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Transportation & Environment
Resolution on Crosstown Marking Enhancement (Bike & Travel Lanes)
WHEREAS, Bike Share, beginning in summer 2012 will bring 10,000 new bicycles to the City of New York with thousands traversing the midtown central business district; and
WHEREAS, There are currently zero midtown crosstown bicycle routes north of the recently installed 29th and 30th Street routes; and
WHEREAS, There has been a 102.1% increase in commuter cycling between 2007 and 2011; and
WHEREAS, The DOT developed and released a Bicycle Master Plan in 1997 after extensive consultation with multiple agencies, advocacy organizations, community boards, elected officials and cyclists; and
WHEREAS, The Bicycle Master Plan called for the installation of continuous crosstown bicycle routes throughout the midtown central business district; and
WHEREAS, DOT, in a follow-up to their Bicycle Master Plan, developed a proposal to install pairs of crosstown bicycle routes on 39th & 40th Street, 43rd and 44th Street, 48th and 51st Street and 54th and 55th Street through a mixture of bicycle lanes and shared lanes which would also clean up existing travel lane markings; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five believes that the proposed routes would increase safety for all types of users in part by better organizing crosstown street traffic; and
WHEREAS, There will be no parking/loading loss from the installation of these routes nor will there be any travel lane removal; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five looks forward to further dialogue with DOT about ways to further ensure safe and efficient travel across our streets and proper enforcement of existing rules; and
WHEREAS, Support for these lanes was registered from the public in attendance at the committee meeting, while there was no opposition registered; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five approves the establishment of crosstown bike routes on 39th & 40th Streets, 43rd and 44th Streets, 48th and 51st Streets and 54th and 55th Streets.
The above resolution passed with a vote of 40 in favor, 0 opposed, 3 abstaining.