Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
East 91st Street Unhappy About Impending Bike Path
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 23, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 23, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Who knew that some streets were off-limits to vehicles? The NY Sun takes us on a trip to East 91st Street between Second and Third Avenues, which was "zoned" as a "play" street and has been off-limits to vehicles since 1978. But now there's a fight brewing between residents and the city over the tranquility.
The city wants to install a bike path on the street, to further expand biking options for New Yorkers. (The Department of Transportation is currently painting bike paths around the city, to further distinguish them from the vehicular lanes.) However, the street's residents are very protective of their street (NIMS - Not In My Street - anyone?), it's described as a "private promenade for strolling Upper East Side residents" and running groups are even blocked from it.
Community Board 8 voted against the proposal and suggested moving the path to 89th Street (poor 89th Street!). But that vote might be for naught. From the Sun:
A spokeswoman for the Department of Transportation, Molly Gordy, said the city has installed bike lanes on the Upper West Side and the Lower East Side despite community opposition to the plans. "We find after installation the projects fit well in these communities," Ms. Gordy said in an email message.
Our question - how do we get our street blocked off from vehicular traffic?
Number 9 on the city's PlaNYC plan is "Promote Cycling: Complete the City's 1,800-mile bike master plan and Facilitate cycling."
Photograph of Brooklyn Heights' super green bike path by dietrich on Flickr
Tagged
bike
brooklyn
brooklyn heights
city
community
community board
cycling
department of transportation
east side
flickr
heights
Lower East
Lower East Side
new yorkers
News: NYC
ny sun
photos
running
the city
The Department
Third Avenues
traffic
transportation
Upper East
upper east side
Upper West
Upper West Side
west side
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC students face AI ban in new school year. Implementing it will be a challenge.
Schools are now tasked with carrying out the ban and disciplining students who break the rules.
By
Jessica Gould
Published Sep 9, 2026 at 6:30 a.m. ET
How New Yorkers teach a generation removed to 'Never Forget' 9/11
Passing on the tales of 9/11 takes all different forms.
By
Ryan Kost
News
How New Yorkers teach a generation removed to 'Never Forget' 9/11
Passing on the tales of 9/11 takes all different forms.
By
Ryan Kost
New renderings of the MTA's IBX project serving Brooklyn, Queens are out
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Man charged with murder in fatal Crown Heights park stabbing
By
Charles Lane
US appeals court deals blow to natural gas pipeline running through NJ, NY
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .