The battle over the Prospect Park West bike lane may finally be over, as a judge dismissed the legal challenge against the lane yesterday. Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Burt Bunyan said the plaintiffs filed their claim too late based on when the city installed the lane. The lane’s supporters did a victory lap in response to the news. Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan had this to say about the decision: “The plaintiffs have been dead wrong in their unsupported claims about the bike path and DOT’s practices…Merely not liking a change is no basis for a frivolous lawsuit to reverse it.” Meanwhile, Councilman Brad Lander said this in a statement: “I am proud of the community-driven process, through which neighborhood residents requested the bike path, suggested modifications, and approved the modified design this spring. Ever since the bike path was first proposed four years ago by Park Slope’s representatives on Community Board 6, this has been an inclusive, transparent, and community-driven process. While I respect those who do not like the bike lane, this is the way our government is supposed to work.” As the Times notes, the judge didn’t address claims that the DOT had presented misleading statistics to the public about the lane. So is this really the last we’ve heard from the project’s opponents? Not necessarily, according to the Observer: Jim Walden, the attorney for the groups suing the city, said in a statement that his clients will review the judge’s analysis and consider an appeal.
City Prevails in Prospect Park West Bike Lane Challenge [Observer]
City Wins Prospect Park West Bike Lane Suit [BK Paper]
Judge Rejects Groups’ Effort to Remove Bike Lane [NY Times]