What to Know
- New York City will now be adjusting some of their traffic lights to make it easier for bikes — not cars — to get around on city streets
- A stretch of roads in Boerum Hill will be designed for bikes going 10-15 mph to get green lights in a system called the "green wave"
- Drivers may not like it and could get frustrated as it will mean even traveling at 25 mph won’t be enough to get consistent green lights
New York City will now be adjusting some of their traffic lights to make it easier for bikes — not cars — to get around on city streets.
A stretch of roads in Boerum Hill in Brooklyn will be designed for bikes going between 10-15 mph to keep getting green lights in a system that is being called a “green wave.”
Drivers may not like it, and will likely get frustrated as it will mean even traveling at 25 mph won’t be enough to get those consistent green lights that perhaps they may be used to.
The synchronization of traffic lights is all part of a plan to help make city streets safer for bicyclists. This year, there have been 25 cyclist deaths across the city — compared to 10 in all of 2018.
On Wednesday, the city unveiled the 100th mile of protected bike lanes to be added to streets. Those who ride prefer the lanes that have a separation between them and the road, especially after the rash of tragedies many have seen recently.
The program for synchronized traffic lights is set to expand into other boroughs beginning next year in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood, as well as Sunnyside in Queens and Carroll Gardens in Brooklyn.
The city says the new system may slow down cars, but not enough to make a big difference.
