Dyckman Street Bike Lanes To Be Debated At Public Hearing

INWOOD, NY — Community Board 12 and the city Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the new protected bike lanes on Dyckman Street that stretch from Broadway and Nagle Avenue.

The bike lanes — which were installed in December after years of community planning efforts — have provoked the ire of businesses on the busy Inwood commercial street. Store owners have complained that the bike lanes increase congestion on the street and take away parking spaces, resulting in a decrease in sales.

The complaints have been significant enough to draw the attention of local elected officials such as Congressman Adriano Espaillat and Borough President Gale Brewer — who proposed removing the lanes entirely — and City Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez — who proposed a new lane that would take up less space.

In response to these complaints, Community Board 12 is determined to draft a new resolution regarding "traffic calming issues" on Dyckman Street. Tuesday night's public hearing will be held at the Washington Heights Academy on Sherman Avenue between West 204th and 207th streets at 6:30 p.m.

The hearing will be followed by an executive committee meeting on May 15 and its general board meeting on May 22. The board is expected to introduce its resolution during the May 15 executive committee meeting.

This article will be updated following Tuesday's public hearing.

Photo by Phanuwat_Nandee/Shutterstock.com