It is my opinion that organisations such as the do stuff like this just to see how much people want/value their services & are willing to fight to keep them. Kind of a sucky way to go about business, but it does get results.
These road diets have butchered Amsterdam Avenue now. Two lanes previously, cut back to one in either direction + bike lanes and a big-ass yellow zone in the center. SMFH. I was on the M60+SBS+ on Friday, it took us 15 min to get from Amsterdam/121 st to make the turn onto 125.