DOT ‘Safe Streets’ Plan Not So Safe: Action for Safer Streets On Vanderbilt Avenue
May 3rd, 2008 by Ethan
This past April, the DOT presented their designs to Community Board 8 for a re-designed Vanderbilt Avenue. While the idea of safe bike lanes and greenstreets in their plan was well-meaning, the designs’ plans for on-street bike lanes have struck a chord with residents in the area and bike enthusiasts.
A petition has just started circulating where constituents and NYC residents can make their voice known on the re-development of the bike paths. Here is your chance to help make the streets of Brooklyn safer.
From the petition:
We are gracious that bike lanes were included in the design. However, these are on-street, unprotected bike lanes. In other words, these are dangerous and thus NOT the gold standard.
We, the undersigned, therefore demand a redesign to include protected bike lanes (either on opposite sides of the Avenue, or immediately adjacent to each other, on one side of the street.)
This project is at the point where your voice is needed.
Please sign the petition here: Safer Streets on Vanderbilt Avenue
Read the DOT’s presentation to Community Board 8 (pdf).
A little back-story at Streetsblog:
In May 2006, DOT put Vanderbilt Avenue on a “road diet”, reducing it from four through lanes to two through lanes with left turn bays and a striped center median. The project successfully calmed traffic and made the corridor safer and more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. Now, DOT is returning to construct the greenstreets medians made possible by the project and at the same time modifying the street design to add bicycle lanes. The medians will make this important corridor in this pedestrian oriented area friendly and more appealing to walk along and safer to walk accross. The bicycle lanes will fill a key gap in the bicycle network by connecting Prospect Park with the popular east-west Bergen and Dean Street bike lane pair. The project may begin implementation this spring with completion of the greenstreets elements scheduled by this fall.
The petition:
To: Councilmember Letitia James, Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries, State Senator Eric Adams, Community Board 8 Chairperson Robert Matthew, Councilmember David Yassky, Councilmember Bill deBlasio, Councilmember John Liu, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz & Rohit Aggarwala:
On Monday April 28th, NYC DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan officially launched the City’s Sustainable Streets plan. It kicked off with Safety, and as the plan articulates: “Safety is the first priority for any transportation system.” In her presentation, she also discussed Manhattan’s Ninth Avenue Class I protected bike lane, and called it “the gold standard.” That protected bike lane is safer for bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians alike.
Simultaneously, Brooklyn’s Vanderbilt Avenue is undergoing a complete renovation from Atlantic Avenue to Grand Army Plaza. The design has been approved by the City and by CB8 and the renovations are underway. We are gracious that bike lanes were included in the design. However, these are on-street, unprotected bike lanes. In other words, these are dangerous and thus NOT the gold standard.
We, the undersigned, therefore demand a redesign to include protected bike lanes (either on opposite sides of the Avenue, or immediately adjacent to each other, on one side of the street.)
We realize that a redesign to include protected bike lanes would delay the project. However, considering the painfully slow rate for infrastructure repair and upgrade, we believe it is worth the wait.
We respectfully ask you to do all that you can to ensure that Vanderbilt Avenue in Brooklyn has the safest bicycle lanes possible. We deserve no less.
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May 5th, 2008 at 4:44 am
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