Eyes on the Street: Start the Countdown for Midtown’s Crosstown Protected Bike Lanes

The first crosstown protected bike lanes in Midtown are starting to take shape.

DOT crews were spotted by Jeff Novich putting down preliminary markings for a parking-protected bike lane on 26th Street this morning. The project only requires striping and paint, so a rideable bike lane shouldn’t be far behind.

Until now, crosstown routes have been a missing link in the Manhattan bike network. Last June, charter bus drivers struck and killed Dan Hanegby and Michael Mamoukakis on West 26th Street and West 29th Street, respectively, within the span of a few days. Afterward, CB 4, Transportation Alternatives, and City Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez called for protected bike lanes to make crosstown cycling safer.

NYC DOT unveiled its plan for 26th Street and 29th Street in January [PDF]. The design calls for a five-foot bike lane separated from the parking lane by a two-foot buffer.

Later this year, DOT reps will show plans for two more pairs of crosstown protected lanes: one on 52nd Street and 55th Street, and another on a to-be-determined pair of streets through the Times Square area. The agency is also planning a two-way protected bike lane for 13th Street ahead of the L train shutdown.