POUGHKEEPSIE – The City of Poughkeepsie, in collaboration with Parks and Trails New York, will create a two-way bicycle lane along Market Street and Civic Center Plaza in the heart of downtown Poughkeepsie on Friday, August 21.
Using temporary materials to separate bicycle traffic from car traffic, the bicycle lane will extend along Market Street and Civic Center Plaza from Church Street to Mansion Street.
The bike lanes will run on the western side of Market Street and Civic Center Plaza, closing one driving lane and also a parking lane on Market Street. There will still be two northbound travel lanes for cars through this corridor, but Civic Center Plaza will be closed to southbound traffic between Mansion and Mill Streets for the day. The temporary changes will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
According to the city, The project’s aim is to demonstrate how separated bicycle lanes could function along the corridor and create safer conditions for bicyclists. Market Street and Civic Center Plaza is an important north-south transportation corridor, particularly for car, bus, and pedestrian traffic, bringing thousands of employees and visitors daily.
The demonstration project will provide city staff the opportunity to observe behaviors and traffic patterns as well as engage with the public about the concept.
“We’ve seen a steady increase in bicycle use in the City of Poughkeepsie over the last several years,” said Paul Hesse, city community development coordinator. “A bicycle lane along Market Street makes an enormous amount of sense when you consider the connections it would provide, from residential areas on the city’s south side to the commercial center and to the Walkway Over the Hudson and points north. We are trying to provide a vision for what a safe, interconnected transportation system can be here in Poughkeepsie, and bicycle lanes are an important part of a well-functioning transportation network.”
The city is conducting a survey, geared towards potential users of the bike lane. The survey can be found here.
