Lawsuit Over Central Park West Bike Lanes Heads Back To Court
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A hearing was held Tuesday on a lawsuit that's challenging a new protected bike lane along Central Park West.
Residents are outraged because the bike lane would eliminate 400 parking spaces between 59th Street and 110th Street.
"In this city where everyone is jaywalking, jayriding, jaydriving, I think the only way to keep people safe is a physical barrier," Columbus Circle resident and cyclist Robbie Goldberg told CBS2.
The 25 Central Park West condo board sued the city, saying the Department of Transportation violated state law by not completing an environmental review that would consider, among other things, the project's impact on traffic, parking and pedestrians.
"Look at all these cars. Where are they going to park?" wondered Upper West Side resident Steven Tufia.
"Oh that's just crazy. Where are these people going to park? They're going to circle around and around and around, just spewing out more carbon dioxide," said resident Mary Collins.
The city says an environmental review was not necessary.
The community board cited safety as its main concern when it passed the measure earlier this summer.
The current bike lane puts cyclists in the path of car doors and other obstacles that led to the death of Australian cyclist Madison Lyden last year.
City leaders say data shows cycling fatalities decrease when protected bike lanes are installed.
This is the second lawsuit in two months that used the environmental review as an argument against redesigning Central Park West.
The protected bike lane is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year.
Attorneys for 25 Central Park West asked a judge to temporarily stop work on the lane.