bike-lanes-queens

The Community Board 5 Transportation Committee has spent the last several months working with the Department of City Planning and the Department of Transportation to install bike lanes in Ridgewood, Maspeth, and Middle Village. After the committee’s latest meeting, attended by Streetsblog, it looks like these plans will come to fruition next year. The Department of City Planning proposed these bike routes: Eliot Avenue from Metropolitan Avenue to Woodhaven Boulevard; Juniper Boulevard South from 69th Street to Dry Harbor Road; Woodward Avenue, Onderdonk Avenue, and connecting streets from Metropolitan Avenue to Cypress Hills Cemetery; Central Avenue and Cooper Avenue from Cypress Hills Street to Woodhaven Boulevard; 69th Street from Calamus Avenue to Metropolitan Avenue; and 80th Street from the Long Island Expressway to Myrtle Avenue. Streetsblog also notes, “There are four additional routes that could receive further study: Grand Avenue, a north-south route between Ridgewood and Maspeth, a route between Ridgewood and Bushwick, and a loop around Juniper Valley Park.” As you can see in the map above, central Queens sorely lacks bike lane infrastructure, so these plans will be welcome news to bikers. The Department of City Planning will host a workshop with the Community Board next month for more feedback on lane placement. The DCP and DOT are hoping to install bike lanes as soon as fall of next year.

The Transportation Committee also looked at plans to make the 71st Avenue Plaza in Ridgewood permanent. It’s expected that the committe will write a letter of support for the permanent plaza proposal, which heads to the Public Design Commission next month.

Queens CB 5 Set to Move Ahead With Bike Lane Planning, Plaza Construction [Streetsblog]
Temporary 71st Avenue Plaza Likely to Become Permanent Fixture in Ridgewood [Q’Stoner]
Map by NYC DOT


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. This is exciting news.
    I only wonder how the Calamus Ave route will work since that avenue is very narrow with two way traffic, parking on both sides of the street and the Q47 coming in both directions. But it is a relatively quiet strip and I have seen a few people biking down that way recently. This might encourage me to go out biking more! Also, just thought that this would be a great route for people who want to bike to and from Elmhurst Park on Grand Ave.

    • Hey Kat, I use Calamus as part of my bike commute to midtown from Rego Park. I actually lead other riders on a “Biketrain” most Friday mornings through there. It is a bit narrow, but relatively quite. I imagine the way to do it would be to paint “Sharrows” – the bike symbol with chevrons, denoting a bike route, rather than actual bike lanes as it is so narrow. Even Sharrows would help as it would alert cars to the presence of bikes and give bicyclists some guidance on where to ride to avoid being doored by parked cars — Sharrows are generally positioned so that if you ride through the apex of the chevrons you should be ok (though no guarantees). If you commute to LIC or Manhattan and would like to join us, let me know and we can pick you up along the way.

      • Hi Peter, that sounds like fun! I don’t commute to LIC or Manhattan but thanks for the invite! I’ll look out for you the next time I’m out and about early on a Friday morning. Also, since you’re coming from Rego Park, what is your route like and how do you get to LIC and Manhattan? And what time do you pass through Calamus so I know when to look out for you?
        Also, sharrows sounds like a good idea. Calamus might be narrow but it is quiet and better than biking down Queens Boulevard.