Jersey barriers
June 8, 2015 By Christian Murray
The Department of Transportation will begin adding jersey barriers on Vernon Boulevard later this month as a means to protect bicyclists from motorists.
The jersey barriers represent another step by the DOT to provide a smooth bicycle connection between 46th Avenue to 30th Road. The connection links the parks in Long Island City with Astoria.
The bike lanes on Vernon Blvd were redesigned in 2013, when the DOT created a two-way protected bike lane running along the west side of the street. A buffer of 5 feet– between cars and cyclists–was included.
However, the DOT said that the agency had received feedback since its 2013 redesign that some cyclists want more protection that the existing buffer provides. The DOT said some motorists use the bike lanes to turn their vehicles around or will park there illegally.
Therefore, the DOT is putting up jersey barriers where the 5-foot buffers are currently located. The DOT will not be placing the barriers across the entire strip—just in certain locations.
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Vernon Blvd What’s Happening Here Flyer by QueensPost
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2 Comments
There are now three lanes exclusively dedicated to the incidental bikers, and only two lanes for the thousands of trucks, buses and cars that traverse Vernon Blvd every hour. It’s unconscionable. The traffic can snarl for blocks. Will the car haters at the DoT ever be replaced by people who believe that cars are necessary to millions of New Yorkers who do not live in Manhattan or Downtown Brooklyn?
I drive the Vernon strip every day and can attest to selfish, unsafe, moronic drivers doing anything and everything in the bike lanes, except riding bikes. Motor cyclists are also to blame for using those lanes to speed up their commuting. I drive every day, but I ride a bike and respect the rules. Why cannot everyone?