A bus accident near the George Washington Bridge has sparked a debate over a bike lane's impact on road safety for larger vehicles. According to ABC7 NY, last Tuesday, an MTA bus jumped the curb, injuring four people. This incident occurred at the notorious exit ramp near the Cross Bronx Expressway and University Avenue, intensifying scrutiny on the protected bike lane's compatibility with heavy traffic.
Commuters have voiced concerns that the bike lane constriction leaves inadequate room for buses and trucks, with Jay Johnson expressing frustration to ABC7 NY, "The whole system of these lanes is terrible, this is a major thoroughfare going to the bridge they got it cut down from 3 lanes to 1." In contrast, bike lane defenders assert its safety for daily passage. Miguel Garcia, a frequent cyclist, informed ABC7 NY, "That is the best thing that ever happened here. There's no way that that bike lane have anything to do with it. You could stay here watching 50 buses a day or whatever they all cross with no problem."
An earlier incident on the same exit ramp involved a bus crashing through a barrier in 2021, leading to heightened warnings. Despite these accidents, the MTA reassured the public regarding the safety of the area. A statement obtained by ABC7 NY from MTA said, "MTA buses have made 2.3 million trips turning through that intersection over the last four years. While the chance of an accident occurring there is extremely low, the MTA takes the safety of passengers and employees seriously and as with every accident, is conducting a thorough review to determine the cause."
News 12's coverage of the topic revealed additional incidents where vehicles clashed with the divider, and a commuter referred to as Carlos mentioned to News 12, "It's hard for them to make a right." After the recent accident, repairs were made to the divider fence and barriers, a process that News 12 crews observed on-site. Luis, a cyclist, highlighted the importance of the bike lane and proposed a redesign that accommodates all by telling News 12, "Now we have the e-bikes... A lot of people are doing deliveries back and forth. We certainly needed that."
