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Cycling Advocates Urge DOT To Ignore Community Board And Extend Columbus Ave Bike Lane
By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 12, 2012
Modified Dec 13, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Dec 12, 2012
Modified Dec 13, 2012
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Last night the Transportation Committee for Community Board 7, which includes the Upper West Side, deadlocked on a vote to extend the Columbus Avenue bike lane between 77th Street and Columbus Circle. According to Transportation Alternatives, over 150 local residents came out in support of the bike lane, to no avail. But the Community Board's decisions on these matters are purely advisory, and cycling advocates are urging the DOT to disregard the ruling.
Transportation Alternatives has worked closely with the DOT in the department's historic expansion of the city's cycling infrastructure. And in response to a media-amplified "bikelash" against the changes, Trans Alt has often cited local Community Boards' frequent support for bike lanes—specifically during the great Prospect Park West Bike Lane War of 2010 - ??? Now the group is in the unusual position of calling on the DOT to disregard a Community Board. In an email, Trans Alt spokesman Michael Murphy argues:
Local residents came out in droves last night and they all said the same thing: the status quo leaves each and every one of them at risk of life and limb. These people appealed to their community board to give its blessing to a simple street improvement that would keep them and their families safe in their own neighborhood. Incredibly, the community board declined and instead insisted that the DOT consult virtually every last possible individual or entity who might conceivably have an opinion, giving a lone objector power to overrule the urgent need of the overwhelming majority of the community.
Community Board 7 has neglected the stated needs of the community it seeks to represent. Luckily, community boards are not empowered to overrule the will of the community. It's unfortunate that CB7 declined to give its blessing to a safer Columbus Avenue but it's vital that the city government honor the will of the people and exercise its legitimate authority to act on their behalf.
We asked the DOT how the department intends to proceed at this point, and spokesman Nicholas Mosquera told us, "We will continue to work with the Board as they provide feedback to us and develop a recommendation." At press time, CB Chair Mark Diller could not be reached for comment, but he tells Streetsblog "he wants the committee to revisit the proposal early next year before it goes to the full board."
So all is not lost for the project, which would create a continuous protected bike lane from 69th Street to 110th Street. The matter could be brought up for a vote before the full board when it next meets on January 3rd. In the meantime, Streetsblog reports that the DOT is contacting each retail business on the corridor to see how the plan can address their loading and parking needs.
Tagged
bike lanes
cyclists
dot
Upper West Side
uws
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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