UWS Board Asks City To Establish Temporary Bike Lane Network

Upper West Side, NY – Community Board 7 has approved a resolution appeal to New York City officials to establish a temporary network of protected bicycle lanes and expand the number of Citi Bikes in order to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus by making it easier to get around the city while practicing social distancing.

The board voted Tuesday via video conference to call upon the city to establish the network of bike lanes, increase the number of available Citi Bikes, expand available space for all pedestrians and increase enforcement efforts in order to ensure social distancing measures are taking place.

Mark Diller, chair of Community Board 7, highlighted the fact that the proposed changes to the bike lanes is temporary.

"There are those in the community who were concerned that changing anything during a period of crisis like this would be inappropriate and I might be inclined to agree with them with respect to any permanent changes," he said. "This is directed specifically at the interim period where we're trying to help people who are trying to help us."

Diller said the Department of Transportation would be in charge placing highway cones and plastic barriers to indicate the temporary protected bike lanes along the network.

"There is no specific location on the Upper West Side, or elsewhere, that we recommend this happen, we just want to make sure that people who are using this alternative can use it safely," he said.

In the resolution, the board cited encouragement from New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for people to bike to work because the risk of exposure is significantly increased in crowded spaces, such as public transport. In addition, the MTA has reduced its service, which results in more crowded trains and buses.

"This is one tiny way in which we can offer those who need to get to work a way to do so as an alternative to a crowded subway, which is pretty scary right now," Diller said.

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