72nd Street to get crosstown protected bike lane
72nd Street and Columbus before the redesign. Photo © Ondel Hylton
The city will install a crosstown protected bike route that runs the entire length of 72nd Street in Manhattan. The Department of Transportation (DOT) this week unveiled plans for a two-way protected bike lane from Riverside Drive to York Avenue, connecting the Upper West Side and Upper East Side through Central Park. The transportation committee of Manhattan Community Board 7 on Tuesday passed a resolution in support of the West 72nd Street redesign, which could begin later this spring. DOT will present plans for the east side of the street to Community Board 8 this fall.
Existing protected bike lanes on the Upper West Side run north and south on multiple avenues, but do not currently connect the neighborhood to Riverside Park or Central Park. Improving the “crosstown cycling connection” to Central Park was identified as part of a 2024 study of the park’s drives and circulation.
According to the city, the West 72nd Street protected bike lane would create a dedicated space for cyclists traveling east and west and “improve overall traffic safety without causing significant spillover traffic to neighboring streets.”
“Creating a protected, two-way bike lane on 72nd Street will finally deliver a safe, seamless crosstown connection between the Hudson River Greenway, Central Park, and the East Side Greenway—filling a major gap in Manhattan’s cycling network,” NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn said.
“Designs like this make our streets safer for everyone, whether you’re biking, walking, or driving. This proposal reflects our commitment to safer streets and meets the growing demand for cycling, making it easier for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities to get across Manhattan safely.”
Currently, West 72nd Street has four lanes of traffic and two lanes of parking. The project redesigns the street to allow for a nine-foot, two-way bike lane on the north side of the curb from Riverside Boulevard to Central Park West. This would require the repurposing of 27 parking spaces on the east side of Riverside Boulevard between 68th Street and 71st Street and the removal of 10 parking spots on West 72nd Street.
The project would also include painted curb extensions and improved visibility at intersections and add a new bus boarding island for the M72 to West 72nd Street and Central Park West.
During Tuesday’s meeting, DOT urban planner Patrick Kennedy said double parking is a big issue on this corridor, creating dangerous conditions for cyclists. If the travel lane is reduced to just one in each direction, the city believes this will prevent double parking.
The meeting drew a big crowd, with over 150 people signed up to testify. Several business owners expressed concern about the project’s effect on curb access for daily deliveries, and other residents said they did not feel adequately informed of the redesign.
Council Member Gale Brewer told Gothamist she received complaints from local businesses about the plan and is worried about people who need to access the Islamic Cultural Center at 72nd Street.
“There’s double parking, triple parking sometimes. I’ve personally spent hours trying to get the triple parking to go away,” Brewer told Gothamist. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a mosque, but there are people who come in to pray five times a day.”
DOT’s plan would require deliveries at designated loading zones, located in the parking lane. The city said it would also update curb regulations to encourage “turnover of parking spaces in high-demand areas.”
The community board had previously supported the two-way protected bike lane and passed a resolution in favor of the redesign in 2020.
The city could begin installation of the bike lane on the west side of 72nd Street in late spring or early summer of this year. DOT will present a similar plan to Community Board 8 in the fall of 2026.
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