Clinton Street Protected Bike Lane Returns After Two-Month Hiatus

The two-way bike lane had vanished between Grand Street and East Broadway after DOT repaved the street at the end of November.

The Clinton Street bike lane is back at last. Photo: Jon Orcutt
The Clinton Street bike lane is back at last. Photo: Jon Orcutt

After two confusing months, Clinton Street finally got its two-way protected bike lane back this week.

DOT repaved Clinton Street and East Broadway on the Lower East Side on November 30. But when temperatures drop, the street markings stop. The thermoplast that DOT uses for crosswalks and bike lane markings doesn’t adhere well to asphalt in the cold. So this block of Clinton lost its bike lane in early December.

This block is an important connection to the Williamsburg Bridge. DOT could have set off space for biking with temporary barriers while the cold set in, but through December and January, it remained without a functional bike lane:

A before-and-after shot of Clinton Street with and without street markings.
A before-and-after shot of Clinton Street with and without street markings.

That changed last week, we’re guessing because a warm spell hit the city. After an adjustment period where people had to re-learn not to park in the bike lane, it seems to be functioning properly again.

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