Broken promises of a protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue brought out a large crowd on Saturday morning in Bedford-Stuyvesant.
Organized by Transportation Alternatives, the rally was attended by dozens of Bed-Stuy residents and electeds including Councilmembers Chi Ossé and Lincoln Restler, and state Senator Jabari Brisport.
The group said that the city's plan to build a protected bike lane along Bedford Avenue in 2023 have been delayed or potentially abandoned, further endangering cyclists, drivers, and pedestrians on the busy corridor between Flatbush and Flushing Avenues. A petition by Transportation Alternatives for the protected lane has over 2,200 signatures.
After Saturday’s rally, the group walked along a 1.5 mile stretch of Bedford Avenue so attendees could experience firsthand the treacherous experience of navigating the busy street.
“I was riding a bike up Bedford Avenue before there was even a bike lane, and the scary part between Bedford and Atlantic is not fun,” said miss al boogie of community organization STooPS BedStuy. “A protected bike lane is good for bikers and walkers; we’ve had many people in our lives unfortunately be seriously hurt or killed because of unprotected bike lanes.”
According to CrashMapper, there have been 2,266 crashes on Bedford Avenue between Bergen Street and Flushing Avenue from 2016 to 2023. These incidents resulted 964 total injuries and the death of five pedestrians.
The Department of Transit (DOT)’s own data says that there was a 15% decrease in all crashes, and 21% decrease in pedestrian injuries on streets were protected bike lanes were installed from 2007-2017. For the same period, there was a 3% increase in cycling injuries, but a 61% increase in volume of cyclists using the lanes.
Councilmember Chi Ossé, wrote an open letter to the DOT about the need for a protected bike lane on Bedford in November. “They (DOT) made a commitment many times that this protected bike lane would be here last spring, then in the summer, then in the fall. And now we're in the spring of 2024 and there are still no protected bike lanes,” said Ossé. “The fact that there have been multiple commitments from this agency and there's no protected bike lane is deeply disappointing.”
In a statement to BK Reader, DOT affirmed the need for a protected bike lane, but stopped short of delivering any promises of when it will be implemented.
“Bedford Avenue is a key north-south corridor in Brooklyn, and a protected bike lane upgrade will fill a key gap in the network and improve safety for everyone, whether you’re walking, biking, or traveling by car. NYC DOT continues to incorporate feedback received from the Community Board and additional key stakeholders,” the DOT said in an emailed statement.
The project is currently listed on their site for projects to be installed within this calendar year.
