Mayor

Williamsburg Bridge Access Expanded for Cyclists Ahead of L Train Shutdown

What to Know

  • Cyclists traveling to and from the Williamsburg Bridge will now have a safer travel route on the Lower East Side, according to NYC officials
  • Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday the official opening of a new two-way protected bike lane along Delancey Street
  • Delancey Street remains a focus of de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative to prevent traffic deaths and injuries around the five boroughs

Cyclists traveling to and from the Williamsburg Bridge will now have a safer travel route on the Lower East Side, according to city officials.

Mayor de Blasio announced Thursday the official opening of a new two-way protected bike lane along Delancey Street.

The new lane is expected to play a central role during the L train shutdown between Brooklyn and Manhattan given that the Williamsburg Bridge is the busiest for cyclists among all East River crossings with an average of 7,300 cyclists each day.

Estimates are that daily volumes will double or even triple during the 15-month L train tunnel closure since the city expects half of all L train riders to travel daily over the bridge by train, bus or bicycle.

“We are doing critical work now to help mitigate New Yorkers’ pain during the L train repairs,” said de Blasio in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of daily cyclists to the new protected bike lane down Delancey Street, which will be a key link in our transportation network when the L train tunnel shuts down.”

The new quarter-mile-long two-way bike lane closes a notable gap in the city’s Department of Transportation’s protected bike lane network in Lower Manhattan, according to the city.

By connecting the Williamsburg Bridge bike path with the Allen Street/1st Avenue/Pike Street lanes and the Chrystie Street/2nd Avenue protected lanes, new riders are expected to make safer and seamless connections to and from most of Manhattan, according to the city.

As part of the new bike lane project, DOT added a Jersey barrier to protect the lane along the south side of the median between Allen and Clinton Streets, as well as a first-of-its-kind “bike island” at the intersection of Allen and Delancey streets.

“Increasing access for cyclists will help make the Williamsburg Bridge a showpiece for how we can and will keep New Yorkers moving during next year’s challenging shutdown,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg.

Delancey Street remains a focus of de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative to prevent traffic deaths and injuries around the five boroughs.

According to the city, between 2012 and 2016, Delancey Street saw 24 serious traffic injuries and two fatalities, both pedestrians.

VIsion Zero includes protected bike lanes, which according to city officials, have proven to reduce crashes and increase street safety for all street users -- pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

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