Washington Avenue One Step Closer to Getting Bike Lanes, Other Changes

Washington Avenue is one step closer to getting bike lanes, and a whole lot of other changes too.

A plan to redo the busy thoroughfare by the city's Department of Transportation was unanimously approved but Community Board 8's Transportation Committee last night. The plan will go to the full board at the May 12 meeting.

The bike lanes are part of a by the DOT that also includes:

• creating loading zones from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in front of seven stores to keep trucks from blocking traffic and the new bike lanes (losing, for that period roughly 20 spots); 
• shortening four bus stops, which will add an extra four parking spots;
• adding some metered parking on the side streets and making many of the metered spots muni-metered spots, which allows for more parking, since the spots can be smaller; 
• adding more crosswalks and traffic islands to allow pedestrians to cross more safely;
• adding more trees and other landscaping similar to Vanderbilt Avenue and expanding Lowery Park at Pacific Street;
• Prohibiting left turns onto Washington Avenue from eastbound Atlantic Avenue. 

 See the NYC DOT’s powerpoint presentation on the plan here.  The work will be done in conjunction with .

Although Comminity Board 8's approval is advisorary, community members say the DOT has been taking their feedback seriously.

The DOT has already made several changes to the plan based on community feedback, including the shortening of the bus stops, the addition of metered spaces on the side streets and the addition of a third crosswalk at Lincoln Place, all at the suggestion of Mayday Hardware owner Jerry Walsh.