People waiting in line to speak at Tuesday’s meeting.
By Meredith Kurz
A plan to redesign Amsterdam Avenue got a mostly positive review Tuesday night at a Community Board 7 meeting, as about 175 people packed the room, with dozens speaking out about the plan. The city-designed plan would add a protected bike lane and pedestrian islands on the West side of the block, while narrowing Amsterdam to three driving lanes from four.
The parking lane on the East side of the block would become a commercial loading zone for much of the day, decreasing the number of parking spots for personal vehicles. New left turn lanes would be added, too. We’ve posted the entire presentation at the bottom of this post.
Several people said the redesign was a long-awaited improvement, and afterwards congratulated both Community Board 7 and the DOT. “I am so grateful for this plan & I know it’s going to save lives,” said Sofia Russo, whose 4-year-old daughter Ariel was hit and killed by a driver at 97th and Amsterdam in 2013.
The Community Board had reached out to the DOT with their concerns about a lack of a northbound bicycle lane to match up with the southbound Columbus lane. In the presentation, the DOT offered two alternatives for the bike lanes — on Broadway and Columbus — but Amsterdam seemed to be the primary focus.
If approved there will be a two part project implementation, with the first starting at 72nd and going north, and the 2nd, with the community board’s approval from the affected area starting after the completion of Phase I.
The DOT reps said Amsterdam Avenue has proven to be a deadly road, with a KSI (Killed or Severely Injured) of 8.9 per mile for pedestrians (19.7 including drivers and cyclists too). Protected bike lanes tend to make everyone on the road safer, DOT reps said. Total injuries on New York roads where they’ve been installed have dropped 20%, with pedestrian injuries down 22%.
The lanes are also necessary to handle a surge in bike ridership, city officials said. Since 2007, bicycle traffic was tripled on Amsterdam, according to a count the DOT did at Amsterdam between 85th and 86th street (see page 7 of the slideshow below). The expansion of CitiBike will only add to that.
According to the DOT study, the current designs encourages bad driver behavior (59% of vehicles are speeding at off-peak times), and there are high peak vehicle volumes.
After the presentation, slips of paper were handed out for any comments the public had. Also, the community formed a long line to ask “Questions of Fact” (vs. just voicing their opinion) to the DOT representatives. While a significant majority of the attendees appeared to strongly support the project, there were specific questions raised and suggestions proposed:
- A suggestion was made that some loading zones could be on side streets, reducing the double parking and other large delivery issues on Amsterdam.
- A suggestion to use bollards on certain corners to protect pedestrians, as several have been killed this past month from cars jumping the curb.
- One of the cyclists said that weighing the loss of parking vs. the loss of life, it was well worth the small number of parking spots.
- The Beacon Theater was mentioned as “The Mother of all Loading Zones”, and there was a question how to modify, or limit their monopolizing of space.
- A business owner who has a funeral home on 91stand Amsterdam was concerned about how families attending the services would be able to access their limos, walking across the bike lanes
- Several people expressed concern about what happens north of 110th(the northbound project ends there).
- Other specific corners and spots considered dangerous or difficult to maneuver were mentioned.
- A suggestion that West End Avenue become open to trucks was offered with the caveat that “A Green Awning Avenue” wouldn’t appreciate it.
- When a small business owner asked about deliveries and logistics, it was explained that the DOT has a team of ten Multilanguage outreach ambassadors who are reaching out to small businesses in the area to address their concerns and work with them on resolving them.
- Several of the questions relating to safety needed to be in the Police Department area vs. DOT, such as the ticketing of bicycles that are violating the traffic laws or food delivery bike laws.
- A question was raised if there were going to be any East – West bike lanes in the future.
- At least one person expressed that the modification of Amsterdam makes no sense and was misleading.
At the end of the presentation, the Community Board asked that any further comments or questions could be sent to the following email address: office@cb7.org.
Amsterdam Avenue Northbound Bike Route CB 7 20151110 Final
Photos by Meredith Kurz.
All this plan does is turn Amsterdam into a north-bound Columbus. Which i’m all for. Bravo.
Perhaps this is biased reporting. The headline in amNewYork says “Bike Lane Brouhaha – Residents divided over proposal for Amsterdam Avenue”. The quote from the president of the Park West 76 Street Block Association says he community is being steamrolled, and the city would be creating more congestion and pollution. I don’t see this alternative viewpoint in your reporting.
The AMnewyork article is tabloid rubbish. If you were at the meeting you’d have seen how much support the plan had.
BTW, WSR deserves major kudos for resisting the urge of many news sources to force controversy when none exists.
This reporting is much more faithful,and professional than anything the tabs will ever produce.
Yay for hyper-local, independent press!
A business owner who has a funeral home on 91stand Amsterdam was concerned about how families attending the services would be able to access their limos, walking across the bike lanes
I sure hope the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel did not actually attempt to make this argument.
She did mention it, and some jerk mocked her until someone mentioned it was a funeral home.
Last time I attended a service at Plaza Jewish, the limo was parked entirely on the sidewalk. Bike lane or not, they already do what they want.
Why? One would hope that the loading of grieving humans could be given as much concern as the loading of e-cigarettes or fingerling potatoes or adult diapers.
yeah, except that half of 91st st. between Bdwy and Ams is a NO PARKING/STANDING [anything] zone so they rich limo having freaks can board their land yachts there.
#fixed.
The funeral home was likely referring to the black cars (limos) that the funeral home uses immediately following the funeral to take family to the cemetery for burial.
The concern was not about people who actually have “limos”
This is great progress! Hopefully it will achieve the goals of protecting pedestrians and bikers without creating car congestion/pollution.
Once it is up and running, it should be extended downtown on Amsterdam first to 57th street, then 42nd and ultimately down to 14th street.
Would be great if there were a continuous bike path up sixth avenue, west on 59th street and then northbound to the bike corridor on CPW. I take that route daily and it is truly hazardous.
Right now the CPW bike corridor, which begins on 60th street, is narrow, the paint is faded and cars routinely block the lane or encroach on it, particularly during evening commute.
Re downtown biking, in addition to Columbus it would makes sense for Seventh Avenue to have a bike lane since many bike commuters travel through Central Park and exit onto Seventh Avenue.
They’re totally *shredding* paid street parking and not really acknowledging the amount of double parking on the ave (and on the side streets) that’s going to occur as a result. Good luck to all y’all who live above 72nd on Amsterdam. beep beep.
Bravo for this excellent proposal to help make Amsterdam Avenue safer!
I fully support reducing the number of parking spaces to accommodate improved safety for all street and sidewalk users. In addition, I think use of all street parking spaces should be charged at market rates. I cannot chain a storage bin to a tree in Central Park, so why should I be able to park my car on the street without paying for this public resource?
Lol (a little). The parking they’re killing is *paid* parking. The resultant double parking will be free.
Perhaps over time, market forces will encourage more garages to be built, but in the interim, this will likely result in less available capacity in private garages and higher prices. Will it impact businesses by reducing out-of-town customers? Maybe. It’s certainly possible.
It’s weird – they didn’t have to blow out the East side entirely for trucks, but they did. They could have been more intelligent and granular about the treatment there.
It’s only paid parking from 9am-7pm Monday – Saturday. So if you are lucky enough to be one of the 8 cars per block that gets a spot on Amsterdam overnight, it is free.
If you look at page 10 of the DOT’s study, you’ll see that they are adding a paid parking lane (there is currently no paid parking on Amsterdam, at least in the section outline above).
Nah – the presentation is deceiving (shock!). There’s a *ton* of paid parking on Amsterdam, with muni-meters throughout. As far as I know, it’s on the entire stretch, on both sides. It’s $3.50/hour or something like that.
During the day, they’re cutting available paid parking for cars by well more then half. That’s probably a mistake on their part.
I live on Amsterdam Avenue and attended the CB7 meeting yesterday. There were alternate proposals suggested as well — a two-way bike lane on Columbus, and a north-bound lane on Broadway along the mall. However, the preferred implementation is on Amsterdam Avenue as it provides safety measures for pedestrians and cyclists, and is a central corridor through the neighborhood.
In all, it was a very informative presentation by DOT, and I was glad to see that the response was overwhelmingly in support of the bike lane. Can’t wait for the changes on Amsterdam Avenue to be implemented!
Totally support bike lanes on Amsterdam Avenue – anything to make it safer, but how about giving TICKETS to the bike delivery people who drive the WRONG way on ALL streets in the city.
Ticketing for everyone flouting rules…delivery bikes, personal bikes, pedestrians and cars. Bring on the ticketing in force and bad behavior will change.
Nah. Someone will only sue the Police Department for racial profiling.
If they behave terribly and abuse their power then yes, they will be held accountable. RIP Eric Garner
My question is always the same. When is the city going to start enforcing laws in regards to the bicycle riders? If they do not start vigilantes may make examples out of a few latex suit riders.
While cyclists can be annoying — no cyclist has killed anyone in the past 5 years. On the flip side, we’ve just lost 12 individuals due to car crashes. And no, they weren’t all crossing the street or jaywalking. At least 4 of them were standing on the street, minding their business when cars jumped the curb.
The fact is that cars kill and maim many times more than cyclists do.
Didn’t cyclists kill two pedestrians on the Central Park loop road this summer?
Jeremy, if you’re looking for information on the numbers of street injuries and fatalities in New York City, here: http://www.visionzeroview.nyc
If you want a striking visualization of road deaths across the US over the ten years from 2004 to 2013, including zoomable info down to the street level in New York, check here: http://www.citylab.com/commute/2015/11/mapping-every-us-road-fatality-from-2004-to-2013/414340/
Every one of these is important.
Don’t you know that if you cite statistics to Jeremy, you’re just engaging in TA astroturfing?
Two people were killed in summer 2014. Summer 2015 was zero. Regardless, the point still stands; bicyclists are nowhere near as dangerous to our community as cyclists.
Whoops, meant to say that bicyclists are not as dangerous as cars. And of course, I’m all for reasonable enforcement of rules (I cringe at reckless behavior of some cyclists), but I’ll still be making Idaho stops all over the UWS.
Jeremy, there’s no “rift between cyclists and everyone else”. It’s all in your head. Cyclists are not a nation. They are just people who ride bikes. Give up the 27/4 trolling already!
That’s kind of the answer we’d expect from some quarters. It’s not disloyal for a cyclist to encourage enforcement against rogue cycling. The fact that you and a few others are looking to undermine that helps drive a rift between cyclists and everyone else.
You’ve *got* to see that the masses are calling for better enforcement of everyone on the roads, including cyclists. Either everyone else is crazy, or you might be missing the big picture.
I presume he is refrring to street cyclists (and not the park cyclists).
He actually said “no cyclists,” which would seem to encompass murder-y bicyclists on streets both within and outside Central Park.
lost 12 people in the past 11 days *** edited
They already do. Recently while trying to steer around several people using a Bike Lane as an extended Sidewalk, one pushed his umbrella through my spokes. The law must be observed by all.
John, how about the pedestrians who jaywalk, walk in the bike lanes, the trucks who park there and unload there? They are just as guilty. This needs to be a city wide re-thinking of how we walk/bike/drive. But I agree, enforcement (of all law-ignorers whether they’re pedestrians, bikers, delivery men, trucks, taxis) needs to happen.
They need a bike lane up (and down) Broadway from 59th to 72nd in order for most of this to make sense. The huge problem with these bike lanes, which I’m in favor of, is that they are NOT continuous and only provide some safety for a while. everything stops at 72nd or 68th and then you’re smack dab in terrible car traffic with bad intersections. The uptown part of Broadway has been partially helped out with the redesign of by BB&B but it doesn’t go far enough, or long enough.
It would be great if the delivery people used the bike lanes
Maybe I’m the only one; but, I think that bike lanes in NYC are ridiculous. Amsterdam Avenue is extremely dangerous, and judging from the fact that just about no one ever uses the bike lanes on Columbus (except a few delivery guys going the wrong way), what purpose do they serve. The new bike lanes are being put in to provide a place for people renting Citi bikes to ride in the City; but a lot of these people don’t know how to ride a bicycle and are not wearing helmets or any protective gear. So how soon will it be before some one recklessly riding a bike on Amsterdam is injured or killed.
You want to ride a bicycle in NYC do it in Central Park. You want to ride to work on a bike — move somewhere else.
Also, the Citi Bike rack and the solar panel attached to the beautiful unique architecture of the Apple Bank on 72nd Street is an eyesore.
Where should I move to, Liz? A place where every single trip must be made by car? This is the only city where walking and biking makes sense, but owning a car doesn’t.
If I can tolerate your walking and biking, why can’t you tolerate my driving my disabled wife?
Thanks for the enlightenment! I am now cured of my bicyclitist disease of 25 years! I have been riding to work and everywhere else in New York city since I moved here, and now, I know the truth….I simply am wrong! I will now carry my bicycle on my shoulders to Central Park, along with my helmet and knee pads, and ride around in the safety of the loop de loop, and that will keep me happy! Oh, joy! Thank you kind sir, thank you!
blinded: You said you’ve been biking here for 25 years. Well, you seem to have done fine without bike lanes so I guess they truly are unnecessary.
Yes, NYCityNY, as I have learned from all of you, change is truly unnecessary! How ever it has always been in this great city is how it ever should be. After all, this is NYCity,NY! What do you expect!
It’s not Amsterdam!
And so what does it matter if one or two bicyclists get squashed by truck now and then, so long as experienced pedestrians don’t have to deal with the horror of a bike lane, which is really completely the logical equivalent of a dangerous moat separating the sidewalk from one’s rightful ability to cross the friendly streets of NYCity, NY,
And just because I may feel afraid, occasionally, like once or twice per block on Amsterdam (not the city, just the street), of risking my life by pulling out into speeding traffic to get past a double parking truck or suv, doesn’t mean I should presume to wish for an alternative! Bicyclists don’t belong here anyways, and I understand now how grateful I need to be that I am allowed to fit between the cracks of this glorious infrastructure. I’ve managed for 25 years and although my aging neck is beginning to strain slightly more at the effort to scan the entire four lanes of traffic , I now finally feel comfortably ensconced in the care and wisdom of New Yorkers who KNOW how things actually are. Thanks again!
Oops…I guess I am truly naive. I thought the commenter “NYCityNY” was the true voice of New York City, NY. Perhaps it was just a disguise? This internets thing can get so confusing sometimes.! Anyways, now I see the light!
Hey! No need to get all snarky about NYCityNY, (“as I have learned from all of you, change is truly unnecessary! How ever it has always been in this great city is how it ever should be. After all, this is NYCity,NY! What do you expect!It’s not Amsterdam!”).
You will get your bike lane, if needed. That is why WE ARE A GREAT CITY!
Liz, I agree with you. I am a pedestrian who walks on Columbus and Amsterdam almost daily. To me the bike lane does not make it safer for pedestrians – I feel it is actually more dangerous by requiring me to cross two separate roadways, one of which consists of bicyclists who don’t stop for red lights.
Also, the left turn lanes are actually very dangerous given that pedestrians cross on red lights and don’t think to look for left-turners. Folks here say that pedestrians should obey the law but the FACT is that New Yorkers don’t. If you want to live somewhere where pedestrians wait for a green light then move to my hometown of Los Angeles. Meantime, these bike lanes only help the bicyclists and make life more miserable for drivers and pedestrians.
nycityny, I guess we’re fortunate that DOT doesn’t rely on data from your feelings, but on actual statistics. The statistics actually show a drop in injuries to pedestrians after this type of bike lane is installed.
Well said Menachem. In fact (from p12 of the presentation) the bike lane reduces pedestrian injuries 22% and bike injuries by only 2%.
So the bike lanes would protect pedestrians from cars and make bikers feel safe enough to bike on Amsterdam.
Seems like a no-brainer.
Oh, yes, I keep forgetting…pedestrIans in New York break the rules, because it’s the WAY THINGS ARE here! They may be breaking the law, but they are fully in the right. I get it! Thanks bro! And vehicular drivers also break all kinds of laws, kill and injure thousands a year, but they are in the right, because hey, that’s NEW YORK!
Bicyclists, however, have to FOLLOW ALL THE LAWS. If one bicyclist rolls through a red light along with Jaywalking pedestrians, and is SEEN doing so by said jaywalking walkers, or worse yet surprises said walker gailly walking the jay, then ALL cyclists are in the wrong by logical association, and what’s more, this PROVES, by incontrovertible logic, that bicyclists and bike lanes are MORE dangerous than cars!
Now I see the light. I will proceed to the ghetto of Central Park with my tail light between my legs. Thanks for the profound teaching, brothers and sisters.
Sorry to break it to you, but the numbers presented demonstrate a huge increase in ridership, even prior to the UWS Citibike roll out. I witness it every day on Columbus. NYC is, in fact, the perfect place for mass and bicycle transit. If anything it will incentivize folks like me to get with the program and start commuting.
You are not the only one, thank you for providing some sense to these comments.
I, for one, am not worried. President Trump (believe it) will fix everything. He will build a wall around Amsterdam Ave.
And the people who live on Columbus will pay for it!
What happens with respect to the left turn that the M104 bus needs to make on Amsterdam & 73rd in order to get to Broadway?
They will coexist with the use of a traffic light turn signal.
it is already a nightmare to drive on UWS and the rest of the city.WEA is a joke with one lane. Columbus Ave is a crawl all day long.Amsterdam ave residents will hear horns blowing all day long. this all fine if you do not need to drive or take a bus in this city.
This is great news! Looking forward to this.
Thanks to Sofia Russo, Ariel’s mom, for the words in favor of the plan last night, and speaking up for what’s at stake.
And thanks to Helen Rosenthal and Mark Levine for their vision and leadership! I’m incredibly grateful. This is long overdue.
I wish that all these anti-bike lane people would show up to the Community Board meeting instead of complaining here. You’d get to say the same thing, but actually get something out of it.
According to Gothamist, there were only 8 dissenting voices, compared to 120 pro-voices.
I am not sure that many people (those not in favor of a bike lane) were aware of the meeting or that something was being proposed. (Several of my neighbors just hearing about this now had no idea)
People who favor a bike lane have been active in supporting the issue and so are understandably aware of the discussion.
Also, for several years, it had been said that DOT felt Amsterdam was too narrow and would not agree.
It is true that residents should be aware of what’s happening/civic issues (and many people are not)but even for people who try, it is not always so easy to get info with sufficient advance etc of major changes whether traffic or school etc.
There have been numerous meetings over this issue over the past several years. Surveys done of city residents show 2 thirds are in support. There was also a bike lane installed on Columbus Av that I guess went completely unnoticed. At least the sky didn’t fall because of it, has it?
Who told you that DOT said Amsterdam is “too narrow”? That would be ludicrous on their part since Amsterdam has more lanes than the West Side Highway.
Menachem – I thought you lived in Brooklyn?
But you have to be somewhat civic-minded and actually care about the issues to show up.
They let one woman (against the plan) speak three times. I guess that’s the procedure when you don’t have enough opposition…