Friday, January 29, 2021

Bike lanes coming to Brooklyn Bridge and Queensboro-Ed Koch Bridge roadways

 


 

Queens Chronicle 

 

Mayor de Blasio said Thursday that construction will begin this year on a plan to give cyclists and pedestrians their own dedicated lanes on separate sides of the Queensboro-Ed Koch Bridge during his state of the city address.

The plan also calls for the innermost Manhattan-bound lane of the Brooklyn Bridge to a two-way protected bike path, while converting the existing bike-pedestrian crossing to the exclusive use of pedestrians.

“The Brooklyn Bridge and the Queensboro Bridge are iconic and deeply intertwined in the daily lives of countless New Yorkers,” the mayor said in a summary provided by his office. “Now, it’s time to bring them into the 21st century and embrace the future with a radical new plan.

“On the Queensboro Bridge, we will begin construction this year to convert the north outer roadway into a two-way bike-only lane and convert the south outer roadway to a two-way pedestrian-only lane,” de Blasio said.

Construction is not expected to be complete until 2022.

The northern outer lane on the Manhattan-bound side right now is shared by pedestrians and cyclists, and while painted lanes and signs supposedly assign both their separate lanes, it’s pretty much a matter of the honor system.

 update:

In the comments, George the Atheist pointed out the moped (with the fake plate) that I caught zipping down the bridge along with bikers and how this might cause a problem if these two way lanes the city is proposing might lead to an escalation of these scofflaws taking advantage of these new amenities. Well, let this here be confirmation of that:


 


 

 

55 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yippee !
Avoid COVID-19 and facial fractures like this poor 63 year old woman got in Kew Gardens.
Better to ride your bike to work than take the subway or bus in DeBozio land.
You can get slugged in the face by a "stranger" when asked cash.
https://nypost.com/2021/01/29/man-slugs-woman-in-nyc-subway-after-not-handing-over-money/

Rob in Manhattan said...

Those outer lanes were former trolley-ways. They had been used for the Q101 & Q60 bus in the early-mid nineties but have been mainly ped and bike for at least a decade.

The only real change will be that pedestrians won't be dodging bikes anymore and the other way around.

Aside from that there is not much new in this plan.

Rob in Manhattan (who uses those busses regularly)

Anonymous said...

Since bicycles are getting their own lanes at the expense of the vehicle lanes, I think it is fair that they then share some of the costs to maintain those lanes through some sort of yearly registration fee for the bicycles. They should be required to have a plate so that dangerous bicyclists can be held accountable as well.

Anonymous said...

You know, because who doesn't want to hop on a good old bicycle for a 10 mile commute to work in the lovely 10 degree weather we are having, work all day long and then have another refreshing commute home in 10 degree weather. Bonus if it's snowing or raining!!

Anonymous said...

We need rikshas too. Of course the pedicab types.

So Rob in Manhattan can get around while being a good citizen and not enjoying his air conditioned bus that is destroying our planet with climate change.

Anonymous said...

NYC and New Yorker's never change, but they do get worse.

Anonymous said...

So is it safe to assume that this stupid clueless mayor will give up his gas guzzling SUV for a bicycle.

Sorry I forgot this moron is the say as I do,not as I do mayor. Bicycles are for the common sheeple. I'll stick with my gas guzzling SUV.

In the mean time we are divesting pension funds from fossil fuels and this moron is trying to save the planet. What a fucking hypocrite.












.

Anonymous said...

Tax my feet too! Tax my air ! Hell tax everthing and everybody....
To the bike hater/nut who posts the same SHITE on every bike story here on QC !

Anonymous said...

While these make more sense than removing parking and travel lanes in lieu of bike lanes in eastern Queens, it punishes the bus riders. The Queens express busses use the bridge in the evening and those 1+ hour rides in rush hour will be closer to two. They already sit in rush hour Queens Blvd traffic while the bike lines are empty (could have been bus lanes).

Bus lanes at the expense of car lanes, yes. Bike lines, no.

Anonymous said...

This is what happens when you act like whimpering peasants around politicians. They can do anything they want to you and your response is to find an excuse to justify that treatment.

And the rest of us suffer.

BoredWithFascists said...

Yeaaaah! Finally some good news. Next up, congestion pricing! And charging for street parking at current NYC real estate rates. That could be up to $500/month in Queens to park your oversized truck or SUV. That should free up lots of space around the city and clean the air a bit. Oops I forgot. Trumpanzees do hate clean air.
As an extra bonus, how about charging double fare on those buses and subways for people with extra fat asses too.
Who in their right mind drives into Manhattan during rush hour anyway? Get off your big butt and get on a bike, bus or subway.

Anonymous said...

"Tax my feet too! Tax my air ! Hell tax everthing and everybody....
To the bike hater/nut who posts the same SHITE on every bike story here on QC !"

Why does the bicycle community think they should have all these infrastructure improvements for free? Car owners pay gas tax and registration tax, trucks have to pay higher road use taxes, and ferry commuters, bus, and subway riders have to pay fares. This helps support the massive costs of running the roads and transit.

Bicycles demand their own lanes (at the expense of other road users) with green paint and signs, cement barriers to separate lanes, and bicycle traffic lights (which are always ignored). They demand their protected bike lanes be cleaned of snow right after the snow stops (which causes special equipment to have to be bought just for that purpose) and they are enraged when anyone even thinks about double parking in a bicycle lane, yet the bicycles do not follow any of the rules of the road.

Why shouldn't bicycles have to chip in and pay towards all of this infrastructure they are getting at the expense of other road users? It's only fair; everyone else pays towards their mode of transportation.

But it comes back to this entitled arrogance the bicycle community has where they think the rules don't apply to them. Everything should be given to them, and to hell with anyone who disagrees.

georgetheatheist said...

I have to laugh at some of the comments above using the word "bicycle". Take a good hard look at the photo accompanying this post. What is that guy riding on the left? A bicycle?

Mark me. That north trolley lane of the Queensborough is going, I predict, to have fisticuffs and lawsuits galore when the electros and the foot-powered cyclists collide and go at it.

JQ LLC said...

@GTA

Thanks for pointing that out. If anyone has followed my #BikeZealot,#BikeNYC and #BikeTitlement tweets, I have been talking about these scofflaw motorcycles and mopeds on these bike/ped paths for a few years now,a problematic issue which has exacerbated during the pandemic.

The funny thing is that I think it's a good idea to keep cars off the south path and that should have been the one for the bikes because it's easiest to access from both sides and it's more ample than the one being used now.

georgetheatheist said...

More. Will bicycles be permitted on the pedestrian south roadway IF the cyclists walk them? If so, what happens when halfway across they're tired and they decide then to get back on and coast downhill across? The pedestrians can make citizens' arrests? Or spit on them? Or cast accusatory glances? (Yeah, right.)

Sit back and get the popcorn. These new regulations will be a hoot in hell.

Anonymous said...

"Why shouldn't bicycles have to chip in and pay towards all of this infrastructure"
Do you have a brain between your shoulders ? Bicycle riders pay taxes dummy ! Typical New York tax and spend fool.

Anonymous said...

@BoredWithFascists

Bidenzee is as stupid as his idol.

Anonymous said...

Why shouldn't bicycles have to chip in and pay towards all of this infrastructure they are getting at the expense of other road users?

Is called "wealth redistribution". Commies love this.

Anonymous said...

"Why shouldn't bicycles have to chip in and pay towards all of this infrastructure"
Do you have a brain between your shoulders ? Bicycle riders pay taxes dummy ! Typical New York tax and spend fool"

Please enlighten me on what tax that would be? The few dollars of sales tax when a bike is first bought? I'm sure that will cover the millions of dollars spent annually on bicycle infrastructure.

This is a typical bicycle advocate response. Only call someone questioning them names and not present any facts in the argument.

Gino said...

They are taking over lanes motorists pay for they need to pay registration fees.
If they are sharing NYC traffic with cars they need to have insurance.
Equality and sharing like the liberals preach right?
Well that includes sharing costs with registration fees and insurance!!
A 45 pound bicycle and a 180 pound peddler using the roads should pay around $30 a year plus insurance for when he or she runs that red light and ends up under squashed your wheels.
I sure as hell don't want to pay for it with already insane no fault insurance premiums and out of pocket damage deductibles.
Many crime's and moving violations are deliberately committed on bikes because they don't have registration plates making the bad guys untraceable.

Cyclist causes an 3 car accident and pedals away --no license plate to trace.
The 3 motorists get screwed with the damage, liability and insurance goes up ---NOT RIGHT.
The only way to make these pedal bastards accountable is to require tags and insurance. I see these assholes grabbing on to car door handles, mirrors all the time to accelerate. My truck, its engine and drive train is mine!
Who the fuck are these assholes to just latch on, using my gas, insurance liability hitching like a 5th wheel trailer then sue me when they lose limbs (or more) under the wheels of my 3 ton truck? (that's one example)

-Gee

Anonymous said...

Bike haters I don't have children but my RE Taxes pay for public schools !

Anonymous said...

Bike haters I don't have children but my RE Taxes pay for public schools !

Is called SCRIE stupid. No such a thing for bike lovers though.

Anonymous said...

Giving more money to NYC/NYS and Insurance compainies is going to make things better ?
Trucking companies destroy the roads not bikes ! Increase the gas tax, double all taxes that will help....LOL....

Anonymous said...

Stop sending our GD money to other countries and you will have plenty for "roads". Taxation is THEFT!

Anonymous said...

Are all these bike haters high on Xanax or something ?

Anonymous said...

Not rocket science said...
Safer Streets Are Safer For Everyone !

1. Drivers are also walkers
2. Drivers and walkers may also be bicyclists
3. Bicyclists can also be walkers and drivers

Anonymous said...

Trucking companies destroy the roads not bikes ! Increase the gas tax, double all taxes that will help....LOL....

LOL means you are laughing at your own stupidity.
Who exactly do you think is going to pay the increased taxes and fines for the truckers?

Anonymous said...

Are all these bike haters high on Xanax or something ?

Personal experience?

Anonymous said...

1. Drivers are also walkers
2. Drivers and walkers may also be bicyclists
3. Bicyclists can also be walkers and drivers

Excellent analysis. Actually it must have been part of your GED thesis.

Define bicyclists. I have 5 regular bikes. So I qualify, right?

How about the motorized kind? You know the ones with an electric motor, batteries, the ones that can do 30+ Mph.

Are they bikes?

Not mentioning the total disregard for existing traffic laws by these so called "bicyclists".

In the old days riding a regular bike on the sidewalk was a violation - tickets were handed out if caught.

Today? The "bicyclists" can mow you down on the sidewalk and all is good. No problem.

So what Safer Streets are we talking about?

Anonymous said...

Why Do Americans Hate Bikes So Much?
Somebody please think of the children !

Anonymous said...

"So what Safer Streets are we talking about?"
Hey I have a idea why don't you do a search on a thing called GOOGLE and learn !

Anonymous said...

Brooklyn Bike Lover said...
I can always count on the many disgruntled motorists spreading hate on bicyclist here on QC !

Anonymous said...

Dang! I’m shocked to learn of this bike lane malfeasance.
And here I am, with a kick-ass new job, working every day, paying taxes for bike lanes like a chump...

Anonymous said...

"Part of your GED thesis" You're a one horse pony.
I hope Uncle Joe wasn't sniffing on you while you wrote your reply !

Anonymous said...

I can always count on the many disgruntled motorists spreading hate on bicyclist here on QC !

Stop spreading your wisdom, go spread the snow a bit with your bike.
Talk is cheap.

Anonymous said...

Hey I have a idea why don't you do a search on a thing called GOOGLE and learn !

Wow. You must be DR. GED. You know some people read books and don't use Google for anything.

Seems you like instant gratification. Masturbate a lot pal?

Anonymous said...

"Masturbate a lot pal?" Reading the wrong books bud !

Anonymous said...

Share the road said...
Bike rage problems are caused by the the arrogance of some bad car drivers.
It's in plain display here on Queeens Crap !
Most car drivers are so ignorant of their local laws concerning bicycles.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged said...
I read books on bikes "I'm smart. Not like everybody says" !

Anonymous said...

Most car drivers are so ignorant of their local laws concerning bicycles.

Says the ignorant biker. Keep pedaling in the snow - flake.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged

I'm smart. Like the Con Ed meter in mom's basement.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged
Not one for wearing a man bun, drinkin a soy latte, wearing sandals or driving a Prius !
But I LOOOOVVVEEEE riding my BIKE !

Anonymous said...

Reading the wrong books bud !

Wrong. Need Hunter's laptop. Bud.

Anonymous said...

Reading the wrong books bud !
AOC’s Twitter feed is like a political Only Fans. Maybe she should change it up and do some ASMR for her legions of simps.

Anonymous said...

or driving a Prius !

You know they are excellent cars and environmentally friendly.
Nothing wrong with a Prius.

Anonymous said...

I like the Prius, The Prime is great.
Let's change it to a Yugo ....

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged said...
Out today riding my bike in the sun getting dome Vit D.
Kiss my tight spandex pants Says the ignorant biker !

Anonymous said...

@Dr. Ged

Glad to see you admit your stupidity. Well done Dr. GED.
One day you'll be a rocket scientist in the barn.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged said...
Rocket scientist in the barn ? Great...
In all honesty, I think that a "space war" would be awesome. LOL...

Anonymous said...

@Dr. Ged
SPACE FORCE is going big. First one to mine the meteors wins.
You and Bezos, after he steps down from Amazon can spend more time in Space.

Anonymous said...

Rocket scientist in the barn ? Great..

sure you can study hay. you know the material your brain is made off.

Anonymous said...

You and Bezos, after he steps down from Amazon can spend more time in Space.

The asteroid belt sounds good for both of them.

Is Dr. GED - the barn rocket scientist.

Anonymous said...

Out today riding my bike in the sun getting dome Vit D.

You see lack of education will kill you. Vitamin D you get from April until October.
From the Sun of course. Nothing this time of the year.

But let me help you a bit, take good quality Cod Liver Oil until April. You'll be fine.

And is not dome - is some.

Anonymous said...

Dr. Ged said...
Thanks for the spell check !
Hay(Hey) now I can back to the barn....

Anonymous said...

Share the road said...
Wow another nice winter day on the bike today after some morning rain.