Curbed reported yesterday that a Manhattan Supreme Court judge dismissed 25 Central Park West board's motion, following its lawsuit against the city's Department of Transportation. It means the city can go forward to installing the path for now—until both parties are summoned back to court to discuss the lawsuit on August 20.

The board's lawsuit alleged that the department reached its conclusion to implement the bike lane “without a proper analysis or meaningful public participation as mandated by SEQRA [State Environmental Quality Review Act] and CEQR [City Environmental Quality Review].”

The suit also added that the bike path plan “would increase the bike lane an additional foot, to 6 feet, and add a 7-foot buffer, thereby completely eliminating the northbound (east-curb) parking lane –approximately 400 parking spaces by DOT’s own estimate.” It further claimed that disabled and elderly residents could be in danger while crossing the bike lane containing bicyclists who often disobey traffic rules.

The judge's decision came in the wake of the death of 30-year-old Em Samolewicz, who was killed by a tractor trailer while riding her bike in Sunset Park this past Monday. She was the 18th bicyclist killed in the city this year.

DOT spokesperson Scott Gastel was quoted in Curbed following the legal ruling: “We are grateful for the judge’s decision today that will allow us to move forward with a design that will transform Central Park West this summer, and make our streets safer for everyone.”

The proposed bike path would span from 59th Street to 110th Street.

David Chiu is an associate editor at The Cooperator.