Visions of a Revamped Eastern Parkway
[nggallery id=”53271″ template=galleryview] Last week a reader dropped a line to say that it seemed like the long-planned reconstruction of Eastern Parkway from Grand Army Plaza to Washington Avenue might be starting up, since a “man from the city was going from building to building yesterday informing about potential water shutoffs and parking changes.” As…
[nggallery id=”53271″ template=galleryview]
Last week a reader dropped a line to say that it seemed like the long-planned reconstruction of Eastern Parkway from Grand Army Plaza to Washington Avenue might be starting up, since a “man from the city was going from building to building yesterday informing about potential water shutoffs and parking changes.” As it happens, the project could begin within the next few months. A rep from the Department of Design and Construction had the following to say about the time line: “Test pits are being done now to determine locations of underground utilities. Once those are determined construction work could begin in the spring.” The city says the main goals in upgrading the infrastructure near the museum, botanic garden and library are to improve pedestrian, bicyclist, and vehicular safety; enhance open space and create new ones; and improve water mains, sewers and utilities. The renderings above show how it’s supposed to turn out, and the whole thing will probably take two years to complete.
How long before Neighbors For Better Bike lanes sues the DOT for this bike lane.
Actually, it won’t happen. They only care about one bike lane on PPW.
bfarwell… I think you’re nuts. The Ocean Parkway bike path is great. Yes, there are pedestrians and strollers and so on — but I’ve never ever ever had an issue. Ever. And I’ve ridden to Coney Island using the entire length of the Ocean Parkway bike lane about 40 or 50 times.
You have to stop for lights every 3 or 4 blocks (just like the cars). You have to yield at intersections a bit, or be very conscious of the turning cars, because they are not aware of you… Isn’t that how it always works?!
Biking on the existing stretch of EPW sucks ass. Traffic doesn’t notice you at the turns, you have to wait for lights, it’s unclear where traffic is coming from, lots of peds with strollers who are never going to notice it’s a bike lane, etc.
I’m a huge fan of bikes and bike lanes, but I think this is a stupid place for them. I feel the same way about the ocean parkway (am I remembering my streets right?) stuff going out to coney. It’s a terrible way to ride.
All that being said, providing some sort of bike lane from washington to GAP would be nice. There are a lot of nimrods riding on the sidewalk down that hill from the botanic gardens, which is terrible. Cars are always speeding around that curve, there are lots of kids around, it’s really a deathtrap.
“Hmm, doesn’t look like there’s enough width for both pedestrians and cyclists to share that space. I’d be nervous either way.”
In practice it works fine. It’s not like biking over the Brooklyn Bridge or anything.
Grand Army — you know that’s just a picture on your computer. It’s much bigger in real life. 🙂
Hmm, doesn’t look like there’s enough width for both pedestrians and cyclists to share that space. I’d be nervous either way.
There is no southern median in this section — only a northern median.
So at Washington, bike riders will switch between the northern median to the west of Washington, and the southern median to the east of Washington.
It’s not ideal, but it’ll get the job done.
Oops, I missed the OP reference above, my bad.
> bike lane on EP seems silly
Yeah, that’s just crazy talk. What next, a bike lane on Ocean Parkway? 😉