At the community board’s Public Feedback Meeting on Wednesday night, Crown Heights residents raised concerns about the proposed “Vision Zero Priority Corridors” that lays out plans to remove fifty-one parking spaces, add bike lanes, and convert some roads to one-way.
By Anash.org reporter
At the community board’s Public Feedback Meeting on Wednesday night, Crown Heights residents raised concerns about the proposed “Vision Zero Priority Corridors” that lays out plans to remove fifty-one parking spaces, add bike lanes, and convert some roads to one-way.
Residents pointed out at the meeting that by reducing lanes for cars, traffic would increase considerably, wasting away considerable amounts of parents’ time during the morning rush. Additionally, the traffic will hinder emergency service vehicles during calls, when every second counts in reaching the scene of an incident.
With the planned protected bike lanes adjacent to the pedestrian sidewalk intended to protect the safety of cyclists, residents discussed how this will endanger children exiting school buses, who would now need to cross a bike lane. Although the protected bike lanes will better protect cyclists, more vulnerable children will face extra dangers associated with needing to cross through a cyclist lane to get on or off their school buses.
Crown Heights community members then addressed issues with vehicles and cyclists, noting that existing bike lanes are not being enforced. Cars are often seen driving in the bike lanes, forcing cyclists to ride on the sidewalk, thereby endangering pedestrians. The residents asked the council to ensure that the existing bike lanes and sidewalks are properly enforced.
With sidewalks on some streets being very broad, a suggestion was made to convert part of the sidewalks into bike lanes, similar to the arrangement on Eastern Parkway’s main road.
Residents also noted that the study for the Vision Zero Priority Corridors in Crown Heights was conducted seven years ago in 2017, and significant commute changes can occur during that time. They expressed the need for a new study to show if benefits outweigh the consequences. The city council responded that they haven’t been able to conduct new surveys “due to Covid.”
Locals also criticized city officials for spending large amounts of taxpayer money on projects that might make only slight differences to the community—and even those benefits haven’t been proven to outweigh the consequences. They argued that the city needs to focus its resources on larger and more immediate problems like the uptick in crime and other needs.
VIDEO – Bike Lane hazard on Lee Ave in Williamsburg:
What is most surprising to me about this article is that neither the specific location being discussed nor the number of people injured in the last 10 years are mentioned. The number of parking spaces lost, however, features prominently in the first paragraph.
I sometimes bike through this neighborhood as part of my work day and am shocked at the way some drivers drive through this neighborhood. If I lived here, I would support all of the measures being proposed.
Finally, for those community members worried about their children getting off of the school bus…just as you’ve taught them to look both ways for oncoming automobile traffic, teach them to look for bikes. Better yet, teach them how to ride. Bike. It will serve them well in a city that is becoming more and more bike friendly.
Your comment is typical of the bikers that drive through our neighborhood.
Completely selfish.
School buses are dropping off children who are too young to bike to school, and are too young to look out for themselves.
The overwhelming majority of bikers don’t have the decency to stop when seeing the bus stopped with flashing lights. Hitting a child with a bike can cause severe bodily harm to the young children.
Besides, the crime here is so bad and unpunished that the parents don’t want their children going home alone.
The city is becoming bike friendly and crime friendly. It’s completely disregarding the valid concerns of it’s inhabitants.
You may not notice it, but bike lanes actually are way safer and reduce traffic as they take cars of the road and people would bike instead as they would feel safer biking. Also it gives kids more freedom as they can bike themselves to school, the parents don’t have to drive them anymore, so they also save time and gas money. Stats also show that traffic calming significantly reduces speeding and accident risk, making the streets safer. Look at the Netherlands, it’s incredibly safe to walk or bike there, and we can have it here too.
would you send your 4 year old to bike himself to school?
A 4 year old definitely shouldn’t bike alone at this age, but the parent could definitely get a kid bike trailer or a cargo bike, it’s comfortable, and study show they are more aware of their neighborhood’s landmarks than those who are driven to school, they also get fresh air too.
I’d ride to school with my 4-year-old if they were capable. I wouldn’t send them alone.
https://www.nyc.gov/assets/brooklyncb9/downloads/pdf/2024/brooklyn-ave-kingston-ave-empire-blvd-winthrop-st-jun2024.pdf – CB 9 Bike Lane Presentation –
https://www.nycstreetdesign.info/geometry/roadways-lanes – NYC DOT Design Guidelanes
If there is going to be a “Protected Bike Lane”, (with extra width), do not “hide” it between the sidewalk and the parked cars. ( CB 9 Bike Lane Presentation, p. 17 ) – this may work in Manhattan, but not on a one lane street where people run across.
You can have a “protected bike lane” between the traffic lane and parked cars, so said bike lane will be visible to kids.
While the placement of the bike lane between sidewalk and parked cars helps bikes more, children and other people who
now cross the street between corners will be put at risk.
Having a two way bike lane between Rutland and Winthrop on the one way streets of Brooklyn Av & Kingston is going to catch people off guard since a person’s eyes are looking for oncoming traffic on one direction on a one way street. p. 26 of CB 9 Bike Lane Pamphlet (above)
Children cannot judge moving objects the way adults can.
Organize – Ask Trump to cut Federal Funds of NYC DOT for endangering children with dangerous placing of protected bike-lanes.
Demand City Council Members Show up to any Board Vote on Bike Lanes.
Demand Mayor Eric Adams fire appointed anti-automobile NYC DOT Commissioner Ydannis Rodriguez.
Sincerely,
Member of the Kingsbrook Shul – In Exile by Order of One Brooklyn Health