Business owners in a historically industrial area of Long Island City, Queens are expressing strong opposition to a planned bike lane, citing safety concerns for both cyclists and truck drivers. The proposed bike path would connect the Pulaski and Kosciuszko bridges along Borden, Starr, and Review avenues, a notoriously congested sector known as Blissville.
Local industries argue that the cyclist route will create dangerous conditions in an area already struggling with heavy truck traffic and chronic double-parking issues. Matthew Dienstag, co-owner of LeNoble Lumber, compared the situation to putting a bike lane on a highway, stating, “Not every street is safe for a bike lane. You wouldn’t put a bike lane down the middle of the LIE. It’s just not safe. And this is similar.”
The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to carve out up to 15 feet from Review Avenue’s existing 52-foot roadway to accommodate the two-way cycling path and buffer zone. This reduction would leave approximately 22 feet for moving traffic, a change that business owners claim they cannot afford.
Michael Diamond of J&S Supply Corp, a 75-year-old insulation and roofing distributor, expressed frustration with the city’s approach, saying, “It’s like, ‘This is what we’re doing, we don’t give a s–t.’ Excuse my French.”
Despite these concerns, the city is moving forward with the project, citing safety statistics and community requests. In the past five years, five people, including two cyclists, have been killed on local roads, with over 170 others injured. City Councilwoman Julie Won emphasized the need for action, stating, “We need to do everything we can to ensure we don’t lose another life to a preventable death.”
Business owners warn that the bike lane could lead to more accidents involving trucks maneuvering in and out of warehouses. They also fear for cyclists’ safety, given the heavy vehicular traffic in the area. During a one-hour observation, only four cyclists were seen using Review Avenue, with one opting for the sidewalk instead of the street.
The DOT maintains that it has conducted a thorough study of the project zone from both cycling and freight truck perspectives. Agency spokesperson Vincent Barone stated, “This route fills a critical gap in our bike lane network and will go a long way towards supporting cycling ridership, which has increased dramatically in the area over recent years.”
Local business leaders claim their concerns have been ignored despite participating in a project walk-through with DOT representatives. In response, 32 business owners have signed a petition asking the DOT to pause — not stop — the project before construction begins this fall.
The situation highlights the ongoing tension between the city’s efforts to promote cycling and improve safety, and the needs of long-standing industrial businesses in the area. While the DOT argues that the bike lane will address excessive speeding and improve safety for all road users, business owners fear it will create new hazards and disrupt their operations.
As the fall construction date approaches, the debate continues over whether this industrial stretch of Long Island City can safely accommodate both cyclists and the heavy trucks that have long defined its character. The outcome of this project may set a precedent for how the city balances competing interests in its quest to expand cycling infrastructure across New York’s diverse neighborhoods.