would be to not let cars access it, and use some of the space for a tram line. Dreaming…

Reply
Lou Minatti

As someone who commutes to Flushing Meadows Park from Sunnyside, I would NEVER ride on Roosevelt Ave. I make my way to the 34th Ave bike lane and take it all the way to the park. Roosevelt Ave is too narrow as it is, its two way traffic, its a bus route and its too busy with commercial trucks making deliveries. No thanks.

Reply
SuperWittySmitty

I agree. I rode home from Jackson Hts on Roosevelt and it’s way too busy for bike traffic. Google maps give great routes, so going there was a breeze. coming home, I decided to take Roosevelt. Never again!

Reply
SuperWittySmitty

I’m all for more bike lanes; which isn’t surprising. More and more people are realizing what an intelligent option a bicycle is, especially in a densely crowded and centrally located neighborhood like Sunnyside. I think the “shared lane” is a transitional thing; so much changes in just a few years. NYers are beginning to realize what a dinosaur the car has become, and how anachronistic their presence it. In just a few years, there will be such congestion and such a shortage of parking that we will look back on today’s traffic with nostalgia: “Remember when it only took 45 minutes to drive from here to Manhattan. And then when you came home, only had to drive around for another 45 minutes to find free parking.” Those days will be gone soon enough.

Reply
OldenDays

i can’t believe this comment has 0 likes and 9 dislikes, even though it’s very polite and reasonable.

Reply
You All Are Sad

It’s very easy for angry old people to yell and scream and hit the “thumbs down” button. No matter what’s presented to them or how politely it’s stated, they’ll always throw a tantrum. I wouldn’t take the downvotes on this blog seriously at all. Some sad sack probably sits at home downvoting every comment.

Reply
ann

Look at the bike lanes on Skillman. Totally pointless. Bikes are not in them or go the wrong way on a one-way avenue. If you are a pedestrian, you are in danger (more so than from cars, which at least stop at red lights and stop signs and go the right way on one way streets, by and large). In addition, bike lanes on Roosevelt Ave are very dangerous for bikers. Total nonsense.

Reply
Lou Minatti

I disagree, Ann. The bike lane on Skillman Ave is a great way for cyclists to get to Manhattan, Long Island City and Astoria. Its wide enough to accommodate everyone. Its a very busy bike lane especially in the nice weather. I do agree that a huge problem are the cyclists/joggers going the wrong way. I wish they would go east on the 43rd Ave. bike lane.

Reply
frankie

I use the Skillman bike lane every single day, it’s great. I completely agree that many, many bikers are reckless and inconsiderate, but a bike is NEVER as big of a threat as a car!

Reply
Manzar

I use the Skillman bike lane every single day going to work and I’m so thankful for it. But yes, it INFURIATES me to see cyclists going the wrong way in the bike lane.

Reply
frozen

Hopefully they will put lines down the center of the pavement used by pedestrians and delivery people. I find it confusing what part of the pavement I should be on when a local take away delivery person comes along on an Electric scooter.

Reply
Mr. 11104

Either put actual bike lanes or NO bike lanes at all. No “shared bikelane” nonsense. If NY drivers (and bikers) were courteous enough, they would be sharing the roads anyway, this shared bikeline scam is nothing other than telling drivers “if you see a bike, just go around him but make sure not to get into a head-on collusion with the oncoming traffic” It’s causing more problems and there is no way this shared bikelane stupidity should have been implemented to begin with.

Bikers need to stop dreaming of NY becoming like a modern European city. Put a 5mph riding bikes on a lane does nothing but frustrate drivers not to mention totally unpredictable bikers swerving in and out of shared lane area.

Reply
frankie

Biking infrastructure in this city is always done have measure. Shared bike lanes are total BS. The DOT should be embarrassed presenting a plan like this. However, activists and politicians seem to be satisfied.

I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t strive for better streets, and European cities are definitely good models for that. Political and culturally, NYC is different than London, Paris or Amsterdam, sure, but why not try?

Reply
joe

Shared bike lanes are just the first step.
Once the lane are established, the next time the roads are re-engineered the bike lane will be made permanent. Best is to put them in between the sidewalk and the parked car, not between the parked car and the traffic. But, this takes time.

This is how it worked in Europe.

Reply
frankie

I have yet to see a shared lane be converted into a protected lane. It’s an easy way to show a growing bike network on a map without really making any improvements to infrastructure.

Reply
Paul

We have requested parking meters on greenpoint ave from 39th place to 36th street for two years now and they say they aren’t budgeted for it? I own a business that is in such need of this and the city ignores us. But they install bike lanes????

Reply
Mr. 11104

What they mean is that the amount of money they think they can generate from parking vehicle does not justify spending money installing a meter and especially diverting meter maids from busier areas like Queens Blvd and immediate intersections. What if a meter maid misses on issuing couple of tickets when she walks down 39th place? God forbid..

Reply
rikki

well maybe you should change your marketing strategy to people who live walking distance……..like duh!

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News