West 72nd Street once functioned as a tree-lined boulevard linking Central Park and Riverside Drive. Today the corridor has crowded sidewalks with little shade or seating, cars parked along both curbs, four underused travel lanes, frequent bus activity, rampant double parking, U-turns, and cyclists lacking safe space. A proposed 2024 vision aims to speed buses with a busway that allows local vehicle access while preventing through traffic, improve deliveries with designated zones, and repurpose curb space for non-parking uses such as trash containerization and outdoor dining. The plan also calls for a two-way protected bike lane, wider sidewalks, benches, and trees. The DOT redesign includes many of these elements, especially bus rider priority, updated curb and delivery access, and park connectivity.
"In 2024 we proposed a vision for the corridor that took all these conditions into account and invited the public to imagine a street that worked for everyone. Picture a 14th Street-style busway that speeds buses by allowing local vehicular traffic but prohibiting through traffic; delivery zones that help goods and services reach residents and businesses efficiently without cars and trucks blocking the street; and a curb lane that makes room for myriad non-parking uses, like trash containerization and outdoor dining."
"But even a passing glance tells you all you need to know: crowded sidewalks with no seating and little shade, parked cars lining both curbs, four underutilized travel lanes, numerous buses, rampant double parking, frequent U-turns, and cyclists navigating through it all with no safe place of their own."
"Add to that a two-way protected bike lane that echoes the usability and feel of the popular greenways this street already connects, plus wider sidewalks, benches, and trees, so pedestrians can stroll and linger in comfort. The DOT's plan for West 72nd Street has many elements of our vision, if not the full ambition."
"It prioritizes bus riders with new platforms and in-lane boarding. It addresses delivery and curb access needs by revising outdated parking regulations, and it connects the parks with what would be the Upper We"
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