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DOT redesign of Lafayette Street bike facility draws fresh opposition from CB2 neighbors
Summary
DOT’s proposed Lafayette Street/4th Avenue bike facility redesign — which may reduce traffic lanes, expand bike lanes and add a new 'amenity strip' for bike parking and containerized trash — prompted new opposition north of Astor Place; DOT will present updated plans at a public meeting next week at Grace Church.
The Traffic & Transportation committee told the executive committee that the Department of Transportation is proposing a redesign of the Lafayette Street and Fourth Avenue bike facility and related changes at 8th Street and West 13th.
Committee members said the plan includes enlarging the bike lane in places, adding an 'amenity strip' for bicycle parking and containerized trash, adding several concrete islands at intersections and in places reducing vehicle traffic lanes while adding dedicated turn lanes. The committee reported new opposition from residents north of Astor Place who said narrowing a major northbound roadway would worsen truck- and delivery-related congestion.
The committee emphasized that some residents said they were surprised by the scope of lane reductions because DOT’s earlier presentations did not emphasize a transition to a single traffic lane in parts of Lafayette. The committee will host DOT for another presentation next week at Grace Church; members said they will limit public comments to one minute to allow more people to speak.
Why it matters: The redesign aims to improve bike connectivity from the Brooklyn Bridge up past Union Square, but lane reconfiguration could affect deliveries, bus and truck movements and local traffic patterns. The committee is asking DOT for clearer visuals and more specific lane-split information before finalizing a recommendation.
