The Vermeer !— 7th Ave & 14th Street—

& !the 7th Ave Bike Lane

For Community Board 4 Transportation Committee Feb. 21, 2018

The Vermeer!77 7th Ave

!

• One of the few large apartment buildings with a front entrance on 7th Ave • Over 350 apartments

• 2 retail stores on 7th Ave • Residents include elderly,

those with disabilities and families with children

Problem: With the

new bike lane, a bicyclist

sees a straightaway

from 15th to14th Street

But Vermeer residents

must cross the bike lane to: • get into cabs

• enter & exit school buses

• load & unload cars

An example: An elderly resident is seen crossing the bike lane to enter a cab

And, visibility up 7th Avenue is hindered by delivery trucks

!

• Delivery vehicles often park illegally —

• Which means residents and staff must step into traffic to hail cabs

This limited visibility due to large vehicles is a frequent occurrence

So, in reality, the straightaway seen by bicyclists actually includes

a heavily used crosswalk

The problem is compounded by lack of

appropriate signage

• Bicyclists are given no indication that pedestrians will cross the bike path in front of the Vermeer

• Vehicles have no legal place to stop because of recently installed “No Stopping” signs at the building’s entrance

This affects all residents, but especially those with

limited mobility• A Vermeer resident has filed a grievance against

the City of NY about the bicycle lane, alleging:

• (1) discrimination against persons with disabilities based on the Americans with Disabilities Act and

• (2) violations of the NYC Human Rights Code and the NYS Human Rights Law

And, we have a concern for the future:

• Traffic changes on 14th Street caused by the L Train shutdown will further limit access of vehicles to the Vermeer

Solutions?• Modify the bike lane to improve safety

• Examples in next slides from 5th, 6th and 8th avenues and the Hudson River Greenway

• Provide a standing or loading zone

• Improve lighting

• Move bike lane outside the parking lane

• Move bike lane across 7th Ave

Example #1: Stop-and-go light on 5th Ave for pedestrian crossing

• Location: 5th Ave., mid-block between 24th and 23rd streets

• On 7th Ave., the light should be synchronized with the light at 14th Street

Example #2: Stop-and-go light on Hudson Greenway for pedestrians and cars

• Location: Hudson River Bikeway, at Houston Street

Example #3: Yield signs on Hudson Greenway for bikes

• Location: Houston Street & Pier 40

Example #4: Pavement Markings and Signage on 6th Ave

• Location: Eventi Hotel on 6th Ave. at 29th St., looking north

• Note marked loading zone for a vehicle

Example #5: Pavement Markings and Signage on 8th Ave

• Location: New Yorker Hotel on 8th Ave. at 34th St., looking north

• Note marked loading zone for a vehicle

Example #6: Loading zone on 7th Ave

• Location: 7th Ave., between 16th and 15th Streets

Thank you for your attention. !

We look forward to modifications that will improve safety for all.