Safety concerns over revamped Riverside Park bike path

Concerns over safety for both cyclists and pedestrians led to the installation of a new designated bike path in Riverside Park. However, even with the new path in place, some cyclists are saying the new measures haven’t done much to make it safer.

Cyclists and pedestrians used to share a long, flat stretch next to the Hudson River between West 72nd and West 83rd streets, but now they are directed to different lanes.

“In the couple months since this has been open, I’ve had more near misses up here than in probably ten or fifteen years riding over there,” one cyclist told FOX 5 NY. “It’s crazy because what they did is that they decided that it was best to move bike traffic away from the pedestrians there, but pedestrians are here too.”

Cyclists say the new bike lane is too steep with too many blind spots and that walkers are still using the bike lane. Meanwhile, runners and walkers say that cyclists are still using pedestrian paths and going far too fast.