Thank you for submitting this request. The City will begin constructed protected bike lanes along Merseles St between Pacific Ave and Columbus Dr tomorrow (6/30). The following project on schedule to be constructed is a protected bike lane along Montgomery St connecting the existing bike lanes on Bergen Ave to Merseles St. Bike lanes along Newark Ave between Palisade Ave and 7th St are currently under consideration, but this project requires major concrete work. The focus of the City at the moment is to construct as many bike lane miles as quickly as possible along roadways that require minimal concrete work, removal of parking spaces, etc as these factors may delay construction. However, with the proposed schedule outlined above, a protected route would be provided from JSQ to Downtown this summer via Bergen Ave, Montgomery Ave, Merseles St to either Columbus Dr or to Grand St via Pacific Ave.

Thank you. It's great those streets are getting bike lanes, but Newark Ave needs one too. As a resident of Hilltop, I use the stretch of Newark Ave between Pavonia and 7th all the time, to walk my kids to and from school at PS 5 and to bike Downtown. Cars zip down Newark Ave at speeds far past the speed limit. This is partly because Newark Ave is very wide on this stretch, with no stop signs, intersections, bike lanes, or parking to narrow the street or calm traffic so users treat it like a highway.

This makes it dangerous for pedestrians including schoolchildren and other pedestrians walking on the southern sidewalk, because cars at these speeds can jump the curb and hit them. It is also dangerous for bikers trying to follow the law and take the street. As a result, many bikers go on the sidewalk, creating an even more hazardous situation for pedestrians.

So, as great as the Montgomery/Merseles route is, Newark Ave deserves and needs one too.

This issue was recategorized from Traffic/Pedestrian Safety Study Requests to Pedestrian Safety Study Request.

RESOLVED