Audio Bookmarks
- Introduction by Jayne Capetanakis, Traffic & Transportation Committee Chair
- DOT Presentation
- Public Comments
- CB10 Member Comments
- Recap and Closing
Recording Notes
Public Comment Session
01. Mary-Beth of Ridge Blvd.
Bikelash Rating: Neutral
Concerns: Trucks on Ridge Boulevard. Lack of DOT signage for trucks on Ridge Blvd. leading into 2nd Avenue.
DOT response: DOT will look to install new signage along Ridge Boulevard.
02. Frank
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes are for leisure only.
Concerns: Automobile accidents in Dyker Heights. Worried that bicycles will create even more accidents. Lack of NYPD enforcement against trucks.
I have nothing against bicycles, you want to bicycle ride, you know, bicycle ride on Shore Road… If you gotta’ go to a store: take a bus. Or walk. There’s no need to take a bicycle to go shopping, I mean that’s ridiculous.
Frank
03. Dee of 73rd Street
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Cyclists don’t exist in Bay Ridge.
Concerns: Cyclists don’t exist in Bay Ridge. Only delivery people use bike lanes, which makes bike lanes unnecessary in the neighborhood. Wonders if studies have been done and whether any cyclists have been killed.
DOT response: Studies have been made. Hopeful that with more expansion, bikes will be more useful (prompting an angry reaction)
I don’t see a reason for bicycles.
Dee
04. Mary-Ann of Bay Ridge Parkway
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes are dangerous.
Concerns: Too much traffic on Bay Ridge Parkway. Kids and elderly people will be in danger from bike lanes.
Our response: Bike lanes improve safety where bikes already exist by increasing awareness and improving compliance by cyclists to traffic laws.
05. Dan
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: DOT photos do not show enough car traffic.
DOT response: We can’t take photos of busy car traffic because we can’t stand in the middle of traffic to take photos: we’d get hit by a car.
To take those photos we have to stand in the street to take them… we can’t stand in the middle of them when there’s a wall of traffic coming right at us.
Nick Carey, DOT Senior Project Manager
06. Linda
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes are dangerous.
Concerns: 3rd Avenue bike lane will be dangerous to pedestrians and cars.
We’re not here to disrupt the community… (angry murmurs) … What we’re trying to do is make the roadways safer for every single… (boos) … Let’s have a conversation, let’s be respectful.
Claudette Workman, DOT Deputy Brooklyn Borough Commissioner
07. Bob Cassara
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: We need bike lanes so pedestrians can avoid getting hit by bicycles. Without bike lanes, Cyclists will mix dangerously with other transit modes.
I’m a car guy. I have six automobiles. See this here? (points to hat) Antique Automobile Club of America. I like my cars. I also like my bikes. I also like my motorcycles and buggies. So I’m in favor of [bike lanes].
Bob
08. Linda
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes are for leisure only.
Concerns: Against parking-protected lanes in Manhattan on 23rd street (not in the Bay Ridge proposal).
You [ride bikes] when you’re children. We don’t need to get around on bikes.
Linda
09. Angel
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: Class 2 bike lanes are within the door zone. Cars block bus traffic.
I was hit by a car making an illegal U-turn from being parked in a bus stop on the corner of 86th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway. I thank god I’m still here… Bikes are not getting in buses way. Cars are getting in buses way. (Boos)
Angel
10. Maureen of 84th st
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Parking concerns.
Concerns: Worried that you can’t park in a bike lane, especially on alternate-side parking days. Bike lanes will increase traffic congestion.
Double-parking is a way of life in Bay Ridge… however, if there’s a bike lane, cars can’t park in that.
Maureen
11. Ken of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Worried that bike lanes will increase congestion on 84th street.
[To DOT] How many of you have bike lanes where you live? [DOT: All do] … Hope you’re happy.
Ken
12. Laura of 82nd st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Parking concerns.
Concerns: Concerned that parking will be affected. Wants a new municipal parking lot.
My biggest concern was that we were gonna’ lose parking spaces.
Laura
13. Peter Scarpa
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Cyclists break the law.
Concerns: Cyclists along Bay Ridge Parkway use the hill to speed through red lights.
They pay no attention now! And they ride on the sidewalks as well! And I’m fed up with it! [slams down microphone]
Peter
14. Francis of 85th st.
Bikelash Rating: Neutral. Car behavior makes bike lanes impractical.
Concerns: Bikes on 85th street will add to existing bad car behavior on the street.
The idea of putting a bike lane [on 85th] would be horrendous. We have double-parked and triple-parked cars. We have parents that stop in the middle of the street. I can only see a fatality happening.
Francis
15. Irina of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Neutral. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Bikes on 84th street will add to existing traffic. Find another spot.
16. Barbara of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes are dangerous.
Concerns: Bikes don’t use bike lanes. Bikes are too easy to door with a car. They don’t live in Bay Ridge.
If you’re gonna’ come up with bike lanes, put them somewhere where they don’t adversely impact the people who live here.
Barbara
17. Brian Hedden
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: Bicyclists are getting injured and dying in Southern Brooklyn and the DOT’s first priority is to change that.
The DOT has effectively abandoned cyclists in this part of the borough to people who have an enormous amount of general hostility towards bikes generally. Taking care of fatalities, taking care of people who are getting hit and hurt… that’s your first priority.
Brian Hedden
18. Mary of Bay Ridge Pkwy
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Bicyclists don’t obey traffic laws. Bikes are dangerous. Bikes will increase traffic and make parking worse. Bikes are too easy to hit when opening a door.
You’re afraid for your life getting in and out of that car… you just open the door, and you don’t know what’s gonna’ happen… these cyclists they don’t even stop and care… I just don’t wanna’ deal with the bikes.
Mary (on dooring cyclists)
19. Christopher
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: Dangerous drivers are the cause of dangerous streets.
I have three daughters. My fear isn’t bicyclists… it’s dangerous drivers… We’re not gonna’ all agree on this but hopefully we can still be friends?
Christopher
20. Jeff of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Parking concerns.
Concerns: Doesn’t want a bike lane due to temporary traffic diversion on 86th street increasing congestion. Concerned that Citibike will remove parking.
Citibikes, if they’re gonna come in they’re gonna take up alot of parking.
Jeff
21. Richard of 85th st.
Bikelash Rating: Neutral. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Concerned about too much traffic feeding into the local highways. Traffic is bad around the holidays.
22. Tom
Bikelash Rating: Neutral.
Concerns: Concerned about deliveries and double parking along 3rd being made worse by bike lanes. Concerned about e-bikes (motorized bikes).
23. Christine of Bay Ridge Pkwy
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Cyclists don’t exist in Bay Ridge.
Concerns: Wasn’t aware of previous workshops or meetings. Doesn’t think there is enough demand for bike lanes in Bay Ridge.
Bike lanes calm things down. I don’t know what that means… it doesn’t seem possible to me.
Christine
24. Evelyn of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Parking concerns.
Concerns: Speeding cars. Double parking along 84th street. Doesn’t know why the bike lane goes that connects to Colonial Road bike lane goes to Colonial Road.
It’s a bike lane to nowhere.
Evelyn, referring to the proposed 84th street lane where it connects with the existing Colonial Road bike lane that serves all of the north-eastern portion of Bay Ridge.
25. Michael
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Parking concerns.
Concerns: Car drivers are too frustrated with bike lanes. 3rd and 5th avenue are not the place for protected bike lanes(5th isn’t in the proposal, no protected lanes in proposal either). Bikes shouldn’t be used as a mode of transportation.
I’ve seen cars driving down the sidewalk ’cause they’re so frustrated. These bike lanes are not calming. I don’t know what dream you come from but they’re not calming… to [bike] as a mode of transportation is ridiculous… [biking for exercise or leisure] is not gonna’ happen on these blocks. It’s not that kind of place.
Michael
26. Patrick
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: Bike lanes will improve traffic calming. Feels safer in Manhattan. Wants to see leading pedestrian intervals.
27. Regina of Senator St.
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: Bikes are not at fault for bad drivers. Bike lanes will improve traffic calming.
We are a neighborhood of bad drivers… think to yourself, is that a bikers fault? Or is that the dangerous driving habits of Bay Ridge.
Regina
28. Jonathan of 84th st.
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Bikes will delay emergency vehicles. Bicyclists break laws. Bicyclists will make traffic worse.
29. Rona
Bikelash Rating: Pro.
Concerns: The issues anti-bike-lane speakers mentioned were already addressed in other meetings. Bike lanes increase shop revenue.
This meeting seems really overly aggressive against bicycles.
Rona
30. Peter
Bikelash Rating: Anti. Bikes increase car traffic.
Concerns: Ridge Blvd. will be stalled by bikes in the bike lane. DOT will remove parking despite promises they wont.
I don’t trust DOT not to take some parking spots.
Peter
31. Chris
Bikelash Rating: Neutral. Cyclists need more education.
Concerns: Too many bike lanes are bad, must be balanced in number. Only experienced bike riders should ride on certain bike lanes. 3rd Ave is dangerous.
32. Stephen of Marine Ave.
Bikelash Rating: Neutral. Cyclists need more education.
Concerns: 3rd Ave is dangerous, prefers 5th Ave We need to protect valet parking. We need a bike lane across the Verrazzano Bridge.