Manhattan cyclists could soon have a major thoroughfare between the Upper East Side and Upper West Side, the Mamdani administration announced late Tuesday.
The city Department of Transportation is proposing the construction of a two-way protected bike lane along the length of 72nd St., according to a plan presented to Manhattan Community Board No. 7 on the Upper West Side Tuesday evening.
“Creating a protected, two-way bike lane on 72nd St. will finally deliver a safe, seamless, crosstown connection between the Hudson River Greenway, Central Park and the East Side Greenway — filling a major gap in Manhattan’s cycling network,” Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn said in a statement. “This proposal reflects our commitment to safer streets and meets the growing demand for cycling, making it easier for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to get across Manhattan safely.”
FILE – Traffic is pictured at W. 72nd St. and Amsterdam Ave. in Manhattan. (Shutterstock)
If constructed, the proposed bike lane would consist of two parts, one on either side of Central Park, each connecting to the Park Drives at 72nd St.
A western portion would carry two lanes of bicycle traffic — one going westbound and one eastbound — along the northern curb of W. 72nd St. between Riverside Drive and Central Park West. Cyclists would be protected from moving car traffic by a lane of parked cars.
FILE – Traffic moves along W. 72nd St. in Manhattan. (Shutterstock)
The configuration would reduce the total number of motor-vehicle lanes along W. 72nd St. from four to two.
The exact design of the eastern portion along E. 72nd St. has not yet been finalized, a DOT spokesperson told the Daily News, but it would run between Fifth Ave. and York Ave.
A presentation to Community Board No. 8 on the Upper East Side is expected in the fall.