Three New Bike Corrals Coming Soon to the Upper West Side

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Lock it up. New York City’s Department of Transportation (DOT) confirmed to ILTUWS that the Upper West Side will soon get three more bike corrals installed across the neighborhood.

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Following the four-bike corral project currently underway in front of 234 Amsterdam Avenue, between West 70th and 71st Streets—supporting roughly 24 to 30 bicycles near the busy Sherman Square corridor, just outside the bustling McDonald’s—the DOT shared the following locations for the three incoming corrals, which they say “will be similar to the corral at Amsterdam and W. 70th St., but smaller, with fewer sleds.”

The northwest corner of Columbus Avenue and West 77th Street

Just steps from the Shake Shack that consistently sees heavy traffic from tourists visiting the American Museum of Natural History across the street, there’s also a steady stream of delivery riders coming through to pick up orders. Shake Shack turned the back of their upstairs dining room into a delivery pickup station during the pandemic, where riders can use the far door for easy handoffs.

Shake Shack also has two public bathrooms, which come in handy for delivery riders in a pinch. Back in 2021, mid-pandemic, the NYC City Council passed worker protection legislation (the Bathroom Bill) that fines restaurants $50 for a first offense and $100 for every subsequent infraction if they deny restroom access to riders. Shake Shack was never fined, has supported their riders, and offers quality facilities. The bike corrals are meant to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, making this spot a natural choice for a busy corner with a lot of moving parts.

Shake Shack gets so much traffic that, at times, the garbage bins outside along West 77th overflow, or the Bigbelly solar-powered trash compactor bins reach capacity and can’t open, leaving people to place refuse on top or on the street. The incoming corral will be a step in the right direction.

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The southeast corner of West 83rd Street and Columbus Avenue

Steps away from Tarallucci e Vino, Zingone Bros, and Lokal Mediterranean Kitchen.

This area gets especially busy in the warmer months when restaurant sheds are up. Having just come down after Thanksgiving, a DOT spokesperson said, “We expect to have the bike parking installed at the [mentioned] locations in the coming weeks, weather permitting.”

The bike corral should help next year, as this stretch can become hazardous when cyclists cut through while customers and staff navigate the outdoor dining areas. It’s also common for riders to leave bikes in the street — sometimes directly in the bike lane — thinking they’re making a quick pickup, but unintentionally blocking traffic and creating additional safety issues. A designated bike corral should help alleviate that problem.

Another area to watch is the stretch where Manny’s Bistro, Parm, and Pomodoro Rosso operate on Columbus Avenue between West 70th and 71st Streets.

The southeast corner of West 91st and Amsterdam Avenue

Right outside the Plaza Jewish Community Chapel, cyclists should expect smooth pedaling (or revving, for the e-bikers) into this bike corral, as a bike lane runs up Amsterdam Avenue here. “NYC DOT looks forward to adding in-demand bike parking on the Upper West Side, providing dedicated space for cyclists to store their bicycles and help keep sidewalks clear for pedestrians. NYC DOT will monitor all roadway bike parking locations and make adjustments as needed.”

Keep in mind: if you find bikes abandoned on a rack, it’s worth submitting a complaint to 311. You can also request to have a bike rack installed. As the city tests new ways to keep both residents and visitors happy, it will be interesting to see how these upcoming projects are maintained once they go live. We’ve even seen locals cut down abandoned bikes on their own to make room for those who need it. While we don’t endorse this method, we’re not necessarily opposed either—situation pending.

We’ll continue tracking these installations—including the Amsterdam Avenue and West 70th Street corral, where perimeter work began this week—which is slated for completion in late 2025 or early 2026, weather permitting.

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