AKA : The Current State of Lower Manhattan Bike Lanes (late June 2009)

It’s been a few months since we checked in on the state of NYC bike lanes (not limited to, but more specifically those in Manhattan below 59th street). Heres the post from when we last looked at them.

The Lafayette Street bike Lane has been removed near the intersection at Houston Street, but the DOT has been doing more to protect the temporarily replaced reduced area of the lane between Bleecker Street and Houston Street.

Update: as of Early July, this weird curbside Lafayette bikelane has spread below Houston street (to around Jersey Street)

The old bike lane from the Koch era of protected lanes, alongside Herald Square and in front of Macy’s, was removed around June 14th. It’s part of the DOT pedestrian improvements all along Broadway.

Remember that old bike lane along City Hall? Well word has gotten out that it’s no longer actually a designated bike lane. No big loss really, considering it was consistently filled with cars who’s Police Department drivers were too lazy to find legal parking and walk an extra block to work.

Nearby, the Lafayette Street bike lane has often been clear, but on July 6th, we found it clusterfucked with lazy drivers who could have parked across the street. All 5-7 of them are now on mybikelane.com.

Spotted this a while back, and today got a respone on mybikelane.com

From the President of Meurice Garment Care :

Hello,

This is Wayne Edelman, owner and president of Meurice Garment Care. As a NYC cyclist myself, I’m very disappointed to see a company van inconsiderately parked directly in a bike lane. In this case, after I asked the driver why he had parked in the lane, he explained that he was waiting to move to a spot on the left. I’ve spoken with all of my drivers and made it clear this is unacceptable and will not be permitted.

As a gesture of goodwill, I’m happy to donate $100 to the charity of MyBikeLane’s choice should another user find one of our vans blocking a biking lane in the future. Please feel free to contact me directly through our website – garmentcare.com.

Best wishes,

Wayne Edelman

Other companies – take note! THIS is how you improve your image with potential clients and hundreds of people who have to deal with trucks parked in bike lanes when legal parking is available. Thank you Meurice Garment Care.

This time from Lafayette Street. Here’s the witness account from nyc.mybikelane.com :

I was on foot when I noticed a cyclist being punched by a motorist. The cyclist told the motorist that he shouldn’t be in the bike lane, and the motorist got out of his car, screaming and hit the cyclist. I snapped a few camera phone pics after he got back in his car and drove to a parking spot. He then lied to the police and said that he never got out of his car. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pics of him before he got back into his car.

So no photos, no name of victim, only a photo and plate number for the driver.