St. Nick Bike Lane Closer to Home

A new 3-mile bike lane slated for St. Nicholas Avenue in Northern Manhattan moved one step closer to reality in June. After a barrage of letters and faxes from T.A. members, CB 12 approved a 6-month trial of the bike lane. Since the lane passes through three Community Boards (CB 9, CB 10, and CB 12), all three must be consulted before it can be put in.

Later in June, NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Elliot Sander visited officials from Board 10 to encourage them to embrace the project. T.A. hopes his involvement will herald a greater City commitment to improved cycling.

Some Community Board members have expressed concern that the bike lane will serve only cyclists riding through the neighborhood and not local residents, a view reflected in a critical New York Times article. Yet the experience of the Lafayette Street bike lane has shown the opposite to be true. There, local residents use the lane heavily for short trips within the neighborhood.

The board is still considering the matter, and T.A. is working to convince them that a good bike lane on St. Nicholas Avenue will be good for everyone in the neighborhood.

If you live in Northern Manhattan or The Bronx, you can make a difference by writing or phoning the Community Board offices.

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Sanctuary for Cars?

In a full-page fund-raising ad in the New York Times of Sunday, May 26, the Central Park Conservancy said, "Central Park is a playground, garden, and sanctuary for trillions of New Yorkers. But it's also in danger." That's true, but it's too bad they didn't add that cars invade that sanctuary every day.

While the Conservancy fiddles, T.A. members burn with a desire to free the park from cars. On Friday, June 9, T.A. sponsored a traffic-calming ride in the park. Some 300 cyclists, skaters, and walkers took over the park drive during the evening rush hour to demonstrate both the need for a car-free park and the rights of cyclists and others to use the drives at all times. Even The News's Gridlock Sam alerted his car-bound readers to the event, so clearly the message is getting out that it's time to get cars out of the park.

The Conservancy has long been silent on the issue of banning cars from Central Park. Now is the time for the Conservancy to embrace a total ban of cars from the park. Only then will it truly be a sanctuary.

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A Better Bridge Now!

For years, the Brooklyn Bridge biking and walking path has been many things: a New York City landmark, a world-class tourist attraction, and a vital route for cyclists. But for years, the entrances to the bridge have been ugly, dangerous, and car-dominated.

The NYC Department of Transportation has drawn different plans for a grand redesign of the Manhattan entrance to the bridge, but has procrastinated for over a year about picking one. At the confluence of City Hall, the Municipal Building, the bridge, Chambers Street, Centre Street, and a busy subway station, the bridge entrance is one of the most crowded pedestrian spaces in the City. Yet traffic lights still favor cars, as walkers and cyclists battle for space on a narrow median.

Are you sick of the unsafe, ugly approach to the Brooklyn Bridge? Then write to Mayor Giuliani, Borough President Ruth Messinger, and your City Councilmember to let them know you want it improved.

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