Closing Bell: New Bike Lane and Parking Cuts on Dekalb
We were pleased as punch to notice the new bike lane addition on Dekalb Avenue. There has been one for a while between Cumberland and Ashland–the new addition now extends the lane from Cumberland well up into Fort Greene. (Anyone know exactly how far it goes?) While this is great news, we got an email…
We were pleased as punch to notice the new bike lane addition on Dekalb Avenue. There has been one for a while between Cumberland and Ashland–the new addition now extends the lane from Cumberland well up into Fort Greene. (Anyone know exactly how far it goes?) While this is great news, we got an email from a resident of Dekalb describing a perhaps unintended consequence of a simultaneous elimination of parking on the north side of Dekalb between Hall and Adelphi streets.
This parking restriction, (“No Standing 7 am – 10 am 4 pm – 7 pm”) may not have resulted in the desired outcome: Traffic on these tree lined brownstone blocks of DeKalb Ave. has speeded up to what appears to be 50 MPH, traveling in three unimpeded lanes. Cars drive in the newly painted bike lane at high speed until they encounter a bicyclist and merge back in. The new B38 Limited bus also barrels up the far right hand lane of DeKalb Ave. at a substantially increased speed. While the intent MAY have been lane reduction and traffic calming, this has had just the opposite effect. There appears to be MORE automobile traffic on Dekalb, moving much faster using all three lanes. Cars in the bus lane – just 10 feet from my front door – are traveling at what seems to be 50 miles an hour or more. During rush hour, it’s like living on the Belt Parkway.
Have others noticed this as well?
I agreed w/many of the posts here, dekalb ave’s speed have def. increased recently. The speeding cars are so loud that it keeps me and my 8 month old awake at nights. I have to close the windows just to reduce the noise.
A pedestrian was hit by an SUV, a few weeks ago, on the corner of Dekalb and Washington. Hopefully, no one will have to loose their life before the speeding is addressed!
But fat greasy locals and black people NEED their cars don’t you understand! They’re just being practical driving 5 blocks and double parking to get to Dunkin Donuts.
When will they make a cab lane?
I agree with you 4:44. Why expect cars to obey traffic rules if bicyclists don’t? This morning I was using the bike lane on Bergen and someone ahead of me was on the right side of the street, not using the bike lane. He is putting himself and other cyclists in danger.
As I ride my bike around the city, I find it hysterical that people have more respect for material things (ie their cars and others cars) rather than human life (ie, a pediestrian or a person on a bike).
I, personally, cannot wait until until gas hits $7 to $10 a gallon. Finally, smaller cars and less of them on the street. Maybe then people will realize that bicycles aren’t the problem here.
I haven’t seen much hostility towards bicyclists in this thread at all. It’s about too many cars going too fast.
I DO have a question for frequent cyclists though – today, I saw a young family, mom, dad and baby in a seat on bikes dodging WITH A KID UNDER TWO YEARS OLD in and out of traffic, totally ignoring the bike lane. I don’t get it.
If the bike lane is intended to keep bikers safe, it seems to me as if this same family could value their kid enough to wait a beat, cross the street with the light in order to travel in the bike lane instead of weaving in and out of speeding cars.
I guess you had to be there.
Wow, so much hostility towards bikers here! (I get the same thing in real life each day I commute to Manhattan on my bike from Brooklyn). Bikers and bike lanes are not the problem here–it’s our over-dependence on cars, and the sense of entitlement that drivers have.
This bike lane make my commute from Bushwick to Dumbo so damn pleasant. I ride the entire length of it every day. My ride is much faster and safer than it was last summer.
It seems like car traffic backs up around Dekalb & Classon, near the police station, but this is because the road narrows even more (the cop cars often park over the bike lane, but I think they’ve stopped… which I really appreciate)… And there are more stop in this area lights.