As you may or may not have noticed, we write the occasional story or two about bike lanes here. But even we've never heard of "limo lanes." According to DNAInfo, the DOT announced a plan this week for a special zone for limousines and black cabs on Riverside Boulevard on the Upper West Side. But will our luxury motorcycle taxi service be able to use the limo lanes?
Riverside Boulevard runs from West 63rd Street to West 72nd Street on the far west side—all the subway and bus lines are a few blocks east. DOT's Manhattan Borough Commissioner Margaret Forgione unveiled the plan at Community Board 7 meeting earlier this week, saying the DOT could carve out eight spots along the Boulevard in front of Trump Place and Extell buildings, and reserve the space for town cars, limos and SUVs hired by high-powered executives.
The neighborhood is exclusively home to the very, very wealthy who can either afford their own car services, or whose companies pay for them; doormen say that black cabs double-park all over the street, and there is a "constant moving line" early in the morning. One of those double-parked drivers, Adolf Camacho, told DNAInfo that he thought the limo lane was a great idea, and gave some insights into the residents, which now includes Alex Rodriguez: Camacho said they're "just regular corporate people...The rich, rich, rich, they're not here anymore. They relocated after 9/11. East side people have a lot more money than these people. They tip a lot better."