CB2 backers plan open‑streets, outdoor dining guidance and temporary protected bike lanes

Manhattan Community Board 2 members on May 20 said they would form a working group to develop local guidance for open‑air dining and to consider applications for the city’s Open Streets program, while the Traffic & Transportation Committee advanced two resolutions recommending temporary cycling improvements.

Board leadership said Little West 12th Street, a block of West 13th Street, University Place and part of MacDougal Street were already enrolled in the city’s Open Streets pilot or under consideration. The board announced a new working group, chaired by Valerie De La Rosa, with members from committee leadership to draft parameters for outdoor dining that reflect the board’s diverse neighborhood character and the high number of sidewalk cafes in the district.

Separately, the Traffic & Transportation Committee asked the Department of Transportation to install a temporary protected bike lane on the east side of Sixth Avenue from Canal Street to a connecting point near Greenwich Avenue, and to add temporary protective barriers on the West Houston Street bike lane between Washington and West Street until permanent safety improvements can be made. Committee members said the lane extensions and barriers would improve safety for cyclists and create more space for social distancing as streets reopen.

Committee members said DOT representatives had told the committee they wanted to simplify the permitting process and would present an update to the board’s June traffic meeting. The board moved the resolutions into the omnibus vote for later roll call.