After all the back and forth, it looks like the road diet will finally be implemented on McGuinness Boulevard—at least partially.
The NYC Department of Transportation has changed course again and will hew closer to the original plan to reduce traffic on McGuinness Boulevard, NY Daily News reports.
“The plan, announced by the Department of Transportation on Wednesday, will reduce the southern section of the four-lane, north-south thoroughfare to two lanes of motor vehicle traffic, replacing one lane in each direction with parking,” the outlet wrote. “Those parked cars will then serve as a protective barrier for bike lanes in both directions running between the parking lane and the sidewalk.”
The southern section refers to the section running from Calyer Street to Meeker Avenue. The DOT has already started work on the bike lanes in the northern corridor, from Calyer Street to the Pulaski Bridge. In late August, the DOT announced that the four lanes of traffic would stay intact in the southern section, though they would continue to implement the bike lanes and add loading zones and paint more sidewalk extensions.
Many residents and local elected officials pushed back against the plan, calling it inadequate, especially in light of a more thorough McGuinness Boulevard redesign, which was ultimately gutted by Mayor Adams’ administration. The original plan included reducing two lanes of traffic in either direction, for the entirety of the street. The plan, known to traffic engineers as a road diet, had been chosen after two years of studies and workshops.
All of Greenpoint’s elected officials, as well as Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, celebrated the news and shared the following statement:
“Credit to the Adams administration and Department of Transportation for taking the safety of Greenpoint seriously.
We are excited to see safety improvements implemented on McGuinness Boulevard this month and are immensely grateful to the Make McGuinness Safe community coalition for their relentless advocacy. We will work together with DOT to monitor and adjust to ensure this is a success for Greenpoint.”
Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, State Senators Kristen Gonzalez and Julia Salazar, Assemblymember Emily Gallagher, and Council Member Lincoln Restler
“Those parked cars will then serve as a protective barrier for bike lanes in both directions running between the parking lane and the sidewalk.”
So if I park and unpark my car this somehow is a safe practice for a bike rider? I doubt this is a great idea. My friends who bike ride deserve better.
Always complaining and never happy. That’s the Noel we love.
Wait so now Noel is a car driver and not the bike rider he claimed to be….oh I see Noel- it’s everyone else having a car and driving that you have a problem with – but you are special and your car is ok
Noel never said that, Dee. He is speaking as someone with extensive experience navigating the horrific streets of NYC via a bicycle (something I also have 15 years of experience with). He knows first hand that “parking protected bike lanes” are not a great or safe option (I completely agree – they allow vehicles to somewhat or completely enter the bike lane and also create huge blind spots because of the height of vehicles) and he is looking out for anyone on bikes. People in cars can and SHOULD see all sides of the issue. Noel is doing that. Why is that so difficult to comprehend?
Wait Noel- you are a driver? And your car ownership is acceptable- but no one else should drive or own a car in Greenpoint . Got it .
Mayor Adams got cooked this month for taking kickbacks and bribes from foreign nationals (Turkey/China etc.).. and now (it appears) he may have been receiving bribes at home too.
Following a few staff resignations (SEE Ingrid Lewis-Martin and her involvement with the Argento Family/Keep McGuiness moving) ..finally, NYC is correcting some errors.
Next year (in the June wind) I’ll be riding my bicycle (safely) down Mcguiness Blvd, hope you all do as well.. Justice prevails.
Regardless of design nothing will solve the real issues which have led to fatal incidents e.g not wearing a helmet, driving/riding under the influence, mopeds and e-bikes zipping through bike lanes, pedestrians wandering aimlessly into bike lanes, fedex / ups / amazon / delivery / construction trucks double parking and parking in bike lanes (without any recourse).
I’ve lived here for 13 years and I never ride my bike on McGuinness and rarely ride on Manhattan Ave. because leonard street has a bike lane and not nearly as busy or crowded.
Boggles my mind when I watch people on citi bikes with no helmets ride aimlessly between traffic on their phone.
After the redesign, traffic will be much worse in the area, fatal bike accidents will continue to happen, bike people will never be happy or admit that there is an inherent risk at all times when riding a bicycle. High rise apartment buildings built without being required to provide parking while increasing the auto population in the area.