DOT
Nov. 3, 2016 By Hannah Wulkan
Local cyclists are taking a victory lap this weekend.
The Queens Bike Initiative is hosting a celebratory bike ride along the new 31st Avenue bike lane on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., running from Travers Park in Jackson Heights in to Corona.
The ride will begin at Travers Park at 78th Street and 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, and will then head down the new bike lane towards Astoria, eventually riding along Astoria Park.
The route will then circle back to Jackson Heights, where it will end with a celebratory brunch at La Gloria restaurant at 86-11 Northern Blvd. at 1 p.m.
The brunch will also serve as an opportunity to talk about future plans for the Queens Bike Initiative.
The new bike lane runs through Queens from the Astoria waterfront to Flushing Bay, though the ride this weekend will only tackle part of that stretch. The bike lane was proposed in March and painting began at the end of September.
The portion of the bike lane between 55th and 60th Streets was a point of contention with Community Board 1 during planning. The Community Board advocated for a detour off of 31st Avenue between those streets for safety concerns, but the DOT went ahead with the initial plan in September, keeping the path along 31st Avenue without a detour.
The ride is free and open to everyone, and participants can RSVP to ensure a spot at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/celebration-ride-astoria-and-east-elmhurst-tickets-28999562472
One Comment
Bike lanes suck