Comments on: Brooklyn CB1 Approves Bike Path in Place of Parking http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:12:44 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: williamsburg http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48297 williamsburg Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:09:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48297 Brooklyn Greenway Initiative Planning http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/s1main.htm Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Regional Plan Association (RPA) and the Bloomberg Administration are coordinating Phase 2 planning for the greenway in Community Boards 1, 2 and 6. Funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund and sponsored by Borough President Marty Markowitz, http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/s1main.htm Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

Planning

http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/s1main.htm

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Regional Plan Association (RPA) and the Bloomberg Administration are coordinating

Phase 2 planning for the greenway in Community Boards 1, 2 and 6. Funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund and sponsored by Borough President Marty Markowitz,

http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/s1main.htm

]]> By: Brooklyn Dad http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48296 Brooklyn Dad Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:23:44 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48296 As far as I know, Marty had nothing to do with this project. As far as I know, Marty had nothing to do with this project.

]]> By: williamsburg http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48295 williamsburg Sun, 13 Apr 2008 16:03:43 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48295 thanks for the Borough President Marty Markowitz for the bike lane thanks for the Borough President
Marty Markowitz for the bike lane

]]> By: Petals http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48283 Petals Sat, 12 Apr 2008 16:35:23 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48283 This is great!! I live in CB 1 but in the east section where the meeting took place. I couldn't talk but was one of those loud clappers at the meeting. I agree with Bicyclesonly that this is the best solution at the time. In Amsterdam, they have protected bikelanes and people seem to get along. And in the world of worstnesses I would rather be hit by a bicyclist than a car. Bravo to the Regional Planning people to do there homework and get this passed so overwhelmingly. Hmmm. I wonder who those two dissenters were... Can't wait to ride on it!! More protected bikelanes!! This is great!! I live in CB 1 but in the east section where the meeting took place. I couldn't talk but was one of those loud clappers at the meeting.

I agree with Bicyclesonly that this is the best solution at the time. In Amsterdam, they have protected bikelanes and people seem to get along. And in the world of worstnesses I would rather be hit by a bicyclist than a car.

Bravo to the Regional Planning people to do there homework and get this passed so overwhelmingly. Hmmm. I wonder who those two dissenters were...

Can't wait to ride on it!!

More protected bikelanes!!

]]> By: BicyclesOnly http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48267 BicyclesOnly Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:21:21 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48267 Andy, This setup looks alot like the West Side Greenway but (perhaps and hopefully ) without all the motor vehicle cross traffic. I agree that bicyclists put themselves in danger by "popping out" of the separated path into the motor vehicle traffic in unpredictable ways, but so do children or pedestrians who unexpectedly dart out into motor vehicle traffic. Purely on the descriptive and not the normative level, motor vehicles are dangerous and non-armored people have to use care in interacting with them. I see that as a fundamental flaw of our current transportation system, not of this particular greenway design. Andy,

This setup looks alot like the West Side Greenway but (perhaps and hopefully ) without all the motor vehicle cross traffic. I agree that bicyclists put themselves in danger by "popping out" of the separated path into the motor vehicle traffic in unpredictable ways, but so do children or pedestrians who unexpectedly dart out into motor vehicle traffic. Purely on the descriptive and not the normative level, motor vehicles are dangerous and non-armored people have to use care in interacting with them. I see that as a fundamental flaw of our current transportation system, not of this particular greenway design.

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48263 Andy B from Jersey Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:47:26 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48263 My hats off to the planners that were able to do some innovative wheeling and dealing to get this project moving ahaead. HOWEVER!! If this plan actually calls for two-way bicycle traffic to be on one side of an urban surface street, they are creating a very dangerous condition that could be statistically more dangerous than riding in the street. If it is as I suspect from the diagram above, this is like encouraging cyclists to ride in the wrong direction with the added danger of being hidden behind a planted buffer. Drivers will not expect cyclists to be "popping out" from behind this buffer at intersections particularly when they are headed in the "wrong direction". I've nearly crashed into cyclists numerous times while on my bike because I didn't expect them on the wrong side of the road and situational awareness on a bike is much better then it is in a car! I'm all for buffered bike lanes but I think something like this, if it is as I suspect is absolutely the wrong way to go! My hats off to the planners that were able to do some innovative wheeling and dealing to get this project moving ahaead.

HOWEVER!! If this plan actually calls for two-way bicycle traffic to be on one side of an urban surface street, they are creating a very dangerous condition that could be statistically more dangerous than riding in the street. If it is as I suspect from the diagram above, this is like encouraging cyclists to ride in the wrong direction with the added danger of being hidden behind a planted buffer. Drivers will not expect cyclists to be "popping out" from behind this buffer at intersections particularly when they are headed in the "wrong direction". I've nearly crashed into cyclists numerous times while on my bike because I didn't expect them on the wrong side of the road and situational awareness on a bike is much better then it is in a car!

I'm all for buffered bike lanes but I think something like this, if it is as I suspect is absolutely the wrong way to go!

]]> By: Lars http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48253 Lars Fri, 11 Apr 2008 20:58:04 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48253 39-2! Wow, what a great bunch of real community people must exist on that community board. 39-2! Wow, what a great bunch of real community people must exist on that community board.

]]> By: Steve http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48226 Steve Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:45:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48226 Awesome! I love more bike lanes, and Kent is crazy with truck in the morning or when I am coming home from work. Awesome! I love more bike lanes, and Kent is crazy with truck in the morning or when I am coming home from work.

]]> By: Milton Puryear http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48221 Milton Puryear Fri, 11 Apr 2008 16:50:25 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48221 Regional Plan Association played a major role in the planning effort that led to this outcome. Rob Freudenberg and Rob Pirani of RPA were indespensable partners. Regional Plan Association played a major role in the planning effort that led to this outcome. Rob Freudenberg and Rob Pirani of RPA were indespensable partners.

]]> By: mfs http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48171 mfs Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:23:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48171 I was one of the folks who spoke in favor of the Greenway and was surprised by the warm reception it got at the community board. Milton and the rest of the BGI gang did a really good job anticipating the objections and addressing them. I was one of the folks who spoke in favor of the Greenway and was surprised by the warm reception it got at the community board. Milton and the rest of the BGI gang did a really good job anticipating the objections and addressing them.

]]> By: dporpentine http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48167 dporpentine Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:38:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48167 That really is great news. I commute along Kent every day, and up by the BQE, it's hell--people cutting me off, schoolbuses passing within inches, you name it. This can't happen fast enough. That really is great news. I commute along Kent every day, and up by the BQE, it's hell--people cutting me off, schoolbuses passing within inches, you name it. This can't happen fast enough.

]]> By: Angus Grieve-Smith http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/comment-page-1/#comment-48150 Angus Grieve-Smith Thu, 10 Apr 2008 20:27:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/04/10/brooklyn-cb1-approves-bike-path-in-place-of-parking/#comment-48150 This is great news! Kent Avenue used to be part of my commute route between Park Slope and Rockefeller Center. It would have been so much nicer with this path. This is great news! Kent Avenue used to be part of my commute route between Park Slope and Rockefeller Center. It would have been so much nicer with this path.

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