Statement: Central Park West Lawsuit Dismissed

Statement of Danny Harris, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, in response to the October 23 dismissal by Judge Lynn Kotler of a lawsuit which delayed the completion of Central Park West’s protected bike lane:

“New York County’s Supreme Court came down on the side of progress instead of paralysis for hard working New Yorkers seeking to travel by bike and bus. One after another, meritless lawsuits intended to hold up street redesigns that prioritize safety and efficiency instead of traffic are being dismissed, from 14th Street in Manhattan, to Fresh Pond Road in Queens, to Morris Park Avenue in the Bronx. 

The latest suit brought by the condo board of 25 Central Park West earlier this year has been dismissed, a suit intended to stop implementation of a life-saving protected bike lane, filed by residents who live just steps from where Madison Lyden was killed on Central Park West in 2018 due to unsafe cycling conditions. 

The court found that NYC DOT's plan for Central Park West was "rational". With yesterday's ruling, barring any successful appeal, the New York City Department of Transportation can extend the protected bike lane along the full length of Central Park West and provide safe passage to the thousands of cyclists who travel on this right of way.

In order to rise to the challenges our city faces, from chronic traffic congestion, inequitable transit options, and a public health crisis wrought by car and truck traffic, our city must continue to make rational transportation policy - prioritizing the movement of New Yorkers by walking, biking, and public transit.”