Upper East Side: 59 St to 77 St - Weekday, Evening

Where:  Upper East Side, 1^st Ave from 59 St to 77 St

Time: Between 6:47 pm and 8:01 pm

Date: December 4, 2012

I walked from 59^th St to 76^th St and then observed for about an hour at 1^st Ave and 77^th St.

I noticed the ridership between 6:37 and 7:09 pm was less than November 4^th (Sunday) during daytime.  At the commercial areas, most bicycles were chained (I supposed there were not many deliveries at that time) and there were no bikes at all at the parking spaces on blocks with fewer restaurants.  After 7:10 pm the ridership of people coming from work increased but the delivery bicycle ridership remained stable.

I witnessed a few cyclists running red lights, bicyclists going the wrong way, and pedestrians walking on the bicycle corridor.   However, at 72^nd St there was a bicyclist waiting for the bike traffic signal and obeyed it; it was a nice surprise.  On the same corner, I saw a black car blocking the bike passageway and cyclists had to pass it on the right endangering their lives by invading the car lanes.  That vehicle would not move and stayed there for a few minutes.

Since the bicycle lane traffic marks starts fading at 72^nd St., it becomes very dangerous; only experienced riders of 1^st Ave would know there is a bike path.  At 76^th St, there is no traffic sign that indicates there is a bike corridor but at 77^th St the traffic sign pattern starts again and the traffic marks start to look clear; however the path is not highlighted in green, there are only white marks indicating the corridor and it’s not easily noticeable at night.   

Many bicycles waiting to be used

No restaurants around? no bicycles around...

The zebra protects car riders and bicyclist from each other:
There's enough space to safely ride a bicycle or opening a car door

Going the wrong way

Since there's no enough bicycle parking, traffic signs will serve the purpose

Pedestrians on the bike corridor

From left to right: a ciclyst going the wrong way, pedestrians on the path, and a bicyclist riding on the zebra

Corner of 1st Ave and 72 St

Bicyclist crossed when the bike signal allowed him, please notice the signal on the left

Black car on the bicycle corridor and in the way of bicyclists

Bicycle signal at 72 St

Bicycle signal at 72 St

Traffic sign is not noticeable from the sidewalk, is it noticeable from the street?

Black car dropping people off and in the way of bicyclists

No bicycle traffic sign at 76 St

Bike traffic signs start again at E 77 St