Politics & Government

A New Take on the Prospect Park West Bike Lanes: Compromise

Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes and Seniors for Safety have said a one-way bike lane would be acceptable.

Two community groups that have lobbied for the removal of the controversial Prospect Park West bike lane are now saying singing a different tune: compromise.

Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes and Seniors for Safety today reiterated their demands for a redesign of the Prospect Park West bike lane. In a statement the groups wrote that while they would prefer to move the lanes within Prospect Park West, they would settle for changing the current two-way, parking-protected lane to a simple one-way bike lane headed south on Prospect Park West with the direction of traffic.

They noted that Brooklyn Community Board 6 originally approved a one-way bike lane for the boulevard back in 2007, along with a northbound lane for Eighth Avenue.

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The groups, which include high-powered members such as former Sanitation Commissioner Norman Steisel and Iris Weinshal, former Transportation Commissioner and wife of Senator Charles Schumer, have threatened taking the bike lane debate , but said they hope it doesn’t come to that.

Jim Walden, a partner at the firm Gibson Dunn and legal counsel to both groups, said that they are seeking a meeting with the Department of Transportation within the next two weeks to discuss concerns about the lanes.

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“We hope that this meeting, which we requested months ago, will begin a constructive dialogue with the City and ensure the transparent, good-faith process that all New Yorkers deserve. We seek compromise,” said Walden. “Much has been said about a potential legal action; we hope not to be forced to bring one.”

Aaron Naparstek, a co-founder of Park Slope Neighbors and an advocate for the lanes, pointed out that one of the most useful features of the bike lane has been the northbound half, which allows cyclists to easily head down the park against traffic without using the Prospect Park West sidewalk or Eighth Avenue.

“The redesign of PPW is the result of years of community process involving input from every major stakeholder group. Community decisions like these aren't negotiated via press releases under threat of law suit,” said Naparstek in an E-mail.

"Not only is the northbound lane of the bike path critical, it is the only safe, protected place to ride northbound in the entire neighborhood, and the only northbound bike lane of any kind east of Fifth Avenue," added Eric McClure, also a co-founder of Park Slope Neighbors.

NBBL and Seniors for Safety have long charged that the two-way lane is dangerous, and have a city study showing that the lane has improved safety on Prospect Park West, claiming that some of the city’s data is incorrect.

“Pedestrians are first required to cross multiple lanes of one-way moving traffic.  They must then cross the floating lane of parked cars, which separates the roadway from the bike lane.  The floating parking lane obstructs pedestrians' view of the two-way bicycle traffic ahead, requiring them to walk blindly into the lanes to reach Prospect Park.  This configuration is especially dangerous for senior citizens, disabled persons, and parents with small children,” said Czerny Auyang, a member of NBBL, in the statement.

They have also argued that removing one lane of traffic to accommodate the bike lanes has increased traffic, honking and air pollution.

In addition the two groups lauded the recent passage of three bills that aim to report bike and pedestrian accidents for the first time.

According to NBBL and Seniors for Safety, the kind of legislation is exactly what was missing when the Prospect Park West bike lane was installed.

“I think this is a win for everyone,” said Lois Carswell, President of Seniors for Safety, in the statement.  “For some time now, we’ve been asking for this kind of transparency about the safety of the bike lane on Prospect Park West, and the information hasn’t been forthcoming.” 


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