The PPW Bike-Lane Lawsuit is a Reality
The lawsuit over the Prospect Park West bike lane that’s been threatened for about a month has now been filed, and it asserts that the city acted “arbitrarily” in installing the lane and that it should be removed. Streetsblog, which has a link so you can download the filing in its entirety (PDF here), says…
The lawsuit over the Prospect Park West bike lane that’s been threatened for about a month has now been filed, and it asserts that the city acted “arbitrarily” in installing the lane and that it should be removed. Streetsblog, which has a link so you can download the filing in its entirety (PDF here), says the following about the meat and potatoes of the suit: “It argues that DOT acted in an ‘arbitrary and capricious’ manner, with conclusions made irrationally or in bad faith. It argues that the bike lane did not properly go through the necessary processes given the landmarked status of the Park Slope neighborhood and Prospect Park. And finally, it argues that an environmental review was necessary to assess the impact of the lane on the historic character of the area.” The Times’ story on the lawsuit, meanwhile, notes the political connections of the group behind the filing, who have “close ties to Iris Weinshall, the city’s transportation commissioner from 2000 to 2007 and the wife of Senator Charles E. Schumer” and that they’ve “produced e-mail correspondence…[seeking] to portray…an effort by the Transportation Department to coordinate criticism of the lane’s opponents.” A DOT spokesman tells the newspaper that the data it has released on how the lane has made Prospect Park West safer is legit. The lawsuit names the DOT and, separately, its commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, as respondents.
Lawsuit Seeks to Erase Bike Lane in New York City [NY Times]
Opponents Sue City Over Prospect Park West Bike Lane [Streetsblog]
Lawsuit Filed Over Prospect Park West Bike Lane [PS Patch]
The fact that a former DOT head is leading the charge shows you what a leap forward Ms. Sidik-Khan’s thinking is. Senator Schumer your wife is a luddite, a philistine, and a loser on this one! You want to live on your own private park move to Gramercy buddy.
I can not believe that Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher filed this lawsuit on behalf of the plaintiffs!! I fully expected to find a plaintiff’s firm that I’d never heard of on the pleadings.
Oh, they could even make the road a 4-lane superhighway AND keep the bike lane. I don’t know why the NIMBYs aren’t calling for that! After all, all of the folks involved in the lawsuit have indoor parking. Don’t all of those parked cars ruin the “historic character”?
“Iris Weinshall, the city’s transportation commissioner from 2000 to 2007 and the wife of Senator Charles E. Schumer”
PPW residents, I believe.
This bike lane seems to work rather well, although I am not a fan of them in general (5th Ave bike lane in particular is dumb and blocks traffic on a busy street).
In fact I get irritated when cyclists *don’t* use the PPW one & insist on riding on the western side of PPW, often running lights all the way.
I know Louise Hainline professionally. I’ve lost A LOT of respect for her. I always thought she was a lot more than just a self-entitled, rich NIMBY with her head up her ass. But I guess not.
Wow its great to see that they are pushing to ban all traffic except for horse drawn carts, but maybe they could bring the trollies. Should also bring back the sheep that used to graze on the grass in the park too while they are at it.
All PS news should just be reported in the Onion at this point.
The bike lanes don’t effect me one way or the other, but I saw something recently that made me laugh. Car double parked (driver inside) on 9th Street. Biker comes down the street, gets off bike, squeezes between car and double parked car, gets back on bike, gives driver dirty look and rides off. Come on, I know its 9th street, but just go around the darn car. Sorry, but it cracked me up a little.
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers”.