PPW Bike Lanes Still Controversial
Surprise! The Prospect Park bike lanes are still stirring up controversy. Today the Brooklyn Paper reports that this PPW Bike Lane Survey started by Council members Steve Levin and Brad Lander got 800 responses on its first day. While the city has been analyzing traffic speed and accidents after the lane was put in, it…
Surprise! The Prospect Park bike lanes are still stirring up controversy. Today the Brooklyn Paper reports that this PPW Bike Lane Survey started by Council members Steve Levin and Brad Lander got 800 responses on its first day. While the city has been analyzing traffic speed and accidents after the lane was put in, it wants community feedback before deciding whether or not to make the bike lane permanent. Questions deal with safety and design modifications. (One question asks if the bike lanes should be more compatible with the historic character of PPW.) In the meantime, rival bike lane protests are planned for this Thursday morning – supporters will be at GAP with protesters at PPW and Carroll Street. Uh oh!
Survey Says PPW Bike Lane Still Very Controversial [BK Paper]
gem, you’re a dude?
I’m a resident and not fond of the bike lane. And I know I’m not alone in this sentiment. I understand the reality is the lanes are probably here to stay, not much anyone can do about it once City Hall makes up its mind. However, I would like to see the City actively enforce traffic rules for bikers and motorist alike. Still amazed when I see someone biking, texting and pedaling through a red light against the flow of traffic.
I have a bedroom and living room facing the park too and can assure you the honking has increased significantly in our experience.
I agree with Zinka – on PPW the bikelane and new configuration has made the traffic slower and better. Especially in contrast with the bike lane on DeKalb Ave. After it was introduced, along with the removal of a lane of parked cars, traffic speed on DeKalb hugely increased. There have been more accidents and more injuries than there ever were on DeKalb.
If the PPW method, with the bikelane hugging the sidewalk were coupled with parking on both sides of the street, an appropriate traffic speed might be achieved on DeKalb too. We also need more lights added on DeKalb.
It’s very interesting to me how different areas get different treatments regarding the bike lane implementation.
Where are all the “road rage drivers” on the new PPW? I don’t see them. And I don’t hear honking in my area of PPW at all. I honestly don’t know what people are talking about. (And like I said above, I have an apt — and a bedroom! — that faces directly on PPW/the bike lane.)
gemini10 should be forced out of his car and made to cycle for a month. Talk about overwrought and overblown.
The design of the lanes with cars buffering is wonderful. And as for car drivers boo-hooing about speed and blockages, drive on 4th av if you want to speed. 8th borders the park and is residential. Ideally it should’ve been made 2 way with 1 lane each way.
This traffic calming/bike lane project has made the street SO much calmer and safer for everyone. I think fuplease hit the nail on the head: the opponents are mostly people who want to zoom through the neighborhood faster than the speed limit with no respect for other life forms they might kill or maim along the way. Primarily those from other neighborhoods, aka “thru traffic”. We shouldn’t be designing our neighborhood streets around thru traffic!
Sweetlou – haaa – am surprised you even see people using their signals, I feel people have gotten so lazy with regards to the rules of the road. and I agree it’s drivers as well – but my problem is I have always had to look out for crappy drivers as a driver myself but now I have to look out for cyclists turning into my lane from the wrong direction which causes me to swerve as not to hit them- come on!
FUplease – I live in Park Slope and hate all the new bike lanes – I don’t mind 5th avenue having a bike lane – but where will it stop? Sorry, I don’t think the PPW bikes are a good idea at all. While it may have slowed down vehicular traffic – it now causes a logjam filled with road rage drivers, honking and trying to get through all the while cyclists are riding their lanes and the lanes to the right of the road as stated all willy-nilly.
Look – am not going to change your mind nor will you change mine – but I just feel cyclists now have to pay up and get properly insured and follow the rules and the city should enforce these rules!
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