Manhattan Pols Demand More Bike Lanes On West Side

CHELSEA, NY — A group of Manhattan politicians are demanding more parking-protected bike lanes along Sixth and Tenth avenues, they wrote in a letter to the Department of Transportation this week.

The group of politicians, including City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, demanded the department take "immediate action" to extend the cycling lanes along the avenues — including from 52nd to 14th streets on Tenth Avenue as well as along Sixth Avenue between 35th to 59th street and south of Eighth Street.

"These bike lanes are essential to ensure the safe passage of cyclists along some of the most congested and dangerous corridors in our districts," they wrote.

In the neighborhoods were the politicians want to add safety features and bike lanes, three cyclists this year have died — in Hudson Yards, Midtown, and Chelsea along Sixth Avenue, where two pedestrians have been hit.

"This summer along, we tragically lost the lives of Melissa McClure, Robyn Hightman and Michael Collopy who were involved in crashes along Sixth Avenue," referencing those who died on Sixth Avenue alone.

The DOT recently extended the Tenth Avenue bike lane to 52nd Street from 72nd on the Upper West Side after requests from Johnson last year — but "incremental installation of these routes does not satisfy the safety needs of all road users," the pols wrote in a letter dated Monday.

The pols added there are safety advantages for all road users, and noted both Community Boards 2 and 4 support the bike lane extensions and other safety improvements.

More than two years ago, CB 2 proposed extending the bike lane south of Eighth Street along Sixth Avenue as a part of a laundry list of other safety improvements after a woman was fatally struck by a private garbage truck driver at the complex intersection at West Eighth Street, Sixth Avenue and Greenwich Avenue. Last spring, CB 4 asked the DOT to study the feasibility of extending bike lanes down to 14th Street along Tenth Avenue.

The Department of Transportation is reviewing both avenues for upgrades, DOT spokeswoman Alana Morales said.

"As part of the Mayor’s Green Wave plan, DOT will be installing additional protected bike lanes throughout the City — and we are reviewing both of these important corridors for potential upgrades," she said, referencing Mayor Bill de Blasio's $58 million bike plan in the wake of a spike in cyclist deaths this year.

Here's the full letter: