New Bike Lanes, Open Streets Coming To Lower Manhattan: Mayor

DOWNTOWN, MANHATTAN — A new protected bike lane from the Brooklyn Bridge to SoHo and five stretches of streets opening to pedestrians and cyclists are among the new additions to the mayor's Open Streets plan coming to Lower Manhattan.

Mayor Bill de Blasio revealed the next phase of his "Open Streets" plan on Wednesday, which includes about nine miles of protected bike lanes and 13 new miles of streets opening to pedestrians and cyclists to help with social distancing.

The expansion is part of the mayor's commitment to open 100 miles of New York City streets to allow New Yorkers to get outside while staying apart to stop the spread of the coronavirus. De Blasio said Wednesday the expansion brings the city to 67 miles of that goal, though that total includes new protected bike lanes, not just open streets.

Perhaps the largest addition in Lower Manhattan is a new 1.4-mile bike lane that will connect the Brooklyn Bridge to Spring Street in SoHo on Centre and Lafayette streets.

City officials said the bike lane will be added throughout the summer, though they didn't give a specific timeline. It will be made using markings, barrels, signage, and other barriers, officials said.

The bike lane is a small portion of a route suggested by advocates last year.

Cycling advocates have said that a protected bike lane on Centre Street from the Brooklyn Bridge all the way up to Union Square would help fill a "missing piece" in Manhattan's bike network.

In terms of "Open Streets," this week's expansion means about a half a mile of new stretches, spread throughout Hudson Square, the Lower East Side, the Flatiron District and Chelsea.

Local community groups will run most of the open streets, except in Chelsea, where the local precinct will monitor the blocks.

Here's a look at where they are:

• King Street: from Hudson to Greenwich street, monitored by Hudson Square Business Improvement District and open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. all days of the week.

• Little Sixth Avenue: from Spring to Broome street, monitored by Hudson Square Business Improvement District and open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. all days of the week.

• Dominick Street: from Varick Street to Little Sixth Avenue, monitored by Hudson Square Business Improvement District and open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. all days of the week.

• Jefferson Street: from East Broadway to Madison Street, monitored by LES Enfants de Boheme and open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday through Sunday

• 25th Street: from Eighth to Ninth avenue, monitored by the local precinct

• 29th Street: from Broadway to Madison Avenue, monitored by the Flatiron Partnership