City To Extend Amsterdam Bike Lane From 110th Street To 162nd

NEW YORK, NY — The city Department of Transportation proposed extending the Amsterdam Avenue bike lane — which currently spans West 76th to 110th streets — as far as West 162nd Street in Washington Heights.

The bike lane expansion presented to Manhattan Community Board 9 — which represents the residents of Morningside Heights and parts of Harlem — will also include pedestrian safety islands and painted curb extensions at key intersections along the corridor, according to the presentation.

The DOT identified three "key issues" to be addressed by the plan:

• Safety along Amsterdam Avenue
• Safety at dangerous intersections
• Bike network connectivity

The expansion would make biking through Morningside Heights, West Harlem and Washington heights more convenient and safe, according to the DOT. But biking advocates won't like the fact that the new bike lane will not be protected, and in turn will not provide significant safety improvements for bikers.

Nothing but painted lines will separate bike and vehicle traffic between West 110th and 162nd streets if the DOT's current proposal is adopted.

It's a far cry from the current stretch of the Amsterdam bike lane on the Upper West Side, which protects bikers by placing a parking lane in between driving lanes and the bike lane. The corridor of Amsterdam Avenue between West 110th and 162nd streets has proved dangerous over the years. Since 2010 four pedestrians were killed and from 2010 to 2014 28 pedestrians and 8 bikers were severely injured along the corridor, according to the DOT presentation.

Check out the full DOT presentation below:

This story will be updated.

Photo by Patch