Amsterdam Avenue Bike Lane Gets Mixed Feedback from Residents, Business Owners

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — The protected bike lane on Amsterdam Avenue is causing division on the Upper West Side just three weeks after its implementation.

Officials from the Department of Transportation came to Tuesday night’s transportation committee meeting for Community Board 7 to provide updates on the bike lane and receive feedback from Upper West Siders.

And the public had plenty of feedback to give.

Some residents sang praises about the convenience of the new bike lane, while others felt that it was putting their lives at risk. Eventually, the meeting became a back-and-forth between bike lane supporters and naysayers.

Want more Upper West Side news? Sign up for Patch’s free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts.

Debra Kravet — owner of Apthorp Cleaners on Amsterdam Avenue between 78th and 79th streets — said that she thinks the bike lane will interfere with her business. Kravet said that she was surprised when she saw the east side of Amsterdam was reserved for commercial parking only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m..

“They’ve taken away now an entire block,” Kravet said. “78th to 79th street is commercial [parking] only. Customers can’t come to our stores and park by our stores and do business with us.”

Kravet said she had to drive around the block three times and find parking on the west side of the street to close up her business.

Several Upper West Side residents made it overly clear they had no problems with bikes and then went on to bash the bike lane.

One resident, Eileen Robbins, said the increased number of bikers on Amsterdam Avenue is throwing off traffic and maker her feel unsafe.

“It’s one hot mess and a big accident is going to happen. And pedestrians, the fabric of the city seem to be invisible for everyone,” Robbins said.

But the bike lane also had a good show of support among avid bikers.

David Vassar, a resident of Morningside Heights, said that he lives uptown of the current bike lane, but he urged the DOT to expand the current plan “from stem to stern,” on Amsterdam Avenue.

Another Upper West Sider, Jesse Berger, seemed put off by those criticizing the lane after such a short time.

“We don’t have any data for the bike lane, it has been there for three weeks,” Berger said. “Three weeks does not give us enough time.”

Berger then said that critics were naive to think the bike lane would be perfect so soon after its implementation.

“The city will adjust. You cannot use anecdotal evidence to drive policy, you have to have data,” Berger said. “When we have data we can then see how it’s working for everybody. And yes adjustments will have to be made, we all knew that.”

If microphones were handed out during the meeting, Berger would have had cause to drop his and walk out of the room.

As of Tuesday, the Amsterdam bike lane has been constructed between 76th and 96th street, said Colleen Chattergoon, a spokeswoman for the DOT. Eventually the lane will reach 110th Street.

The DOT has also started to install pedestrian safety islands on 73rd, 77th, 78th and 79th streets, Chattergoon said.

The Amsterdam Avenue bike lane project was first proposed in 2009, but wasn't approved by the community board until February of this year, Streetsblog reported.

[Photos: Brendan Krisel]