Poughkeepsie street converted into haven for bicycling enthusiasts

Market Street in the city of Poughkeepsie was turned into a temporary lane for bicyclists on Friday.

News 12 Staff

Aug 21, 2020, 10:41 PM

Updated 1,588 days ago

Share:

Market Street in the city of Poughkeepsie was turned into a temporary lane for bicyclists on Friday.
"To me, biking is the ultimate freedom," said Paul Hesse, Community Development Coordinator for the City of Poughkeepsie.
Hesse pushed for the bike path that rides through the hub of the city and Dutchess County.
"We're connecting the library, bringing people up to all the county services here. We got Alex's Restaurant, we got the Dunkin' Donuts here, we got the bus hub here," Hesse said.
The city worked with the group Parks and Trails New York to turn part of Market Street into a bicyclists' haven. The effort hopes to show that both bikers and drivers can coexist on Market Street safely.
"This road is very busy and very confusing with all the lanes. Cars zipping back and forth, so having a dedicated bike lane would make it much easier for bikes," said resident Bill Davies.
Parks and Trails talked to riders to see if the bike lane should be a permanent addition, especially as more people are looking for socially distant options.
"There's so many people out now using bikes, it's really made clear the need for safe bicycle infrastructure," said Parks and Trails New York's Dylan Carey.
For now, city, county and state officials support the new proposal. If the plan is a success, they will be free to do it again.