DOT continues to make progress with the extension of the Columbus Avenue protected bike lane. Doug Gordon sent us these shots, taken this morning, of pedestrian island construction at 75th and 73rd Streets.

After gaining the support of Community Board 7, the lane is being extended north to 110th Street and south to 70th Street, where it will become a shared lane to 59th Street before linking up with the Ninth Avenue protected lane.

The first phase of the Columbus Avenue lane, from 96th Street to 77th Street, brought a 41 percent drop in injuries to pedestrians. Transportation Alternatives has mounted a campaign to improve bike and pedestrian safety on Amsterdam Avenue with a corresponding northbound protected route.