Bike Lanes On 72nd Street Green-Lit By UWS Board

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Community Board 7, which represents the Upper West Side, voted to approve a proposed redesign of 72nd Street that would add protected bike lanes and reconfigure the crosstown corridor from Riverside Drive to York Avenue.

The Tuesday night board meeting was a spirited public hearing, where 80 people signed up to speak in favor of the street redesign, and 60 signed up to speak against the redesign.

The motion to approve the redesign passed 26 to 19, with 1 abstention.

The major redesign of 72nd Street calls for protected bike lanes in both directions, a center turning lane and parking.

The renderings also include painted safety islands to shorten crossing distances and bus boarding islands at bus stops, where applicable.

The proposal would remove one car lane in each direction to make space for the redesigned street layout, taking traffic from four lanes to two lanes.

Supporters of the redesign argued it would make West 72nd Street safer for pedestrians, drivers and cyclists.

"I'm the widow of someone who died in a traffic crash right near 72nd Street," Hindy Schachter said. "The 72nd Street reconstruction gives us a design that will keep other people from joining me in widowhood."

Supporters also said the redesign would be better aligned with how the corridor is already used.

"I feel like this right-sizes the amount of traffic lanes on 72nd to how it's actually used today," Cabe Franklin, who lives on West 73rd Street, said. "It is never four lanes full."

Opponents argued that the two-way protected bike lane would enable negligent e-bike speeding, endanger seniors, and people with disabilities.

"I'm a victim of an e-vehicle crash, and I'm paralyzed on my right side," Pamela Manasse, who spoke against the redesign, said. "All e-vehicles ride crazy fast in these lanes."

Opponents also argued that the bike lane would endanger local businesses that rely on curb access and foot traffic.

"This bike lane will shut me down, not inconvenience me, but shut me down," Lester Wasserman, who owns and operates Tip Top Shoes on West 72nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue, said. "You're physically placing a two-way high-speed traffic lane between my customers and my entrance."

With the Community Board's approval, the redesign could be implemented as soon as this summer on the Upper West Side.

The design for the Upper East Side has not been finalized yet, but DOT said it plans to finalize and present the Upper East Side's portion of the redesign to the community this fall.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.