Seen/Scene in NYC: Transit & Road Improvements Begin

Shortly after the City of New York and the DOT announced game-changing bus and bike lanes running along First and Second Avenues, DOT got right to work on them. Forgetting the fact that they are truly not and will never be "surface subways" as the bureaucrats put it (due to the bus lanes not being physically separated, problems will arise when cars, trucks, and yes, even emergency vehicles park or stand in it,) lanes have been popping up over the past few weeks. On Second Avenue (with a better redesign of "bus bulbs" on Broadway as well) and First Avenue.

I got my first-hand look Tuesday along First Avenue: for the several minutes or so walking South along 1st it looked as if most vehicles were respecting the new bus, bike and parking lanes.  But only time (and NYPD enforcement or mockery of) will tell.

Update 7/21/10: The problem with the Second avenue bus lane is that is adjacent to the curb, which means that trucks park there to load/unload. This is a clear difference from 1st Ave, where the bus lane is adjacent to a parking lane.

Here's some pics!

Clear view of new bike lanes at 1st and E 9th (looking South):

DOT Contractors painting bus lane along 1st Avenue:


DOT Contractors installing pedestrian refuge island at 1st and Houston:


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