Cyclists will be banned from the West St. bike path between Chambers and W. Thames Sts. starting as soon as this week.
Rather than traveling straight along the West Side Highway, cyclists will have to follow a circuitous route through Battery Park City that includes the esplanade, South End Ave. and River Terrace.
The detour will be in place through early spring 2010 to accommodate construction projects in Battery Park City, the state Dept. of Transportation said.
The last time state D.O.T. wanted cyclists not to ride on the West St. bike path, the agency put up signs telling cyclists to dismount and walk their bikes along the path, rather than giving them a detour to follow. The dismount signs were widely ignored and there was little enforcement.
Asked how the D.O.T. will enforce the planned detour, State D.O.T. spokesperson Adam Levine said the agency is discussing the issue internally and will speak to officials with the N.Y.P.D. and the city Transportation Dept. soon.
Levine added that the bike path change was put into place very quickly, so that the state’s West St. work north of Vesey St. would stay on schedule.
