Tuesday, August 30, 2011
News Grand Army Plaza Getting Much-Needed Bike Lane Connections
Posted by Benjamin Sutton on Tue, Aug 30, 2011 at 1:55 PM
The overhauling of Grand Army Plaza has been a long time coming, especially for pedestrians and cyclists who've had to navigate a confusing jumble of lanes, crosswalks, islands and signals. But it's about to get better!
After being further jumbled by construction all summer long, the Brooklyn Paper reports that the new Grand Army Plaza will be ready by Labor Day. And, despite initial indications to the contrary, it will include crucial connectors for the many bike lanes feeding into the traffic oval.
Other improvements will include additional and expanded crosswalks, new light signals and repaved road surfaces. For cyclists, a short extension of the Prospect Park bike lane as it leaves the park will connect to the heavily trafficked Prospect Park West bike lane. Another connects a bike lane on Plaza Street West that previously ended abruptly to the Prospect Park lane. No word on bike lane connections on the Eastern Parkway side of the plaza.
As a cyclist queried by the BP rightly points out, these relatively minimal additions to existing lanes will make a world of difference, extending lanes that previously ended abruptly and arbitrarily. But Token Annoyed Motorist complains: "It seems like the city is trying to eliminate cars." Correct!
(Photo: NYPL)
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