Brooklyn Judge Halts Removal of Protected Bike Lane on Bedford Avenue

Strategic Insights -

A Brooklyn Supreme Court judge has temporarily halted the removal of a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue, a key stretch of road in Brooklyn that has been at the center of a contentious debate over street safety. Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the city from removing the protected bike lane until a hearing in August. The decision is a setback for Mayor Eric Adams, who had ordered the bike lane removed and replaced with a more traditional parking configuration.

The debate over the bike lane has been contentious, with some arguing that it has created safety hazards and others arguing that it is a vital component of street safety infrastructure. The city's transportation department had argued that the bike lane was necessary due to high crash rates and pedestrian fatalities on the stretch of road. However, local residents, including Hasidic residents of South Williamsburg and Bed-Stuy, have been vocal in their opposition to the bike lane.

Key Takeaways:

  • Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo issued a temporary restraining order halting the removal of the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue until a hearing in August.
  • The bike lane has been at the center of a contentious debate over street safety, with some arguing that it creates safety hazards while others see it as a vital component of infrastructure.
  • The city's transportation department had argued that the bike lane was necessary due to high crash rates and pedestrian fatalities on the stretch of road.
  • The decision is a setback for Mayor Eric Adams, who had ordered the bike lane removed and replaced with a more traditional parking configuration.
  • A viral video from last year showed a 3-year-old Orthodox Jewish girl being struck by an e-bike rider in the bike lane after she exited a double-parked car.
  • The bike lane was first installed in 2007 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but has been modified several times since.
  • Transportation Alternatives, an advocacy group, brought a lawsuit arguing that Mayor Adams had abused his discretion by ordering the bike lane removed.

Statistics:

  • Five pedestrian fatalities occurred on the stretch of Bedford Avenue between 2021 and 2022.
  • The city had planned to proceed with construction on the bike lane as soon as Wednesday night before the judge's order.
  • The stretch of Bedford Avenue between Willoughby and Flushing avenues has been the site of controversy over the bike lane.
  • The judge's order means that the bike lane will remain in place for now until the hearing in August.

Sources:

  • Gothamist: "Lawsuit Seeks to Block Mayor Adams from Removing Barriers in Bedford Avenue Bike Lane"
  • Gothamist: "Adams Orders Removal of Bike Lane Protection Along Stretch of Brooklyn's Bedford Avenue"