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CB2 committee backs temporary extension of Sixth Avenue protected bike lane to Canal Street
Summary
The Manhattan Community Board 2 Traffic & Transportation Committee voted to support a temporary extension of the Sixth Avenue protected bike lane from Eighth Street south to Canal Street to provide continuous cycling access during the pandemic.
Manhattan Community Board 2’s Traffic & Transportation Committee voted during its business session to support a temporary extension of the protected bicycle lane on Sixth Avenue from Eighth Street (Greenwich Avenue area) south to Canal Street.
The request, presented by committee member Janet Liff, seeks to create a continuous route that would connect existing protected segments and provide safer travel for essential workers and others choosing to bike instead of using mass transit. Liff noted the board has pursued a permanent extension since 2014 and said a temporary lane could be deployed quickly during the pandemic.
Several committee members and neighborhood representatives addressed operational constraints. Darlene Lutz, a resident near Canal and Sixth Avenue, said the area near Canal currently accommodates a large, temporary NYPD command presence and urged caution before placing a bike lane into that stretch. Other speakers pointed to bus turning movements on Watts Street and suggested the temporary route should switch sides of Sixth Avenue north of the busiest intersections to avoid conflict with bus traffic.
Committee discussion emphasized choosing a safe crossover point to move a temporary lane from the west to the east side of Sixth Avenue north of Canal; members suggested locations such as Houston and West Third where turning patterns may allow safer crossings. The committee asked DOT to refine the exact routing and turn-movement protections.
Vote and outcome
The committee approved the request in business session. A committee member count was taken by raised hands and the motion passed; detailed individual tallies were not recorded in the public transcript.
Background and next steps
- The bike-lane request builds on earlier board resolutions seeking a full protected lane on Sixth Avenue. - The committee asked DOT to evaluate the safest point to switch the bike lane to the east side of Sixth Avenue to avoid bus and tunnel traffic near Watts and Canal streets. - DOT staff will be asked to provide follow-up engineering recommendations and, if feasible, to install temporary protections (cones, planters or barriers) for a pilot period while more permanent improvements are studied.
