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]
^^ i read the weiner quote on a blog 😛
for those of you who spend too much time on blogs and facebook to actually read a newspaper, Anthony Weiner (D-NY) said that the fist thing he would do if elected mayor of NYC would be to demolish the %#&$%# Bloomberg bike lanes.
“The Times did a study of the arena traffic several years ago and showed major gridlock for miles in every direction. It doesn’t take a large uptick in total traffic volume to generate problems. ”
You mean like all the “studies” that said Ikea in Red Hook would cause gridlock, or the Lowes in Gowanus, etc, etc, etc.
BTW – please link/cite this ‘study’
greenwoodgeneral – sorry I don’t agree – evenings and early mornings are not heavy congestion periods and cars (and bikes!)are running along at pretty good speeds still in my experience. I go to work at 7AM and walk my dog in the evenings. When crossing PPW at those times I’m still very watchful of speeding vehicles and if anything am more concerned about watching for faster bikes on the path ways that don’t have lights….(still on sidewalks too..not so fast as on the path but that is the same as before).
“The current set up certainly impacts the “historic character of the area.” The DOT should get rid of all bike and car lanes and limit PPW to horses and animal-drawn carts.”
Actually, bicycles would be historically consistent with the PPW architecture as long as the men wore suits and bowlers, the women wore big ruffly dresses and easter bonnets, and the bikes had those enormous front wheels.
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do . . .
Crossing PPW is worlds safer now- particularly evenings/early mornings when people used to cruise down at 100MPH. Suggest that the residents of PPW get used to this change. Surely the critical mass folks could think of some funny ways to drive the point home to Marty, Schumer, and others.
I do not think Weiner was making a joke. He was lining up future votes.
TY – I miss the bus enormously! Better Bus Routes…count me in.
I don’t go to the OT anymore… I can’t keep up and I’ve been really busy. (Though my posting today may suggest otherwise.) So, if I go there it’s usually progressed by 80 comments since the last time I looked. My little brain can’t handle it.