Northern Boulevard and 34th Avenue (Google Maps)
June 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin
The Department of Transportation will install a nearly 4-mile-long temporary bike lane along Northern Boulevard for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department will created a protected bike lane along Northern Boulevard from Queens Plaza North to Broadway, where it turns down to 34th Avenue, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today.
The 3.6-mile route will bring cyclists from Astoria to the Queensboro Bridge. Construction of the temporary lane will be phased in throughout the summer.
“The bike lane project announced today will connect Northern Boulevard from Queens Plaza North to Broadway and then continue on Broadway to 34th Avenue, where it will connect with the existing bike lane and Open Street,” a DOT spokesperson said.
The DOT will use markings, barrels, signage and other barriers to designate the bike lane and create connections with existing protected lanes.
“We’re excited to bring new Open Streets to more communities, from the North Shore of Staten Island to Far Rockaway in Queens, along with new protected bike connections to Central Park and the Queensboro Bridge,” DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg said in a statement,
Last month de Blasio announced the DOT would be constructing another temporary protected bike lane along Crescent Street from Queens Plaza North in Long Island City to Hoyt Avenue North in Astoria.
Many bike advocates are hoping the temporary lanes are made permanent after the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
“We applaud the Department of Transportation for adding more temporary protected bike lanes, and we’re eager to work together to turn these temporary lanes into permanent infrastructure for New Yorkers who bike,” said Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives.
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9 Comments
I am not certain that it is legal to mix a bike route and a heavy through truck route. It would not be legal under FHWA law for either designated truck routes or principal arteries to also have attached bike lanes.
Northern is a through heavy truck route and a city hazmat route according to the NYC truck route map. It has a full BQE interchange that was built for that purpose. It is one of only two non-freeway heavy through truck routes to connect the BQE to numerous warehouses, factories, meat-packers, other food wholesalers, and other businesses that use heavy trucks in that part of Queens and Long Island City.
Trying to mix heavy trucks and bikes is considered too dangerous by the FHWA. Heavy trucks take several times as long to stop from 20 mph as a bike does in-part because of air brake application time, which can add up to an extra second before the brakes even come-on after the driver hits the brake pedal.
Turning heavy trucks and buses also have huge right-side blind spots that make riding bikes around them less-safe.
Here is the NYC truck route map. Northern (Rt 25A) and Queens Blvd. (Rt 25) are both Through Truck Routes, the highest classification of non-freeway heavy truck route in NYC. Broadway is a Local Truck Route.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2015-06-08-truck-map-combined.pdf
Finally the old boulevard of death (Queens Blvd) will be replaced by the new one (Northern Blvd). Having just serviced my car at a dealership along this new bike route, I can tell you the roadways are a complete mess but I’m sure they won’t be repaired before the DOT installs this bike lane fiasco.
More oppression for the elderly and handicapped who need motorized four-wheel transportation to maintain their quality of life.
This would mean less cars on the road, so it would be easier and faster to cars to get around…
Just when you think they cannot do anything more stupid they prove you wrong. I do not want my tax money to go toward funding that, use my tax dollars to support the food insecure.
They need to do better job on temporary crescent street bike lane from 34 ave to QB bridge barrels pushed and cars blocking
This is great news !
Who in their right mind would object to this? Nevermind those with the wrong mind, LOL
For safety reasons for the cyclists.
The traffic there is ridiculous. They should not be temporary if you are going to do this. Make it permanent AND barricaded. Those sticks y’all have on Stillman Ave should be good.