Lime Green Bike Lanes: Garish or Gorgeous?
The Department of Transportation is testing colors that would make bike lanes more visible to motorists, and they started with a strip of green in Brooklyn Heights on Henry Street between Clark and Montague. Folks are already debating this color choice on StreetsBlog, where some are calling it “Gorgeous!” and others are calling it…

The Department of Transportation is testing colors that would make bike lanes more visible to motorists, and they started with a strip of green in Brooklyn Heights on Henry Street between Clark and Montague. Folks are already debating this color choice on StreetsBlog, where some are calling it “Gorgeous!” and others are calling it “insane lime-neon green.” We’re all for bike safety, but we think that a more muted color could still stand out against the pavement and might be more appropriate for brownstone-lined blocks. Can somebody call Benjamin Moore and let him know that there’s a demand for street paint in the soft tones of his Historical Colors collection? KZ
High-Visibility Bike Lanes in Brooklyn [StreetsBlog]
Colorful Lane Could Keep Bikers Safer [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
Photo by McBrooklyn
none of the stonersnobs will ever come to a collective decision on a color, so….who F’in cares! Make it even greener!
(insert smiley face here)
>For example, can I ride a bike against traffic in a bike lane, or can I only go against traffic?
I really must want to go against the flow. I meant go WITH traffic of course.
Anyhow, I reiterate, since I am re- posting – we need education about these lanes.
I have never seen a bike rider receivng a ticket for riding on the sidewalk, riding the wrong way down a street, or not obeying a traffic signal. Every day I see motorists receving tickets for infractions much more minor than this. Obviously there is double standard at work. Why should bikers who ignore the law with no repurcussions be given their own lane?
Good point George. The bottom line is cyclists don’t have a safe way to bike in this city. The streets rarely have bike lanes and when they do there is often someone driving in it or double parked. It is a terrible city to cycle in. I’ve cycled in Amsterdam and Copenhagen, both of which have motorists, bikers and pedesetrians that obey the laws of the road as well as seperate lanes and lights for cyclists to boot.
Bloomberg should make a real push to make this city more bike friendly while focusing on awareness for all.
I am all for the bike lanes but this color might be a bit too much. Create all this historic districts and then this horror.
As a frequent pedestrian on Manhattan Bridge…most cyclist are Type A maniacs. Way too aggressive and fast and arrogant. Yes – there are those who are polite and cautious.
I’m a driver who’d like to ride a bike, and who’d like my kid to ride to school next week. I am very pro bike lanes, I think the green is a bad choice (I am a designer. I love that color, but it means nothing as far as the well known symbolism of street paint colors. White, yellow or even red would have more meaning. I understand the “Green = Go” and “Green = Soft warm eco fuzzy green” thing, but I think its misapplied). HOWEVER the biggest thing I want as both a driver, a biker and a pedestrian is some education. For example, can I ride a bike against traffic in a bike lane, or can I only go against traffic? Can I be ticketed for NOT stopping at traffic lights? As a driver, when I make a left turn, am I supposed to be in the traffic lane, or can I wait to turn in an unoccupied bike lane? If there is a bike lane, if there is a bike on the road which is NOT in the bike lane, could he/she be ticketed?
My major problem with bike lanes is that I don’t have a freaking CLUE how to use em. My daughter is a learners permit driving teen and NONE of the bike lane info was included in her exam or in any of the driving lessons she’s had.
So to sum up, visible is great, green is questionable, how the HELL are we supposed to know how to use bike lanes without some ongoing public education?
urbny, my point is that cyclists are not taken seriously by the police and seem to have a bad rep with drivers and pedestrians because of the bad behaviour of the majority.
All I’m saying is that if they start cleaning up their act then I bet you will start to see a change in attitudes for the better which will provide better long term results than contunuing to disobey laws.
BTW, what about 8th ave below 14th st and the fact that cars do avoid that lane?
looks like the ugly aftermath of a St. Patrick’s Day green beer-chugging contest.
i like the green. its very european.