Ikea Fights Red Hook Bike Lane
Can’t we all just get along? Today brings yet another bike controversy to the fore. This one’s in Red Hook, where Ikea has clearly calculated that it’s entrenched enough that it no longer has to play nice. The Swedish megastore is fighting a plan by the Department of Transportation that would eliminate one lane of…
Can’t we all just get along? Today brings yet another bike controversy to the fore. This one’s in Red Hook, where Ikea has clearly calculated that it’s entrenched enough that it no longer has to play nice. The Swedish megastore is fighting a plan by the Department of Transportation that would eliminate one lane of southbound car traffic in order to install a four-block long bike lane on Columbia Street from Bay Street onto Halleck and Beard. It seems dangerous to officially encourage bikes to the front of Ikea, store manager Mike Baker said at a Community Board 6 meeting on Thursday night. In addition, the retailer threatened to back away from certain promises it made back in 2008 as part of being allowed to open. “If the … traffic management elements constructed and funded by Ikea are going to be modified … then Ikea is not responsible for impacting or remedying the vehicular flow in Red Hook.” Noah Budnick from Transportation Alternatives raised the same question we have: Ikea has enough enemies as it is in that neighborhood, I don’t know why they would stand up and oppose a safety project.
Ikea to City: No Bike Lanes! [Brooklyn Paper]
IKEA Plays Hardball to Block Bike Lane [Gothamist]
Photo by bitchcakesny
I think we need a “slow” bike lane so folks with the tricked out 3-wheelers can do their profiling roll (ie I aint in no hurry going somewhere; just showing off the wheels here)
“The car/cyclist brawlers from the last few days should be exhausted by now.”
I don’t think so. I’m sure they have plenty of fight left. Which reminds me…is that Wimbledon match over?
It sounds to me like Ikea doesn’t want to keep the promises it made (whatever they were, I am sure they cost money) in order to get the zoning variances they needed and/or the tax breaks they got to build in Red Hook.
I have been riding my bike down there for years with no bike lane, the street is good enough. Plus all along Ikea is pavement to ride all along the water.
I ride for the enjoyment of excersiese and scenery, I am not into racing, just a nice relaxing liesurley ride. I do not need a bike lane.
the streets there are not really that busy that is not really that dangerous.
The car/cyclist brawlers from the last few days should be exhausted by now. (I have an image of an emergency room at 4:30 am filled with tired, hungover, wounded bar brawlers…..)
“I don’t know why they would stand up and oppose a safety project.â€
They believe it will cost them $.
“Seems my prediction has come true that Mr. B will now be posting a Bike Lane Thread of the Day as long as stories like this keep getting 200 comments a day.”
He knows it will make him $.
oh brother
The Eagle Bar, San Francisco….
http://gaybarsandclubs.com/images/CA/San%20Francisco/eagle%201%20l.jpg
I’ve been to a biker bar but never to a cyclist bar.