NYPD Sidewalk Hogs Make Way for Bike Parking and Benches (Updated)

Elizabeth Press sends these shots of the northeast corner of Hoyt and Schermerhorn in downtown Brooklyn. In what may be a first for New York City, this nifty little DOT reclamation includes bike racks installed on the roadbed, not the sidewalk. (Update: DOT confirms that yes, this is something new for the city.) More on that later. First, take a minute to appreciate all the ways this project, which cost a mere $5,000, according to Ben Muessig at the Brooklyn Paper, has improved life for New Yorkers. 

Up until about six weeks ago, as you can see in this angle from Google Street View, everyone using the subway entrance here had to squeeze past a row of police vehicles commandeering the sidewalk. Now there’s room to walk to the train with dignity. It’s also safer to cross Schermerhorn Street, thanks to the shorter crossing distance, narrower roadway, and improved sight lines. Daylighting in action:

More pics after the jump.

If you need to rest your legs, now there are two benches to help you take a load off.

So, about that bike parking. The racks are attached to the pavement with bolts. And for the first time in New York City, street space has been reclaimed from car parking to make way for bike parking while avoiding the expense of building a sidewalk extension. The result is reminiscent of Portland’s bike corrals, a low-cost way to expand bike parking options without infringing on heavily-used pedestrian space.