Comments on: Alan Gerson Wants Greater “Review” of DOT Bike Safety Plans

By: Ian Turner

Ian Turner — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 21:15:16 +0000

Capn, a great start would be to make community boards elected rather than appointed. There's no real reason for them to be appointed positions in the first place.

By: Cap'n Transit

Cap'n Transit — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:26:34 +0000

I'll just say I think we'd all agree that the current Community Board process is broken, but exactly what to do with it is a different story.

Let's hear some suggestions! London has elected borough councils; Paris has elected borough councils and mayors; Montreal has elected borough mayors who also function as city councilmembers.

The borough president elections tend not to be very democratic: how long was Howard Golden BP of Brooklyn before term limits? Has there been any turnover in BPs since the 2001 term limit? Are there any competitive races for BP expected next year? Therefore, community board members appointed by BPs are doubly undemocratic. There's gotta be a better way.

By: J

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:53:00 +0000

Paul, thanks for your input, and I definitely appreciate Councilman Gerson's vote for Bikes in the Buildings. I would also like to see what kind of review Councilman Gerson is asking for. I guess my concern is that it took so long to get these types of measures installed in the first place. When the sidewalks were narrowed and streets widened there was no review process. Why is there suddenly one now, that the streets are being used more equitably?

If there is a new review process, it better be VERY comprehensive. Naturally, the people who shout the loudest are those opposed to a project, not those in favor. I would like to know how your review plan accounts for this very very wide discrepancy, without unnecessarily delaying these long overdue projects. Thanks.

By: Streetsman

Streetsman — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:22:36 +0000

Thanks for responding Paul - clearly we took the liberty of jumping to conclusions. I'll just say I think we'd all agree that the current Community Board process is broken, but exactly what to do with it is a different story.

By: Doc Barnett

Doc Barnett — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:30:23 +0000

Bus bumps? Sniff. They're called bus bulbs and are kind of buffer, like this obstructionist bill you're trying to write with your lawyers, for the auto traffic that mows down two New Yorkers a week.

By: Urbanis

Urbanis — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:08:54 +0000

This sounds to me like an attempt to prevent a progressive DOT from implementing livable streets improvements by bogging them down in a "review process" by more conservative (read car-centric) bodies. Witness the fiasco in SF with environmental impact statements used to thwart new bicycle infrastructure.

By: Paul Nagle

Paul Nagle — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:25:22 +0000

I am Gerson's Director of Communications. First - Gerson is an avid supporter of the Bikes in Buildings Bill and will vote for it tomorrow. Second - there will not be a DOT "bike lane" bill introduced by Gerson tomorrow. Gerson is working on a bill with lawyers to create a better process of review for both Council and Community input into street reconfigurations, which can, but don't necessarily, include bike lanes. In our district alone this bill would refer to the "bus bumps" on Lower Broadway, the "stripes" on Rutgers Street, the Grand Street traffic islands and the Chatham Square reconfiguration. This last fiasco has the community up in arms, as DOT came to the CB3 hearing last week and basically announced no major changes to the plan could be made no matter what the community said at the hearing.

By: Ian Turner

Ian Turner — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:55:16 +0000

Streetsman, I think it would be worthwhile to put this text into a letter to the councilman. The letter would be best sent from someone resident in Gerson's own district, (see map). Anyone care to volunteer? Mr. Gerson's district includes one of the parts of Manhattan best suited to bicycling, namely the area East of Clinton and South of Delancey.

By: Streetsman

Streetsman — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:36:11 +0000

First there was the 1997 Bicycle Mater Plan, laying out where the bicycle network would go. Then there was the 2006 commitment by DOT to install 200 miles of bike lanes in three years, based on that plan. Then there was PlaNYC transportation initiative #9, called "Promote Cycling," with the bullet point of completing the 1,800-mile bicycle master plan. Then the DOT released their 2008 Strategic Plan promising to do just that, and also to install 15 miles of protected bike lanes in two years and to double the percentage of commuting by bicycle in 7 years. And unless I'm mistaken every bike lane installed has been reviewed by the affected community board at least once, though generally two or three times. My point is if you're a local politician and you feel like you haven't had a chance to "review" DOT's bike infrastructure plans, then you obviously just haven't been paying enough attention the last 11 years.

By: Barnard

Barnard — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:27:10 +0000

You can look up Gerson's number here:
http://council.nyc.gov/d1/html/members/home.shtml

Don't just post here. Let him know you don't like his legislation (and you love the Grand Street protected bike lane and he should fight for similar bike lanes on Houston and Delancey and...)

By: Eric McClure

Eric McClure — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 23:32:02 +0000

Gerson should go lay down on the Brooklyn Bridge with Marty Markowitz to prevent the installation of E-Z Pass readers and license-plate cameras. Viva the automobile. Pray for your SUV!

By: LN

LN — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:30:54 +0000

Will that law finally actually put a protected bike lane ON Houston Street? Cause I don't see those politicians standing there protecting me when I ride across it.

By: somebody

somebody — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:09:50 +0000

ah, when it comes to the various downtown bike lanes, who has not been a hypocrite or downright turncoat??!!

SHAME!

By: DaDude

DaDude — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:05:37 +0000

http://getridofgerson.blogspot.com/

By: Urbanis

Urbanis — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:56:26 +0000

First he rallies for a protected bike lane on Houston Street and then he attempts to block the development of new bike lanes? What a hypocrite!

By: J

Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:52:06 +0000

Yes, 20.8% own cars, and 5% commute with them. However, that isn't what the argument is about. The Little Italy Store owner probably drives to the store and some of his customers drive too. The question is how many, and what effect the bike lanes have on those customers.

A big problem I've been seeing is that the new bike lanes are being installed, first during a spike in gas prices and now during a recession. Business is down, but rather than blame the economy, retailers blame the new bike lane outside. If bike lanes are installed when the economy is booming and gas is cheap, will businesses cite the lanes as the cause of their success?

By: Walking CITIZEN

Walking CITIZEN — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:36:22 +0000

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NO MORE BIKE LANES IN NYC !!!!!

Bike Lanes serve ONLY the FEW and NOT the masses.

What we need is BETTER MASS TRANSIT !!!

In addition:

- bike lanes, barriers, dividers, etc. are a waste of money and space.
- the problem is bikers want to have their cake and eat it too.
- they want bike lanes, but they also want to ride with traffic.
- they also want to be FREE from obeying traffic regulations.

******************************

THE FUTURE:

Buses / Streetcars / SUBWAYS / elevated Magna-Mono-Rail

THE PAST:

Bikes are the past. Bikes are the past. Bikes are the past.
Bikes are the past. Bikes are the past. Bikes are the past.

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Don't bend to special interest groups (bike riders).

“IF” bike lanes are FORCED upon the good citizens of NYC -
- and “IF” the bicyclists want OUR respect ....
then the bicyclists MUST follow the rules of the road.
Until they do ... they DO NOT deserve a bike lane!

1) Bicyclists MUST stop at redlights.
2) Bicyclists MUST yield to pedestrians.
3) Bicyclists MUST obey oneway streets.
4, 5, 6, ) Etc., Etc., Etc.

******************************
******************************

Bicyclists must also:

7) PAY TRANSPORTATION and INFRASTRUCTURE TAX
LICENSE AND REGISTRATION FEES
9) WEAR HELMETS AT ALL TIMES
10) HAVE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS
11) Have a BELL but use ONLY in an EMERGENCY
12) CARRY "PROOF" OF INSURANCE
13,14,15) ETC ETC ETC

******************************
******************************

In addition:

16) Bicyclists MUST signal when turning and stopping
17) Bicyclists MUST ride with both hands on the wheel
..... (unless they are signaling a turn)
18) Bicyclists MUST NOT read or talk on their cells while moving
19, 20, 21) ETC, ETC, ETC

******************************
******************************

Check out the latest Bike Lane Folly in Little Italy, Chinatown and SoHo:
http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7887058&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1
http://sohopolitics.blogspot.com/2008/11/mean-streets-of-soho.html
http://thevillager.com/villager_290/thenewgrand.html

*****************************

Transportation priority in the city should be:

1. Essential Services (garbage/sweepers/emergencey vehicles)
2. Pedestrians (safe sidewalks free of bikes and dog leashes)
3. Buses and/or Streetcars (dedicated lanes)
4. Commercial Vehicles (dedicated parking and NO double parking)
5. Bikes (Messenger ONLY)
6. Pedi-Cabs
7. Yellow Cabs (Taxi's)
8. Medians (for Greenstreets projects)
9. Personal vehicles (with VERY HIGH PARKING FEES)
10. Pedestrians (they deserve another mention before bikes)
11. Bikes (for personal transportation)
12. Bikes (for recreation)
13. Pedestrians (they deserve another [3rd] mention)

By: J. Mork

J. Mork — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:01:09 +0000

Good guess, Marty. It's actually 20.8%. See:

http://www.tstc.org/reports/cpsheets/NYCcouncil_factsheet_district%201.pdf

(The index for these fact sheets is at http://www.tstc.org/CP_factsheets.html)

By: Marty Barfowitz

Marty Barfowitz — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:04:27 +0000

No. We should not wait. Gerson's constituents and people who are making good use of DOT's new separated bike lane facilities should rain fire down on him starting now. This bill is very likely the response to a couple of phone calls from cranky Little Italy canoli shop owners who think the Grand St. bike lane has somehow hurt their business. Those guys aren't waiting around to call Gerson. If you care about better bike facilities being built in NYC, you shouldn't wait around either. Let Gerson know he'll pay a price for this idiocy. He represents Lower Manhattan for chrissake. Probably something like 15% of the households in his district even own a car. Probably something like 5% of the retail business in his district is done by people traveling in cars. Who does he think he represents?

By: k. geis

k. geis — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:42:53 +0000

Shouldn't we let the representative finish publishing the bill before we light up his switchboard about it?