By Krista Carter

The streets in the Lincoln Square area could see major changes this summer after a community board committee approved a plan to extend the Columbus Avenue bike lane and reconfigure some of the dicey crossing between 63rd and 66th street around Broadway. The full plan is detailed in a DOT presentation available here.

The plan would extend the protected Columbus Avenue bike lane from where it ends at 69th street down to 67th, where the protected section would end and a green lane would begin. Part of the next three blocks would be demarcated by flexible plastic stakes, until 64th street where the protected lane would start up again. Once complete, the bike lane will stretch from 110th street to 59th, where it will meet up with the 9th Avenue protected lane. This slide shows the plan for the top section of the bike lane:

Here are the basics of the plan, which has been tweaked since we wrote about it in December.

Area of focus:  63rd Street to 66th Street along Broadway and Columbus Avenue

• Issues identified by the DOT as problematic:

  • Broadway and 64th Street (north side crossing B’way) – no crosswalk connecting 64th St to Dante Park

  • Broadway and 65th Street is a “pedestrian desire line” i.e. there is currently no crosswalk, but pedestrians are still crossing as if there were one/ should be one

  • Columbus Avenue sidewalk connectivity is not direct (same with the north side of 65th Street) and signal timing is confusing. There needs to be a safer, straight crossing.

  • Broadway and 66th Street – proposition to maximize pedestrian space, which becomes congested after the subway train lets out.  Need to accommodate volume.

  • Pedestrian signals – 65th Street and Columbus Avenue- reduce distance to travel (widen tips) or add additional time for crossing the street.

  • Traffic conflicts – right of way is contested, specifically, when a signal that allows vehicle turning movement also allows pedestrians to cross.  Drivers are supposed to yield, but DOT hopes to minimize conflicts by minimizing potential. (Area of interest: Columbus and 66th Street). From 2008-2012, 39% of pedestrian crashes took place when they had a signal.

  • 64th Street and Broadway – buses need to cross 3 moving lanes in 1 intersection’s length.  From 2008-2012, the highest concentration of crashes took place at point of merging/turning.

  • Bike connection -Columbus Avenue and 64th Street – gap between where protected lane ends and begins.  Markings need to be clearer and delineated.

DOT Solutions:

1. Shorten pedestrian crossings

2. Improve pedestrian space

3. Reduce vehicle/pedestrian conflicts

4. Create additional and safe crossings

5. Improve signal timing

6. Clarify street markings

7. Connect bike lanes

How it will work in different sections:

Bow Tie North of 65th St:

• New leading pedestrian interval (LPI): pedestrians will start crossing before vehicles can go (area of interest: Columbus Avenue between 66th/65th St and 66th St and Broadway)

• Extend left turn 1 full block at 66th St & Columbus

• Currently 3 buses stop at Tucker Square:  M7, M20 and M11 – previously DOT wanted to move stops as far north as possible so that buses could more easily merge.  Since M11 doesn’t need to merge, it will remain as is.  There are still plans to move the M7 and M20, possibly north of 66th St

• Bicycling -extending path from 69th-67th St

• Paint green lanes and backed bicycle markings 67th-65th St to make lane more visible

• Protected bike lane north of bow tie

Bow Tie at 65th St:

• Goal: provide safe direct pedestrian crossings

• Proposing a southbound left turn ban from Columbus to Broadway (except buses)

• Creating an LPI; banning northbound turn at 65th St; providing an exclusive right turn lane at 64th St

• Create crosswalk from Dante Park to 64th St and Broadway

• Cycling – paint green lanes to improve visibility

Bow Tie South of 65th St:

• Widen openings at mall tips and address ponding condition

Q&A:

Commuity Board concerns:

• Ponding needs to be addressed.  DOT responds that treatment is pedestrian ramps.

• Need audible signals for pedestrian crossing.  DOT responds that there are a limited number that can be installed each year (4 crosswalks are being looked at currently within the bow tie area).

• Tactile markers need to be repaired.  DOT acknowledges and states these should be fixed during construction phase.

Vote:

• Community Board had an overall positive review/feedback

• Resolution to approve with the following amendments: more delineated lines for bike routes and ponding to be addressed

• 11 board members and 2 non-board members in favor

• Full board:  March 3rd

• Project should begin by the Summer (June/July)

Images via NYC DOT.