The 4.2 mile bike lane on 73rd Avenue from Main Street to 230th Street has a 1.2 mile gap from 199th Street to Springfield Boulevard. The current path connected to a variety of other cycling infrastructure, including the Kew Garden bike lanes, the Eastern Queens Greenway, and the recently installed Alley Edge. Unfortunately this gap leaves cyclists with no protection in some of the most dangerous sections, at the Clearview Expressway and at Bell Boulevard. Luckily Assemblywoman Nily Rozic made the request to fill in this gap to NYC Department of Transportation Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia on July 25, 2019. Her full request to protect her constituents is listed here:

I am writing to request improvements to the 73rd Avenue bike lane in Fresh Meadows. Going from west to east, the 73rd Avenue bike lane currently starts on Main Street and ends at 199th Street then becomes a bike lane again from Springfield Boulevard to 230th Street. I am requesting that the gap between 199th Street to Springfield Boulevard be converted into a bike lane. For riders coming from Main Street who want to connect to Alley Pond Park through 73rd Avenue, making the entire avenue one comprehensive bike lane would create a safer route for cyclists.

In September 2011 Community Board 11’s Transportation Committee approved the request to extend the bike lane from Francis Lewis Boulevard to 230th Street (which includes the stretch from 199th Street to Springfield Boulevard). The board surveyed the businesses that would be affected by a new lane and only one merchant responded negatively. Filling the gap that currently separates bikers from a safer form of travel is consistent with DOT’s goal of creating more dedicated paths for cyclists. Additionally, when DOT repaves the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway, riders will most likely be detoured to this section of 73rd Street, therefore, making this lane even more necessary for conversion.

With the Community Board’s support and the current and future need of this improvement, I hope you will consider approving this request. I look forward to hearing your response and as always, please feel free to contact my office at 718-870-0241 with any other questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Nily Rozic

Also, mark your calendars for a free helmet giveaway sponsored by Barry Grodenchik, Grace Meng, John Liu, and Nily Rozic. The event will be held on Sunday October 20th from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM at the Farm Playground at:

73rd Avenue and 196th Street

Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

Thank you to NYC DoT, Bike New York and all our great politicians, especially Nily Rozic, for their support of cyclist safety in Eastern Queens.