Report: More support for protected bike lane on Lafayette Street/Fourth Avenue

A quick note from the coverage that Streetsblog provided from last Thursday night's Community Board 2 meeting:

In a unanimous 9-0 vote last night, Manhattan Community Board 2′s transportation committee endorsed a DOT plan to upgrade a buffered bike lane on Lafayette Street and Fourth Avenue to a parking-protected lane, complete with new pedestrian islands, car lanes of an appropriate width for the city, and improved signal timing for pedestrians. The plan now moves to CB 2′s full board meeting on March 20.

The protected lane would run from Prince Street up to East 12th Street. The proposal would not remove any car lanes, but instead narrows them on the avenues, per Streetsblog.

Find a PDF of the proposal here. Read the whole Streetsblog post here.

How are we feeling about protected bike lanes these days? Anyone? Comments?

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Looking at the First Avenue's new bike lane and 'floating lane' (64 comments)

Protest planned for reconfigured Avenues (153 comments)

14th Street busway free to roll on, judge says

The city may now turn parts of 14th Street into a busway with vehicle restrictions after a judge today lifted a restraining order on the redesign, according to published reports.

In late June, a coalition of Manhattan landowners used state environmental law tried to permanently stop the busway plans with a lawsuit.

West Village resident Arthur Schwartz, arguing on behalf of several block associations, claimed that the Department of Transportation’s proposed busway violated state environmental law because the agency didn’t conduct a serious assessment of the impact that banning cars from 14th Street would have on neighboring residential streets. The suit also demanded the removal of the bike lanes on 12th Street and 13th Street.

As Gothamist reported today, New York State Supreme Court Judge Eileen Rakower gave the city the OK to move forward. (And the bike lanes are staying put.)

According to Rakower, the Department of Transportation "went to great lengths to describe the consideration that went into the analysis, considering pedestrian deaths, dangerous intersections and not just the speed of the bus that is going to traverse 14th Street."

Reaction via Streetsblog:

“Today’s court decision is a huge victory for New York’s two million daily bus riders,” said Danny Pearlstein, policy and communications director for the Riders Alliance. “The 14th Street busway will provide faster and more reliable bus trips, saving precious time for tens of thousands of people who badly need it. The judge’s ruling also sets the stage for future victories and better bus service citywide.”

Analysis from Transportation Alternatives and Riders Alliance had found that rush-hour M14 bus riders spent a combined 8,654 additional hours commuting over the last month than would have been the case under the city’s plan to transform 14th Street into a busway, as amNY reported.

The busway aims to help move people during the L-train slowdown. Private through-traffic will be banned between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. on 14th Street between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue. Buses, trucks and emergency vehicles will be given priority in the center lanes between Third Avenue and Ninth Avenue. Cars will be allowed to make pickups and drop-offs as well as access local garages.

No word yet when the DOT will launch the busway.

EVG Etc.: City finally vowing to (temporarily) do something about reckless drivers

[Ghost bike for East Village resident Chaim Joseph]

Now that 15 cyclists have been killed by cars or trucks on NYC streets already this year (up from 10 all of 2018), the NYPD yesterday announced that it is launching a citywide bicycle safety plan.

Per The Wall Street Journal:

Officers will step up enforcement of vehicles that speed, run red lights or fail to yield to pedestrians, NYPD officials said. They will also increase the ticketing of drivers who are texting or talking on their phone without a headset, the officials said.

NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill also said at an unrelated press conference Tuesday that officers will also make sure bike lanes are clear of vehicles, especially police cars. Officers caught using bike lanes illegally may face a variety of internal administrative consequences, such as a reprimand from a supervisor or a disciplinary letter, he said.

And...

“We absolutely have an emergency on our hands,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday night during a television interview.

The enforcement will run through July 21.

Reactions:

• NYPD announces plan to temporarily improve bike safety after slew of cyclist deaths (Daily News)

• NYPD Promises To Crack Down On Reckless Drivers For A Few Weeks (Gothamist)

• NYPD’s Reckless Driver ‘Crackdown’ is a Breezy Three-Week Affair (Streetsblog)

• DOT’s Forthcoming ‘Cycling Safety Plan’ Won’t Likely Break the Car Culture (Streetsblog)

The NYPD's MO has been to ticket cyclists instead of drivers in areas where a fatality occurred.

Meanwhile, coming up next week, Transportation Alternatives is staging a “die-in” in Washington Square Park ...

Three cyclists were killed last week. Drivers have killed 15 people on bikes this year — more than double the number killed this time last year. pic.twitter.com/VLYOSEaYJm

— Transportation Alternatives (@TransAlt) July 2, 2019

Chaim Joseph, a 72-year-old East Village resident, was one of the 15 cycling victims this year. He was struck by a private oil truck shortly before 6 a.m. on Feb. 4 while he was riding in the bike lane near the intersection of Eighth Avenue and West 45th Street.

The NYPD arrested 56-year-old Queens resident Kenneth Jackson, who worked for Brooklyn-based Approved Oil company. Jackson was charged with failure to yield and failure to exercise due care. He faces a maximum of 30 days in jail — although such sentences are rare, as Streetsblog noted.

Hetal Convenience Store has apparently closed on First Avenue

The Hetal Convenience Store on First Avenue just south of East Seventh Street has been closed of late. Earlier this week, EV resident Bill the libertarian anarchist noticed the gate slightly open. He looked inside and saw that workers had cleared out the storefront. (Another reader said that she spotted workers standing in a now-empty space last night.)

The store, which, among other things, featured an array of Polish-language magazines, has been around since at least the early 1980s. Has anyone heard why the store may have closed?

DNAinfo included owner Gary Patel in an August 2010 feature about the city's new bike lanes:

Other merchants that rely on taxi traffic said that despite the negative impact on business, the city is safer overall with the new bike lanes.

"I don't have any problems. The city is better," said Patel, owner of the Hetal Convenience Store on First Avenue near East Seventh Street, noting he's fine with the fact that he has lost about 10 cabdriver patrons a day due to the new lanes.

3rd Avenue and 14th Street cited as one of the city's most dangerous intersections for cyclists

[Google Street View]

According to an analysis of intersections citywide, Third Avenue and 14th Street is among the most dangerous in NYC for cyclists, new research shows.

Last week, Mayor de Blasio’s announced his "Green Wave Bicycle Plan" in reaction to a recent spate of cycling deaths. (Em Samolewicz was killed Monday morning in Sunset Park, marking the 18th cyclist to die on city streets this year — eight more than all of 2018.)

The mayor's $58.4 million initiative will ramp up enforcement at the 100 most crash-prone intersections and target enforcement on highest risk activities: speeding, failing to yield, blocking bike lanes, oversized trucks/trucks off route.

Over the next five years the city will also renovate 50 intersections with turn-calming treatments and re-design areas where fatalities occur. (The city has yet to disclose those locations.)

On Monday, the data and real-estate listings website Localize.city released the results of an analysis — using public data from 2014 to 2018 — to identify which intersections have seen the most cycling injuries and fatalities during that four-year period.

Intersections in the East Village and Lower East Side represent three slots in the top 10:

1. 6th Ave & W. 23rd St., Chelsea

21 Injuries

2 (Tied). Jay St. & Tillary St., Downtown Brooklyn

20 injuries

2 (Tied). Atlantic Ave & Bedford Ave, Crown Heights

20 injuries

4. 3rd Ave & E. 14th St., East Village

18 injuries

Per Localize.city: New separated bike lanes along East 12th/East 13th streets should offer a safer route, at least for cycling crosstown.

5 (Tied). Chrystie St. & Delancey St., Lower East Side

17 injuries

“Chrystie Street has a two-way bike lane, and the lane closest to traffic rides against traffic flow, which is a huge design flaw,” says urban planner Sam Sklar of Localize.city. “It doesn’t help that Delancey Street is extremely wide, as it accommodates car and bus travel to and from the Williamsburg Bridge. Additionally there isn’t currently any bike lane on this stretch of Delancey Street.”

5 (Tied). St. Nicholas Ave & W. 141st St., Harlem

17 injuries


[Allen at Houston]

7 (Tied). Allen St. & E. Houston St., Lower East Side

14 injuries

“Cyclists and drivers approaching this intersection often have obstructed views because of the width of East Houston Street, plus the width of East First Street along with obstructed views from street trees and bus traffic that potentially blocks views for drivers and cyclists,” says Sklar.

7 (Tied). Graham Ave. & Grand St., Williamsburg

14 injuries

7 (Tied). Jay St. & Myrtle Ave., Downtown Brooklyn

14 injuries

7 (Tied). Roebling St. & South 4th St., Williamsburg

13 injuries, 1 death

Says Sklar: "If you’re thinking about taking up cycling you should know if the intersections and streets near your home are dangerous."

The 12th Street bike lane will return

An EVG reader reports that workers tore up 12th Street last night ... the reader, who sent the above photo, noted this between Avenue B and First Avenue. Gone for now is the bike lane that arrived back in the fall.

And we heard from other readers who were confused about what's happening here. After all, the city announced last Thursday that the 12th Street and 13th Street bike lanes would remain despite the full L-train shutdown called off by Gov. Cuomo in early January. Did the city change its mind?

Via Twitter, the DOT said the painted bike lanes will return...

This roadway was milled this week. There is typically a two week gap between milling and paving to allow utilities and others to repair the infrastructure below the street.

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 3, 2019

As was announced last week, DOT will be adding more delineators and loading zones along 12th/13th Streets. More info: https://t.co/oU7IHQw2Yb

You are welcome to share transportation suggestions at any time here: https://t.co/C4A23H2Cu2

— NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) May 3, 2019

Reader reports: The NYPD forcibly stops a Citi Biker on Avenue A for his own safety

[Photo by Dave from 7th Street]

Multiple reader reports are coming in from earlier this evening about an NYPD Interceptor SUV who cut off a Citi Bike rider on Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street.

Several witnesses say that the NYPD pursued the Citi Biker after ran a series of red lights starting on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.

The video clip below captures the officer explaining the NYPD's actions.

Per the office: "At this point you are being forcefully stopped because, essentially, you are driving recklessly and refusing to stop after multiple lawful orders that you looked and acknowledged so I am going to use whatever means necessary to stop you. And that’s for your safety."

#NYPD run over #nyc #bicycle to stop them from running a red light ton”prevent reckless driving.” pic.twitter.com/AITjqNwYiZ

— Garvey Rich (@Garvey_Rich) July 5, 2019

The officer saying that they "forcibly stopped" the Citi Bike rider for his safety drew laughter from onlookers.

The cyclist did not appear to suffer any injuries after being forced off the Avenue.

Wow pic.twitter.com/pfKUxbw3qy

— Liam Quigley (@_elkue) July 5, 2019

So far in 2019, 15 cyclists have died on NYC streets — five more than all of 2018. Earlier this week, Mayor de Blasio and the NYPD released details on a three-week initiative "aimed at reducing bike-related injuries and fatalities," per Gothamist.

The mayor had released this statement on Monday evening:

We are seeing a dangerous surge in cyclist deaths on our streets, and we are taking action. I have directed the NYPD to immediately launch a major enforcement action that will encompass every precinct and crack down on dangerous driving behavior like parking in bike lanes.

At the same time, I have charged the Department of Transportation with developing a new cyclist safety plan to make biking in our city safer. No loss of life on our streets is acceptable. Last year was the safest year on record — and we have to keep pushing the envelope and increasing our efforts until we achieve Vision Zero.

As one witness told us about this evening's police action: "The NYPD using their vehicle as a weapon on a bicycle adds another element to the unsafe conditions for cyclists in NYC."

Updated 7/6

The Post has part of a statement from the NYPD on the incident:

“When approached by officers, the individual jumped off his bike and it became wedged in between the police vehicle and a parked vehicle. Precinct leadership is reviewing the matter.”

Here’s what happened - Officers observed cyclist running through 2 red lights, wearing headphones while biking, & failing to comply w/ a lawful order. When approached by cops, cyclist jumped the bike & it became wedged between the police vehicle and a parked vehicle.

— NYPD DCPI (@NYPDDCPI) July 6, 2019

To L and back: Reactions and questions over Gov. Cuomo's surprise subway announcement

In a surprise move yesterday, Gov. Cuomo announced that the L-train won't be completely shut down between Brooklyn and Manhattan for Sandy-related repairs in April after all.

With this new plan, workers will repair the Canarsie tunnel one tube at a time on nights and weekends, with one track remaining open for service... all over the course of 15 to 20 months.

According to Cuomo, crews will install cables on racks along the inside of the tunnels, and leave the old cables where they are. Per various published reports, the workaround relies on the use of a fiber reinforced plastic, which hasn’t been used in the United States for this type of tunnel repair.

There are questions about all this...

I'm trying to break down what Cuomo did to the L train today, and at a very fundamental and basic level, I think there are two gating questions: "what the hell did he even just propose?" and "how do we have any assurances it will work?"

— Second Ave. Sagas (@2AvSagas) January 3, 2019

Hmm...

The lack of rigorous analysis missing from today for a project of this scope is staggering.

— Second Ave. Sagas (@2AvSagas) January 3, 2019

Gersh Kuntzman at Streetsblog has the best post (link here) on answering some questions raised following yesterday's presser.

Meanwhile, here's reaction from two local elected officials...

Sen. Brad Hoylman:

“As the State Senator who represents the entire stretch of the L train in Manhattan, I welcome any alternative to the L-train tunnel shutdown that repairs the tunnel within the current project timeline and maintains train service, while eliminating the need for hundreds of additional dirty diesel buses in our neighborhoods and traffic on side streets.

That said, after three years of planning and community input, my constituents have reason to be circumspect about the details. It’ll be the job of the new Senate Democratic majority along with our Assembly colleagues to provide sufficient oversight of the MTA and this plan.

In addition, we must continue to push for more reliable train and bus service, planned upgrades to our station and bike infrastructure, and work toward the ultimate goal of reducing car traffic through congestion pricing.”

District 2 City Councilmember Carlina Rivera:

“While I believe that the State and MTA are committed to providing the best L train plan for New Yorkers, I am disappointed that today’s news was announced without warning and with nowhere near enough detail, after years of careful planning by our communities.

Residents in my District are now in the dark about how they will be impacted by this new plan, and I am worried that many New Yorkers unnecessarily moved from affected areas and local small businesses suffered preparing for the expected shutdown.

In my discussions with MTA officials [yesterday] afternoon, I did hear some encouraging information, including potentially less noise and construction along 14th Street between 1st Avenue and Avenue B. But I am still left with more questions than answers.

As we learn more and weigh the dramatic impact this plan will have on our city, I am calling on the City Council to hold hearings this month on this plan so we and the public can have our questions fully answered from State and agency officials well ahead of the plan’s commencement.

In addition, the city Department of Transportation must stay the course with that the current L Train Alternative Service Plan, including new bike lanes, bus routes, and protected bus corridors, until the public and advocates are able to process and comment on this new plan.

But regardless of how the L Train Tunnel repair goes, our State and City agencies must deeply evaluate how the mishandling of these announcements continues to erode public trust in our most important institutions, and work to redouble their efforts with our communities.”

At an unrelated event yesterday, Mayor de Blasio said that "anything that avoids disruption I favor obviously and a lot of people in Brooklyn, a lot of people in Manhattan have been really worried about the L train shutdown," as reported by the Associated Press. "So, if there is a plan that can be better for the people of our neighborhoods, that's great, but I want to reserve any further judgment until I hear more."

The immediate impact this might have on the construction along 14th Street between First Avenue and Avenue B isn't known just yet. There are many questions, such as what does Cuomo's new plan mean for the power substation slated for 14th Street and Avenue B?

The Times had more on East Village impacts:

Construction and congestion on side streets in the East Village could be abated, sparing neighbors fumes from supplemental buses and asbestos in the debris removed from the tunnel.

Andy Byford, who oversees New York City’s subways and buses, said there would likely not be a high-occupancy vehicle lane over the Williamsburg Bridge, as had been planned. Additional ferry service from Brooklyn to Manhattan will also not be needed.

No decision has been made regarding shutting down 14th Street in Manhattan for bus service...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Town Hall provides a few more details on the 24/7 construction at 14th and A

Renderings reveal the MTA's plans for the Avenue A L station; why does everyone look so happy?

Nightmare scenario for residents who learn that 14th Street and Avenue A will be the main staging area for the L-train reconstruction

What the L: Cuomo calls off full L-train shutdown

Prepping for the new bike lanes on 12th and 13th streets

Bike lane line work continues on 12th Street

DOT puts down the green paint on the new 13th Street bike lane (except for one mysterious spot)

9th Precinct community topics: Diablo Royale, bike lanes

I commend anyone who takes the time to attend the various community meetings... and Jill did so last night at the 9th Precinct's Monthly confab....

A few highlights via Blah Blog Blah:

• "There was a complaint about Diablo Royale, the crowds, noise and violations of their agreement to not use the backyard after 11pm."

• "There was discussion about the bike lanes on 1st and 2nd Avenues. The police explained that they are distributing pamphlets and issuing summons to everybody who isn't following the rules".

Lordy, we may have to issue rewards to anyone who receives one of these pamphlets... In fact, I may set my bike on fire while riding on the sidewalk up and down Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue just to get one...

Exclusive: Q-and-A with the bike that became an iconic symbol of the 2010 Holiday Blizzard

This photo by Mario Tama for Getty Images became one of the iconic shots of the Blizzard of Dec. 26, 2010.... Around the globe the shot — now known as The Shot — became associated with the devastating wallop that Mother Nature cruelly delivered the East Coast after Dec. 25...



The bike currently resides on Avenue C at Eighth Street...



We caught up with the rather ornery bike for a wide-ranging interview on everything from new-found celebrity to Forever 21.

There are thousands of bikes buried in the East Village right now. How did the photographer pick you?

I don't know, but I'm thankful for the exposure.

What does your owner have to say about the photo?

I haven't talked with her about it yet. I think she's stuck upstate with her sister. To be honest, I haven't seen her much lately.

I notice that you don't have a seat. What happened?

It went missing right after Germany beat Argentina in the World Cup this past summer. Some drunk guy with a German flag yanked it off and threw it across the street. He laughed and yelled "Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland! Deutschland!" [Pauses] I was in a bit of shock. A few minutes later, an ambulance went by and ran it over. I saw the manager from the laundromat clean it off the street and throw it away. I haven't been taken for a ride — so to speak — since then.

Where did you grow up?

The West Village. I liked it there, but my owner got married, and she turned to yoga instead. I ended up on Craigslist. It didn't help that her new husband is a neurologist. He is really over-protective. He even makes her wear a helmet while taking a shower. [Laughs] I heard her talking about it on the phone on the way to Gourmet Garage one day.

I didn't know that people still went to Gourmet Garage.

Tell me about it. She liked their instant meals. Not to mention their scallion egg salad.

So what do you think of this neighborhood?

Specifically Avenue C and Eighth Street? Or the East Village in general?

Avenue C and Eighth Street.

I think it represents the best of the neighborhood's rich history and diversity. You have all sorts of people living here — families who have been here for generations, newcomers, singles, newlyweds. And everyone seems to get along.

What's the worse part of living here?

Probably the weekend drink-and-drown brunch crowd at the Sunburnt Cow. These people from God-knows-where show up and get really smashed. They stagger away. When I had a seat, someone was always pausing here, putting cell phones or purses or iced skim lattes on me. And they all dress alike. You can only pull off Forever 21 for so long.

The Times declared Avenue C the next big thing back in 2005. From your vantage, what do you think?

There is a bit of carpetbaggery going on with some of the new upscale bars and restaurants, but I still haven't seen an influx in, say, Trek Speed Concept time trial bikes chained up along here.

I find it hard to believe anyone would chain up a bike like that outside.

You'd be amazed at what I've seen chained up.

What do you think of the city's new bike lanes?

Obviously I'm supportive of anything pro-bicycle. My owner likes them. I do take issue with the segregation. You have your bus lane, your bike lane. When will Bloomberg start calling the sidewalks the People Lane? Do you really want to walk on something so seemingly condescending? So it's no wonder that so many cyclists prefer to use the other parts of the streets.

What is your impression of NYC motorists?

That's an awfully broad question. In general, I dislike cars, especially rentals — the weekend warriors who get the Zip Car like once or twice a year. They're not [used to driving] on a regular basis, and they do stupid stuff, such as turn left from the far right-hand lane.

Favorite movie about cycling?

[Sighs] "Breaking Away." It's an unerringly accurate coming-of-age story about four discontented blue-collar young men spending their last summer of freedom in Bloomington, Indiana. They are unemployed and patronized by snobbish students....

I've seen it.

[Rudely] Please let me finish. "Breaking Away" is funny, deeply moving, painfully honest: at the end you feel good in a rather special way. Plus, I've always had a Dennis Quaid thing. He can sit on me any day.

Weird how the film's star, Dennis Christopher, just sort of disappeared.

True. I'm told that he gets steady work on TV, though. I don't see much TV. Which is likely a good thing considering there are so few good parts for bikes these days. I did see some of "American Chopper." Not bad.

Best thing about your new-found celebrity?

Some tourists looking for McSorley's have done some FlipCam stuff with me...

McSorley's? A little off the beaten path?

[Chuckles] Yeah, they said this guy in front of Ray's said that the bar is on Seventh Street and Avenue D. Anyway, the boys at the deli at Associated have brought me some egg-and-cheese sandwiches and rotisserie chickens. That's sweet, though I'd prefer some air and oil. And a seat.

CBS 2 finds that some bicyclists ride through red lights and stuff in the East Village

CBS 2 camped out in the East Village to find some outlaw bicyclists. And they did! It's Bike Bedlam! (Catchy!)

NEW YORK (CBS 2) – The NYPD is on a ticket blitz, giving cyclists more than 15,000 violations so far this year. Many pedestrians say it’s about time and fear the city’s push to get people pedaling has led to danger on the streets and sidewalks. Some have even dubbed it “bike bedlam.”

The Big Apple is racing to become the bike capital of the world and the Bloomberg administration has added more bike racks, paths and lanes.

However, as CBS 2’s Tony Aiello found out, spending a few minutes along the new bike lane on First Avenue makes clear that plenty of New Yorkers have little liking for the biking.

“It would be one thing if the bike riders obeyed the lights and things — they don’t,” Lower East Side resident Amber Rogers told Aiello.

In a recent 20 minute period at First Avenue and Sixth Street, CBS 2 counted 17 bike riders running red lights and more than two dozen riding the wrong way and against traffic.

There's video, but CBS embedded the wrong code....

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Creature for the tip.

StreetsBlog discussed some of CBS2's week-long report here.

A bike ride for a safer Avenue B-Clinton Street

Some local residents are coming together tomorrow (Monday!) morning to rally for a Safer Avenue B/Clinton Street for cyclists and pedestrians. 

As bike advocates have noted, too many vehicles are speeding on Clinton Street and blocking the bike lane.

Here are details about tomorrow via the EVG inbox... (and local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera is said to be joining the ride)...

Monday, May 24 at 7:30 a.m. Clinton Street and Grand Street, southwest corner next to the Citi Bike station. We'll ride up north on Clinton Street and continue on Avenue B. Stop in front of Councilmember Carlina Rivera's office on Fourth Street for a few words and then continue to the schools in time for the 8:30 a.m. start time Wear yellow shirts so we are visible. (School spirit shirts preferable.)

Advocates had previously asked for protected bike lanes on Avenue B.

In late April, City Council voted on the bill that Rivera introduced to make the Open Streets program permanent. (Mayor de Blasio later signed off on it.) 

Avenue B between Sixth Street and 14th Street is part of the Open Streets program, hosted locally by the Loisaida Open Streets Community Coalition.  

More signs of the 14th Street SBS lanes

The city continues to prep 14th Street for its expanded role during the L-train closure next spring. Last week the markings went down for the eastbound Select Bus Service (SBS) lane between First Avenue and Third Avenue...







The westbound lanes are already in place (as noted here).

Here are more details, per the MTA:

The M14 SBS will supplement existing M14A and M14D local bus service on 14th Street, making five stops in each direction between First and Tenth Avenues ... Just before the L train tunnel reconstruction project begins, the M14 SBS route will be extended east to the planned Stuyvesant Cove ferry terminal on the East River to accommodate ferry customers from Brooklyn. Once M14 SBS is implemented, combined with the existing 14th Street local bus service and daily high-occupancy vehicle restrictions on most of 14th Street from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., crosstown buses will be scheduled no more than two minutes apart during peak hours.

This SBS service launches on Sunday, April 21.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Nightmare scenario for residents who learn that 14th Street and Avenue A will be the main staging area for the L-train reconstruction

Prepping for the new protected bike lanes on 12th and 13th streets

Bike lane line work continues on 12th Street

1st signs of the 14th Street SBS lane

Report: Andy Byford talks L-train changes and next steps at CB3 committee meeting

Andy Byford, CEO of the New York City Transit Authority, attended CB3's Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee meeting last night for an L-train update.

As transportation reporter Aaron Gordon noted at Gothamist:

Byford only attends higher profile events like town halls and dispatches underlings to small community board meetings. But he told the roughly three dozen residents of CB3, which encompasses the Lower East Side from 14th Street to the Brooklyn Bridge, that he came in person because “I owe it to the community to come out and explain to you as best I can what we know about what has changed and to go through what hasn't changed.”

He outlined what Gov. Cuomo's new plan is... then went on to other topics, such as:

On the safety front, Byford is convening an engineering team, which he promises will be independent not just of the MTA but of New York politics, to review the new plan and ensure it does not jeopardize anyone’s safety. But he has not yet determined who will be the independent reviewers or when their report — which he promises to publicly release — will be done.

At the same time, his team at Transit will review how often the MTA can run L trains on nights and weekends when one of the two tubes is closed, what alternate service should be provided, and how best to communicate those changes to riders.

He reiterating throughout his talk that he will "not be steamrolled" by Cuomo's L-train desires.

About three dozen people were in attendance (there were rumors of Byford's appearance in the hours leading up the meeting). A few people asked questions:

Most of the questions focused on what would happen to the new bike lanes and 14th Street busway that had planned to ease commutes during a full L train shutdown. The bike lanes are entirely up to the Department of Transportation, said Byford, while the future of the 14th Street Select Bus Service will be a joint decision.

Read Gordon's full post at Gothamist via this link.

Mara's Homemade blames their closing, in part, on the East Village bike lanes

Word is getting out this afternoon (via Twitter and Eater, for starters) that Mara's Homemade, the Cajun eatery on East Sixth Street, is closing at the end of April.

Via a letter linked to on Twitter, they mention multiple factors for the closing.

But the reason for closing that might generate the most discussion?

We accepted a short term lease to give us time to re-locate or negotiate a longer term with our current landlord. Since that time, the BP explosion took place, bike lanes were installed on First and Second Avenues which reduced parking and the signs of future property tax increases have occurred.

Week in Grieview

[Haunted luggage at Cure Thrift Shop via Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

NYPD installs light tower on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street (Thursday)

New building plans revealed for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

Prepping for the new protected bike lanes on 12th and 13th streets (Wednesday ... Friday)

Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade is back on; new deal puts the pups in East River Park and on ESPN this Oct. 28 (Thursday)

St. Dymphna's closes after 24 years on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Kingsley remains dark on Avenue B (Thursday)

Trader Joe's: No current plans for grocery at 432-438 E. 14th St. (Friday)

Check out this week's NY See strip (Thursday)

Merakia owners swap out the Wayside for Greekito on 12th Street (Monday)


[Photo yesterday from 5th and A]

Diorama time again at the Ninth Street Community Garden & Park (Tuesday)

Councilmember Rivera introducing new bill to protect bike lanes in construction zones (Wednesday)

Black Emperor slated for 2nd Avenue (Monday)

The Tompkins Square Library hosting "A Look Back on the East Village of the 1980s" (Thursday)

Today's special: Milk Money Kitchens bringing food-consulting business to Avenue A (Tuesday)

Coffee probably for St. Mark's and 2nd Avenue, and the rent is still due at the former DF Mavens (Monday)

Lumos Kitchen now appears to be closed for good (Monday)

'Mediterranean fusion' for the former Sugar Cafe on Houston and Allen (Wednesday)

The Coffee Shop closed on Union Square, and what it might mean for NYC's restaurant biz (Tuesday)

Another look at Village Square Pizza, coming soon to Avenue A (Monday)

...and New Menu Item Alert via Peter Brownscombe at Ray's Candy Store, 113 Avenue A... the Nutella Banana Shake...





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Bike lanes on Avenue A

I had the same reaction to this as East Village Idiot: Where did these things come from -- seemingly overnight. I walked across Avenue A yesterday and there were...bike lanes...Went back for a few photos this morning.

Bike lanes cleared to make wrong-way bicycling safe again

Earlier today, city crews cleared the bike lanes on First and Second Avenues...





[Updated: I changed the original headline... was more inflammatory than I had intended... not to mention factually incorrect!...]

EVG Etc.: Dedicated bike lanes for Delancey Street; films about or involving Basquiat

[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

Report from NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer says that Airbnb has cost renters in New York City $616 million (The Real Deal)

Dedicated bus and bike lanes coming to Delancey (The Lo-Down)

Check out the schedule for Lower East Side History Month (Official site)

This series brings together a selection of films about or involving Basquiat (Anthology Film Archives) Also: Basquiat’s New York (Vulture) Also: Art collector sues Sotheby’s to stop sale of $30 million Basquiat painting (Daily News)

La MaMa to receive Tony Award for regional theater (Variety)

Should we be worried about the new ownership for Eisenberg's? (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Bruno Pizza on 13th Street serving pizza ice cream (New York Post)

Info on expanded ferry service along the East River (Town & Village)

Remembering the Ritz (pre-Webster Hall) on 11th Street (Off the Grid)

Back issues of Tribe magazine now available (A Gathering of Tribes)

Producer claims he was swindled out of millions by Jeff Koons and Larry Gagosian (New York Post)

Q&A with Danny Fields on "My Ramones" (Mother Jones)

Photo essay: Exploring the last dry docks in Brooklyn (Curbed)

The 10th annual Lower East Side Health and Wellness Fair & Walk-A-Thon is tomorrow... more details here.



...and returning yesterday for the fifth season...

@evgrieve COME ON pic.twitter.com/XtnQV8m0S8

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) May 3, 2018

Please do not attempt any of this in the new First Avenue bike lanes

The King of New York BMX competition rolled into Tompkins Square Park over the weekend...



Thanks to EV Grieve reader Steve for the photos...






And I hope that nobody gets any funny ideas now about the new First Avenue or Second Avenue bike lanes....