The Department of Transportation is finally installing jersey barriers on Northern Boulevard, a long anticipated step in the transformation of the notoriously dangerous road connecting Bayside and Douglaston.

The concrete dividers will physically separate cyclists and pedestrians from car traffic, which will make walking, biking and driving on Northern safer and more pleasant for everyone.

The trucks full of jersey barriers arrived on Friday and DOT spent the day installing them. As of Sunday afternoon, the dividers were in place between Douglaston Parkway and the Alley Pond Golf Center. This is only a small fraction of the corridor from Douglaston Parkway to 223rd Street.

DOT resumed work on Monday morning and we hope it will conclude swiftly. Where the barriers are not in place yet, we saw a few confused drivers wander into the unprotected section of the bike lane. We recommend cycling cautiously until the barriers are fully installed.

We’ve observed DOT’s progress over the last three weeks, as they gradually implemented the planned redesign.

The agency began stenciling in the new two-way protected bike lane on Friday, Sept. 15. We even watched a DOT truck strip away the paint from the old lanes, to make way for the new configuration.

DOT painted the new lanes, added bike lane decals, and enhanced the crosswalks.

The bike lane features intermittent blocks of green paint, typically in and around the unprotected sections, where there are breaks in the barriers. DOT indicates gaps with sharrows and dotted lines.

We also admired the new and expanded crosswalks at the Cross Island Parkway on and off ramps, which will make walking here safer for pedestrians.

The cool, crisp October weather is perfect for biking, running, and walking. The popular path along the Cross Island Parkway, Joe Michael’s Mile, is closed for renovations, but the views of Alley Creek from Northern are still stunning.

Once the barriers are fully installed, all the way to 223rd Street, and construction wraps up, Peak Bikes in Douglaston will host a ribbon cutting ceremony. Stay tuned for updates and details!