City Creates 25 Miles Of Bike Lanes To Prep For L Train Shutdown

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — New York City got 25 miles of new protected bike lanes in 2017 as the Department of Transportation prepared for a looming L train shutdown.

“My helmet is off to the DOT planning and construction crews that have this year shattered records with 25 miles of new protected bike lanes,” said DOT commissioner Polly Trottenberg at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge, where the agency installed new lanes in October.

“These terrific improvements around the Williamsburg Bridge will do a lot to address the even greater surge of cycling we expect to see.”

The DOT made several infrastructural improvements to biking areas near the Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge in preparation for the 15-month shutdown of L train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan.

The agency added new lanes on South Fourth Street and Borinquen Place to improve Williamsburg Bridge access, revamped the area under the nearby Brooklyn-Queens Expressway on-ramp, and installed concrete barriers along La Guardia Playground to create a dedicated bike lane.

Transit officials estimate the number of daily cyclists on the Williamsburg Bridge — currently about 7,580 — is going to double when the Canarsie Tunnel shuts down in April 2019.

The celebration of the new bike lanes came a week after the MTA and DOT released their L train shutdown plans at an oversight hearing, which elected officials organized after complaining that the transit agencies had not provided enough information about plans to cope with the shutdown.

Brooklyn officials were less than pleased with the presentation, critiquing both the purchase of 180 diesel buses and a plan they said was underdeveloped in Brooklyn.

"I have huge concerns about where Brooklyn stands on these plans," said City Councilman Reynoso, who represents Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg.

"I'm very concerned about the lack of progress we've been able to make on the Brooklyn side."

Photos courtesy of the NYC DOT/Facebook