Tuesday, June 2, 2009

DOT will cause "mayhem" to accommodate bike lane

From Brooklyn Paper:

The city unveiled its latest Kent Avenue bike lane plan — this time seeking to bring peace to warring bicyclists, motorists and business owners — but Williamsburg’s inland residents claim the new proposal only makes matters worse.

As a result, some inland Williamsburg residents — a new group of opponents in the tumultuous conflict over the bike lanes — fear that Wythe Avenue would become a big-rig highway.

“It’s mayhem!” said Williamsburg activist Stephanie Eisenberg, who was one of many residents at the crowded meeting to claim that truck traffic is a major quality of life concern in North Brooklyn. “With all of these new residential communities, how are you going to reactivate a truck route?”

“If the bike lanes are the tipping point, you should get rid of one of them,” she added.

Grand Street resident Tim Main agreed.

“Kent Avenue is a natural thoroughfare,” said Main, who called for two-way traffic on Kent and a one-way bike lane. “Closing it down to traffic in one direction would be like closing the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in one direction.”

16 comments:

georgetheatheist said...

I always use Kent Avenue to the Brooklyn Bridge when there's a traffic snafu on the Kosciuszko. On a recent venture, there wasn't one bicyclist on the path. Zip-zip-zip, lickidy split to Brooklyn!

Anonymous said...

The bicyclist path on Kent ave. really was a bad idea, not only is it dangerous for the bikers because of the cars and trucks speeding but it also takes away street parking from residents in an alterinate side parking area. Th mayor wants people not to drive in the city but he makes it impossible for finding parking. Go figure? Is he being green or is he just looking for green in tickets?

Anonymous said...

Oooh boo-hoo truck traffic is too loud for you Williamsburger? Well guess how your six dollar latte got to NYC.

Anonymous said...

Who complained about truck noise?

P.S. The "activist" types tend not to be hipsters. And hipsters tend not to drink $6 lattes.

Brooks of Sheffield said...

I'm getting good and tired of petty, selfish New Yorkers complaining about new bike lanes. Whatever the problems, they're a step in the right direction. We need fewer cars, less congestion and less pollution. Whoever complains would do better to go out, trade in their car and buy a bike.

Anonymous said...

Oh...but the "yupsters" interests come before everyone else's!

Oh...and "Brooks", my dear....do you know how many bike accidents (fatal and otherwise) that cyclists suffer each year in NYC?

Get real lass! We need less motor vehicles on the streets but this is not going to work. It's just some more PR mayoral fluff.

In Europe trucks make heavy deliveries at night...BY LAW!

THAT CUTS CONGESTION!

let's do it here!

P.S.
Mayor Mike doesn't ride a bike.
His limo drops him off at his subway stop (ha, ha)!

linda said...

I don't totally agree with delivery done at night. I hated when they changed the time on some construction work on hways for the night and what did i get from it? my husband was killed. I think people should start using more transit and leave the delivery for the days. If less people didn't commute to work then we wouldn't be bitching about the traffic. I also hated not having my husband with his family in the evening, that's the time your suppose to be together as a family. No one could really appreciate how I feel unless they lost their soul mate and best friend, so if you want to "GO GREEN" and do more stop driving all together durning the day, use transit.

elkue said...

wahhhh! wahhhh!

Anonymous said...

The hasids of Williamsburg have seen it all.

They stayed in spite of Robert Moses' ugly BQE, the urban renewal of the 50s, the decay of the '70s, and gentrification of the '90s. They will outlast Bloomberg and Sadik-Khan's bikes-at-any-price plans.

linda said...

ratherbebiking: i really hope your not being rude to me, and if you are i really hope you never have to live through what my my family has. My opinion was on working at night! not enough people use the bike lanes and it's a waste outside manhattan. it causes less parking, retail stores are affected by it and most of the community doesn't want it. I think it's a joke to see these people riding around like clowns just to piss off the community, someone should of knock one off their bike.

elkue said...

Linda

Yes, it was rude, sorry. But bike lanes that are present during the day and improve safety for cyclists and encourage more to start commuting are also going to be there at night, when ofcourse there are less cyclists using them. I often ride out to Queens at night, and the few bike lanes I use make the commute safer and more enjoyable then when they used to not be there. I think you're a joke if you want someone to assault someone who is riding their bike in protest of, well, complaints against the lane for religious reasons.

Anonymous said...

I'm getting good and tired of petty, selfish New Yorkers complaining about new bike lanes.

WELCOME TO THE BIG CITY SONNY. YOU ARE NOT IN FARGO ANY MORE. NYERS ARE NOT MIDWESTERNS. WE BITCH. WE MOAN. WE MAKE OUR OPINIONS KNOWN.

Whatever the problems, they're a step in the right direction.

OH? I THINK THEY ARE A MISTAKE. YOU ARE NEUTRALIZED.

We need fewer cars, less congestion and less pollution.

HOW ABOUT NOT INVITING A MILLION PEOPLE HERE? YOU BIKE NUTS, WHO SOLD OUT TO BLUMTURD NEVER GO THERE DO YOU?

Whoever complains would do better to go out, trade in their car and buy a bike.

HOW ABOUT WALKING, TAKING A BUS OR SUBWAY, OR BRINGING BACK STREETCARS?

Anonymous said...

In Europe trucks make heavy deliveries at night...BY LAW!

THAT CUTS CONGESTION!
----

that also would keep me awake at night asshole.

Anonymous said...

"Linda" dear...I'm talking about night time deliveries in COMMERCIAL ZONES with big trucks and 18 wheel semi-trailers!

Do you live right next door to Home Depot, Staples, Macy's, etc. in Manhattan?

If you're a light sleeper try Melatonin available in the vitamin department.

Anonymous said...

"Anon #7":

Please remove your head, so you can park your car up your ass and use public transit...you sphincter!

How come they don't loose sleep in Europe?

Because the timing of night time delivers takes all that into account!

I think our society is on the decline if you're a prime example of what passes for an American!

linda said...

wow, first of all LINDA doesn't live in manhattan, and i thought about it,night deliveries... yes it would affect our community. stop and shop is 24 hrs. and if this would pass as law, then the malls would have to be open for deliveries and i'm not far away. do you really think the MANHATTAN folks want to hear trucks coming through the city, especially the crap roads they have! people should use transit, leave the cars at home when going to work. then deliveries can be done properly.