May 4, 2026 NEW YORK, NY The peaceful morning air at Verdi Square was shattered this Saturday as nearly 150 furious residents gathered for a singular purpose: to stop the city from turning their historic neighborhood into a high-speed transit corridor.
The fight centers on a bold—some say reckless—proposal by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to install protected crosstown bike lanes on West 72nd Street. The project would slash vehicle lanes in half, reducing the busy thoroughfare from four lanes to just two between Central Park West and Riverside Boulevard.
A Neighborhood Divided
Protestors brandished signs with messages like "Save Lives, Stop E-Bikes" and "Pause the Plan," citing a process they claim ignores the people who actually live and shop there. Organized by the 72nd St. Coalition of Residents and Businesses, the rally highlighted a growing fear that the Upper West Side is being sacrificed for the sake of "connectivity."
While DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn promises a "safe, seamless connection" between the Hudson River Greenway and Central Park, residents see a different reality.
"Robert Moses Redux"
The rhetoric at the rally was charged with historical weight. Resident Nora Singer didn't mince words, comparing the DOT’s aggressive tactics to one of New York’s most divisive figures.
"It reminds me of when Robert Moses came in and was destroying functional neighborhoods to build a Cross Bronx Expressway," Singer warned. "They’re planning to make it into a bicycle highway."
The Vulnerable at Risk
The most poignant concerns came from those who feel the most invisible: the elderly and the disabled. Kathryn Amira pointed out that two-way bike lanes create a "look both ways" nightmare for those with visual impairments or mobility issues.
Michelle Kaufman, 72, argued that the plan is fundamentally flawed. "The plan doesn’t provide for safe ways for people to get on and off a bus, to cross the street, or for trucks to deliver to the area," she noted.
The E-Bike "Wild West"
Perhaps the biggest elephant in the room is the explosion of e-bikes. Michael Bretholz, a father of three young children, shared a harrowing personal story of his son being hit by an e-bike traveling the wrong way.
"The situation with e-bikes in the city has gotten out of control," Bretholz said. "I’m a biker, but bike lanes don’t belong on W. 72nd St. It’s going to be a hazard for the disabled and families with babies."
