NAG and TA Call for Safety Improvements in Response to Cyclist's Death

In response to the death of 33 year-old Greenpoint cyclist Solange Raulston in a crash this weekend, Transportation Alternatives and NAG are calling for long-overdue safety improvements to the intersection of Nassau Avenue and McGuiness Boulevard. Raulston, a Greenpoint resident and well known DJ, was struck by a truck while cycling westbound on Nassau Avenue last Saturday.

Between 1995 and 2005, there were 34 crashes involving bicyclists or pedestrians at this intersection, and two fatalities, making it the most dangerous intersection in North Brooklyn. The Department of Design and Construction is using federal stimulus funds to reconstruct Nassau Avenue along most of its length by 2012, but safety improvements to the intersection with McGuiness Boulevard are not a significant feature of the plan.

T.A. and NAG are calling for additional traffic calming measures that take into account the high number of pedestrians, cyclists and trucks that traverse the intersection, including:

• Extend the curbs into the street on all corners to slow turning vehicles and shorten crossings for pedestrians
• Install wider refuge medians on McGuiness Boulevard
• Open sight lines at all corners by removing one parking spot on each corner of McGuiness Boulevard
• Give more walk time to pedestrians crossing McGuiness Boulevard

"Seldom does a week pass without flowers being laid in someone's memory at this dangerous crossing," says Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "No one should underrate the necessity of making the most dangerous intersection in North Brooklyn safer. Now is the time for the City to act."

"The North Brooklyn community has long been asking the City to make safety improvements at this hazardous intersection," said Lacey Tauber, Chair of NAG's Transportation Working Group. "This tragic incident is a grim reminder that the City needs to rethink its street designs to give priority to the most vulnerable users. We ask the City to address the community's concerns as quickly as possible, before another tragedy occurs here."

Image via Gothamist via Google Maps.

Want More Bike Racks? Try FixCity!

The NAG Transportation Working Group is pleased to announce that we are the first community partner on FixCity.org Bike Racks, a new website that allows community members to identify locations for new bike racks in the neighborhood!

Developed by the Open Planning Project, the Livable Streets Initiative, and the Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Committee, the goal of the website is to identify 300 suitable spaces for much-needed bike parking in the neighborhood. Community District 1 serves as the site's pilot project -- if successful, it will go citywide next!

So please check out the site at FixCity.org and use the online mapping tool to tell us where you want a bike rack. Also check out information about how to identify a good space, including a great video made by TOPP. We'll have some fun follow-up events coming up in the next couple months, so stay tuned for more!

To volunteer to help with finding suitable spaces, email me at transportation@nag-brooklyn.org!

Transportation Issues Debate for 33rd Council District Tonight!

In case you didn't get your fill of council forums last month, a transportation-themed debate is tonight!

Join Transportation Alternatives as the candidates for City Council
District 33 debate the bike network, truck traffic, pedestrian safety,
the MTA and livable streets issues of all stripes. The debate will be
moderated by NAG Board Member Ward Dennis and T.A. Executive Director
Paul Steely White. Show up and show the candidates how important these
issues are to you!

What: Council District 33 Debate (Williamsburg, Greenpoint, DUMBO, Park
Slope)

When: Tuesday, September 1, 7-8:30 pm

Where: Automotive High School, 50 Bedford Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Who: City Council candidates for District 33 (Isaac Abraham, Kenneth
Baer, Douglas J Biviano, Kenneth A Diamondstone, Stephen T Levin, Jo
Anne Simon, Evan R Thies)

Stay after the debate to meet the candidates in person and let them hear
from you! And you can check out each candidate's responses to
Transportation Alternatives' election survey at
www.TACandidateSurvey.org.

G Runs to Church Avenue Starting Sunday, July 5

And the signs are going up. Now let's pray that the G train will be more frequent!

NAG Supports Updated Kent Avenue Redesign

NAG's Transportation Working Group advocates for safer streets and better/safer transit options in North Brooklyn. The Department of Transportation recently presented its updated redesign plan for Kent Avenue to Community Board 1 (view the presentation here.) The Transportation Working Group responded with the following letter to Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Kahn, expressing our support for the plan and making recommendations for improving pedestrian safety, prioritizing the future Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, and minimizing the potential impacts of a truck traffic reroute.

To volunteer with the NAG Transportation Working Group, please contact transportation@nag-brooklyn.org

Dear Commissioner Sadik-Kahn:

Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) is a community-based advocacy organization serving North Brooklyn. On behalf of the residents of this neighborhood, we want to thank the Department of Transportation for your efforts to resolve the issues surrounding the redesign of Kent Avenue and let you know that we strongly support the new design.

We appreciate your listening to community suggestions in response to the implementation of the first redesign. We also appreciate your commitment to safe cycling and future realization of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, which will be an asset to our community. We are particularly excited about increased connectivity between Bedford and Kent Avenues and increased safety for cyclists via the floating lanes. We are also pleased to see that the new plan restores loading zones for our local businesses.

However, we still have a few concerns that we would like to address. The foremost of these is pedestrian safety. As you know, Kent Avenue is quickly changing from an industrial to a residential street. In addition, the East River State Park, particularly with its increased programming in the summer months, regularly draws large crowds including families. We need more attention to this increase in pedestrian traffic immediately -- many intersections, such as N. 8th (at the entrance to the park), N. 4th, and N. 14th, would almost certainly qualify for traffic lights now. The community simply cannot wait for another lengthy study -- the danger is already there. We also urge that the final design narrow the crossing distance on Kent for pedestrians as much as possible.

In addition, we request that the DOT replace only the number of parking spaces that will be available upon completion of the greenway, and look into placing planters within the buffer as a preview of the greenway's landscaping.

Finally, as you are aware, there is much concern in the neighborhood about the truck traffic that will be rerouted to Wythe Avenue and North 11th Street. We encourage you to implement traffic calming measures, such as stop signs, traffic lights, neckdowns and/or road diets on these streets, and to maintain open communication with the community during and after the plan's implementation to assess the implications of this rerouting.

We thank you again for your attention to this issue and we look forward to a dialogue with you as this project moves forward.

Sincerely,
Lacey Tauber, Kevin Vincent, Michael Freedman-Schnapp, and Alexandra Sweet
NAG Transportation Working Group

image via Gowanus Lounge

June 4: Safer Streets for Walking, Biking, and Driving

Join us at the Diamond Bar (43 Franklin Street), Thursday June 4 at 7:30pm to write letters to the city and elected officials asking to improve proposed plans for Kent Avenue and the Pulaski Bridge.

At the last Community Board Transportation meeting, we heard updates from the DOT about the Kent Avenue redesign, and the new design plan for the Pulaski Bridge. You can download the Kent presentation here, which essentially involves making traffic one way, with a "floating" 2-way bike lane, separated from traffic by a buffer and parked cars/turning lane. The Pulaski plans are not available online yet, but basically involve some striping and signage to encourage a safer interaction between pedestrians and cyclists on the pathway.

We want to support the general impetus behind both plans, but we have a few specific improvements we want. More immediate attention is needed to safe walking and crossing Kent Avenue and the Pulaski Bridge needs a study that will ultimately lead to more space for walking and biking long-term.

Contact transportation@nag-brooklyn.org to let us know if you're coming.

Friday May 15: Make the Pulaski Safe for Everybody!

PULASKI BRIDGE WALK - RIDE - RALLY!

~With pathway feeling the crunch, walkers and bikers rally for more breathing room~

Friday, May 15 @ 6 pm - evening commute
Jackson Avenue and 11th Street, Long Island City (Queens entrance to Pulaski Bridge)
March, ride, and rally for safer conditions on the Pulaski Bridge

After Party at the Creek, 10-93 Jackson Ave, LIC, Happy Hour until 9:00 p.m. Closest Public Transportation: 7 Train to Vernon/Jackson or B61 Bus to Jackson Ave and 11th Street

Guest Post by Assm. Joe Lentol on MTA Situation

Assemblyman Joe Lentol Responds to MTA's Vote on Fare Hikes

I, like you, am extremely upset that the mass transit situation in New York City has gotten to this dire point. I want my constituents and neighbors to know that I have been doing everything in my power to save the subway system including regular dialogues with MTA Chair Eliot Sander and with the architect of the bailout plan Richard Ravitch. I have even brought Mr. Ravitch into our neighborhoods to ride the G train so he could experience the G train's shortcomings for himself. I have emphasized the importance of the B48 and the B24 to both the MTA and Mr. Ravitch. I have discussed many times how important it is to keep fares low and trains and buses running regularly, in order to keep this city and working families afloat. New York City is the engine of the state, and the transit system is the engine of the New York City. We cannot let the MTA go under.

So most importantly, I have supported the bailout plan put forth by the Assembly and supported by the MTA. The Assembly plan would keep the transit system running, keep fares low, prevent service cuts to buses and subways and adequately fund the MTA capital plan. While it does put tolls on the bridges it keeps them low, $2.00, the same as a subway ride. This plan has been supported by many of our city newspapers' editorial boards and transportation advocacy groups. I understand how absolutely vital affordable subway and bus transportation is to Brooklyn families. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure that New Yorkers continue to have access to this essential resource.

I want to assure you that the clock has not yet run out. The fare increase is not scheduled to take effect until the end of May. While there is absolutely no excuse for letting it get this far, time has not run out, there is still time to save the system. There is still time for others in government to come around and accept the Assembly's plan or for us to forge a new plan if that is what it takes. I will do whatever necessary to assist with this up in Albany. In the meantime I want to encourage you to make your voices heard. Everyone, at all levels of government, needs to understand, as many of us already do, just how important this is to New Yorkers. Together we can make sure that the subway and buses get the help they need, just in time.

-Assemblymember Joseph R. Lentol

Biking Notes

Promoting the Brooklyn Greenway

The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is conducting traffic monitoring to study traffic patterns on the planned greenway route. You can help by counting cars/users of the bike lane, etc. this weekend!

We need volunteers Saturday April 4th for the following shifts:
Flushing Ave: 8-9a, 12-1p, 6-7p
Kent Ave: 8-9a, 12-1p
Contact Kevin Vincent: guerilla42@yahoo.com

Installing New Bike Racks

This project seeks to identify locations for new bike racks in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. You can help with outreach to local business owners, as well as technology (online mapping, making an informational film, etc). Contact Kevin Vincent: guerilla42@yahoo.com

Make a Safer Pulaski Bridge

This project is advocating for a protected bike lane over the Pulaski Bridge. You can help with outreach to local community organizations, by writing letters of support to local elected officials and the DOT, and by attending a rally walk/ride at the bridge on May 15 from 6-8pm.
Contact Marin Tockman: marin.tockman@gmail.com

Bike Share Coming to North Brooklyn in June

The Forum for Urban Design will bring a bike share demonstration project to the neighborhood during the first two weeks of June. You can work as a paid supervisor at a station for multiple days, volunteer to staff a station, translate promotional material, or sponsor a location for the bike share.
Contact Loreal Monroe: loreal@forumforurbandesign.org

Stop cuts to subway and bus service-- contact your representatives now!

If we want to avoid major service cuts on the G train and L train weekends and late nights, the ending of the B39, the ending of B48 weekend service, and the complete end of the Z train, the State legislature needs to fully fund the MTA.

Call your legislators (numbers below) and tell them that half measures are not enough. It is up to the state government to find a responsible way to fund transit. We need more transit service than we have now in this growing neighborhood, not less.

State Senator Martin Malave-Dilan: (718) 573-1726
State Senator Daniel Squadron: (212) 298-5565
Assemblymember Joe Lentol: (718) 383-7474

Recent Bike Safety News

We desperately need a separated bike path on the Pulaski bridge. In the meantime, please be careful, slow down while passing pedestrians and either ring your bell or say "passing on your left" before passing.

Drivers who kill pedestrians are rarely prosecuted, let alone investigated. Gotham Gazette takes a closer look at why.

Robert Sullivan proposed a code of conduct for bikers to be more responsible on the road.

What it looks like to be passed too closely by cars while biking (albeit in Wisconsin). Imagine a lane of cars parked on the right side whose doors could open without warning and it would be more like NYC.

Did you see a bike accident on Friday?

Did you see this accident at Lorimer and Bedford Ave near the Nassau G? If you did, please contact the victim

Today, Friday March 13, 2009 at approx. 1:20pm I was riding with traffic on Bedford Ave, approaching the intersection of Lorimer St. I was hit by a silver Chrysler sedan (who was a car service car) turning right on to Lorimer. I was wearing a silver windbreaker, riding a black + red track bike with white rims (yes, with a front brake and yes, I was wearing a helmet).

I counted at 5 to 10 people in the area who I believe saw the accident take place. However, no one would come forward as a witness. One mustached fellow (Thank you, whoever you may be) took pictures, but I didn't get a chance to get his name before leaving in the ambulance. Sadly, he did not arrive until moments after the accident happened.

I was not too seriously injured but suffered pretty nasty bruising on my legs, arm, face, and pretty serious abrasions on my left hand.

I am baffled as to why no one came forward as a witness. I do not believe that at that intersection (Bedford and Lorimer), with multiple people around, two or three very popular restaurants (practically one per corner), not one person saw the accident take place.

If you were in the area and saw it happen, please, come forward. It's the right thing to do.

via FreeWilliamsburg

It's Official: L and G Subway Stations Have Had Dramatic Increase in Ridership

According to Transit Overload, a new report by the Center for an Urban Future:

• The Bedford Avenue L saw the greatest increase in the average number of weekday riders from 1998-2008.
• The L train has 13 of the 50 fastest growing stations- the most of any line.
• The G train has 4 of the 50 fastest growing stations - in 8th place out of 26 lines.

It's time for better service, yet we are facing massive service cuts to the MTA. You can take two actions.

1. Call your state legislators (numbers below) and tell them that half measures are not enough. It is up to the state government to find a responsible way to fund transit. We need more transit service than we have now in this growing neighborhood, not less.

State Senator Martin Malave-Dilan: (718) 573-1726
State Senator Daniel Squadron: (212) 298-5565
Assemblymember Joe Lentol: (718) 383-7474

2. Attend the Transportation Organizing Group meeting this Thursday, March 12.
Join our us at our next meeting to discuss how to fight the MTA cuts, as well as our plans for safety trainings this summer and the Forum for Urban Design's Bike Share program, coming to our neighborhood.
Meeting is Thursday March 12 at 7pm at the NAG office (101 Kent Ave @ N 8th Street)
For more information: contact Lacey and Alex at transportation@nag-brooklyn.org

G stands for "Going Farther into Brooklyn"?

While we're hesitant to harp on any good news MTA-related. The G train is proposed to be extended to Church Avenue in Brooklyn this fall because of construction. This means an easier transfer to the 4th Avenue R train, as well as direct access to Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, and Kensington.

The catch? There will be severe service disruptions along the shared portion of the F & G trains during this time, particularly in 2011 when service will not be available in certain directions at Smith-9th Street and 15th Street.

And of course, they are proposing to cut the G Train's Queens leg beyond Court Square permanently as part of the doomsday budget.

Photo by Ken Stein via Creative Commons License

It's Not Your Imagination, There's More People on the L Train

According to a recent New York Times article, the number of rides in 2008 on New York City Transit increased 3.1% from 2007. 2.37 billion rides on city buses and subways were recorded in 2008, a record high since 1965.

The L subway line experienced the highest weekday ridership increase of 8.5% since 2007, more than double the citywide increase. Since 2003, the number of rides on the L line have risen 29% and a whopping 79% since 1998.

Our growing neighborhoods continue to depend on public transit; we need more service, not less. Read our letter to the MTA here, and join our fight for better transit in North Brooklyn by emailing transportation -at- nag-brooklyn -dot- org.

update: The L train will be a robo-train starting Tuesday, but not during the rush hour, so it won't solve the problem in the near term.

Photo by Ken Stein, via creative commons license

Funeral for the G Train

The Straphangers Campaign and State Assembly Members Joseph Lentol and Hakeem Jeffries will hold a "mock funeral" for the G train on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Without new state aid, the MTA is proposing to eliminate the line at all times from the Court Square subway station to Forest Hills-71st Avenue, while also raising transit fares.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
10:30 a.m.
Court Square Subway Station (G)
Inside paid area
Street entrance at Jackson Avenue and Court Square
CONTACT: Gene Russianoff at (917) 575-9434

NYPD called on to "commit to a Vision Zero policy for traffic fatalities"

A letter from local business owner Steve Hindy appeared in Transportation Alternative's magazine about changing the NYPD's approach to investigating bike accidents. The whole letter is worth a read, but a key excerpt is below:

Early on August 6, 2008, [Greenpoint resident] Rasha Shamoon was riding east on Delancey Street when she was struck and killed by an SUV traveling northbound on Bowery. Police interviewed the 21-year-old driver and his two young passengers who blamed the unconscious and dying woman. No other witnesses were interviewed, even though several people reported the crash to 911. No skid marks were measured. Remarkably, although the SUV driver had six prior motor vehicle convictions, he was allowed to leave the scene after giving a statement. Shamoon, 31, a lecturer at Hunter and City colleges, was the daughter of a physician who fled tyranny in Iraq in the late 1970s. She was by all accounts a wonderful person and responsible bicyclist. Her bike had front and back running lights and was swathed in reflector tape.

Photo from mlendo

Join us February 3rd to build the Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center

On Thanksgiving Day 1975, the City told the firefighters of Engine 212 in Williamsburg it was going to close because of the city's dire fiscal crisis. Within hours, a crowd of 300 local residents gathered in front of the firehouse to prevent the city from removing the equipment from the firehouse to close it down. People stayed there around the clock for the next 16 months until the City agreed to keep it open. The firehouse was ultimately closed in 2003, but NAG and the People's Firehouse have been awarded the building to develop it into a community center.

We need your help to raise the funds to renovate the building and make the Northside Town Hall Community and Cultural Center a reality. When completed, the facilty will provide affordable office and meeting space for community organizations, create a street-level exhibition space for local cultural and arts organizations, and commemorate FDNY Company #212 and other local history.

Join us Tuesday February 3rd at 6pm to get started fundraising from the community on this project. We need to harness the full creativity and civic spirit of the neighborhood to make this a reality.
We will meet at Union Pool-- 484 Union Ave at Meeker Ave

Other Upcoming Events

Our Open Space working group is dedicated to fighting for more parks and access to the waterfront in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Join us February 9th at 7pm at Green Oaks Club, 179 Green Street between McGuinness and Manhattan in Greenpoint.

Our Transportation working group is starting a road safety campaign for bikers and drivers and fighting the proposed cuts in local subway and bus services.
Join us February 12th at 7pm at the NAG Office, 101 Kent Avenue at North 8th Street across from the State Park.

Letter to the MTA

Greenpoint-Williamsburg organization Neighbors Allied for Good Growth has recently formed a Transportation Working Group to address transportation issues in North Brooklyn. One of this group's goals is to advocate for improved transit access. The group drafted the following testimony, which was submitted at yesterday's MTA public hearing in Brooklyn on fare hikes and service changes.

If you want to join the transportation group, email transportation@nag-brooklyn.org. The next meeting is February 12th at 7pm.

Excerpt from the letter:

We firmly believe that the following must be addressed, particularly as they affect the neighborhoods of Greenpoint-Williamsburg:

Our local subway options provide insufficient service for our neighborhood's growing population;
The proposal to cut B39 and B48 bus service is unfair to local residents who depend on ADA accessible public transit; and,
The difference between funds available and funds necessary to achieve these goals must be allocated by the State Legislature and Governor to the MTA.

Full letter after the jump...

Douglas Sussman
Director, MTA Community Affairs
347 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Re: Written Comments to the MTA's Proposed Fare and Service Changes

Dear Mr. Sussman:

Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG) is a volunteer-based community planning and environmental justice organization that has been performing grassroots organizing, advocacy and outreach/education to the North Brooklyn waterfront community of Greenpoint-Williamsburg since 1994. NAG advocates with and for the residents who live and work in our community, serving as a voice for the issues directly affecting our neighborhood.

We firmly believe that the following must be addressed, particularly as they affect the neighborhoods of Greenpoint-Williamsburg:

Our local subway options provide insufficient service for our neighborhood's growing population;
The proposal to cut B39 and B48 bus service is unfair to local residents who depend on ADA accessible public transit; and,
The difference between funds available and funds necessary to achieve these goals must be allocated by the State Legislature and Governor to the MTA.
Subway Service

North Brooklyn's population has increased dramatically in recent years. As a result, local subways have experienced a significant increase in ridership; most notably ridership on the L has increased over forty-six percent in the last 10 years. The resulting congestion and overcrowding has become problematic. In the morning rush hour it is commonplace to wait for three trains to pass Bedford Avenue before there is space to board. As a result, many residents ride the L train east of Williamsburg during rush hour in order to pick up the Manhattan-bound train at a less-congested subway station.

The fate of the G train is particularly important. The growing populations of Greenpoint-Williamsburg and other neighborhoods, such as Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant, depend on this neglected line. The G is no longer an underutilized line— in fact, crowding during morning rush hours leads to long and inconsistent headways between trains (particularly in the northbound direction). The frequency of G service fails to accommodate this section of Brooklyn's burgeoning population, particularly at middays, in evenings, and at night. The G also has fewer cars than any other subway line (shortened from six cars in 2001). Besides leading to more running for the train on long platforms, the shortened train raises issues of security to riders who wait at the end of the platform, particularly at night.

The MTA promised better G service along with the last fare increase, and subsequently abandoned that promise. Decreasing the already poor service of the G train will be devastating to the communities that depend on it. We implore the MTA to increase, rather than decrease, the line's frequency and, for the sake of room and safety, add additional cars to each train.

Bus Service

The B39 bus provides local service from Williamsburg Bridge Plaza to the Lower East side. Albeit a short trip, the bus affords residents of South Williamsburg a necessary method of transportation across the East River. Given proposals to significantly decrease service on the J/M/Z subway lines, this will notably affect access to Manhattan via the Williamsburg Bridge. Because Manhattan J/M/Z stations are not ADA accessible, the elderly and handicapped residents of South Williamsburg depend upon the B39 as their only public transport option to Manhattan. This cut would have a particularly negative impact on these residents, and we request that the MTA strongly reconsider.

In addition, we condemn the MTA's plan to cut night and weekend service on the B48 bus, which links Greenpoint-Williamsburg with neighborhoods to the south. This bus serves as an essential connector to the G, L, and J/M/Z subway lines for elderly residents living in Far East Greenpoint, most of whom have no train options within reasonable walking distance. We strongly discourage you from cutting this much-needed service.

Mind the Budget Gap

While we recognize that unpopular decisions have to be made in order to address the MTA's current deficit, we also want to stress that the MTA has an obligation to the citizenry of New York City. Our communities depend on public transportation. We strongly discourage you from curtailing the services that are so fundamental to our communities, our economies, and our way of life.

We also strongly urge the Governor and legislature to close the budget gap with a significant contribution to the operating and capital program, as that is where accountability for the state of the MTA ultimately lies. Poor fiscal stewardship under the Pataki administration led the MTA to pay for its capital budget with non-bond debt— essentially paying the mortgage with a credit card. This irresponsible behavior has come to an end, but we need to step up to the plate by fully funding the MTA now.

If you have any questions, or would like to contact NAG concerning additional comments, please contact the NAG office at (718) 384-2248 or email NAG's Transportation Working Group at transportation@nag-brooklyn.org. Thank you very much.

More Transportation Thoughts

If you haven't seen it yet, please read Ward Dennis's very thoughtful thoughts about Kent Avenue in response to Wednesday's community board meeting. An excerpt:

All of the problems with the Greenway are problems of implementation, and they are indicative of a complete lack of comprehensive transportation planning on the part of the City. Which really should not be a surprise to anyone. CB1 Transportation Chair Teresa Toro has been calling for a comprehensive transportation study for years. CB1 requested this during the 2005 rezoning, and was told it was not necessary. Every time the issue is raised, DOT says that existing transportation policy and infrastructure is adequate to meet our needs.

Chicken, meet roost.

The problem with Kent Avenue is not the Greenway. The problem is that DOT is asking Kent Avenue to do too much. They want Kent to be a two-way truck route, with existing manufacturing users on the east side of the street and new residential/commercial uses on the west side of the street. Add to that the temporary bike lanes (or the future Greenway), and there is just not enough room.

Read more

Transportation Meeting Monday, Nov 24th

It seems like having a Town Hall Meeting is the thing to do these days! Come and tell your elected officials what your transportation needs are on Monday, Nov 24th, then join NAG to take action on Thu, Dec 4th for our follow up to our meeting last month (details TBA shortly).

Bikes, Bike Lanes and Bike Love

Bikes and bike safety have been a big topic around the neighborhood lately. In early September, Simon Wiesser of Community Board 1 voiced opposition to a proposed bike lane on Kent Avenue that was approved back in April.

According to the Brooklyn Paper, Weisser wants further review of the Kent Ave lane; he is also proposing shutting down the bike lanes on Wythe and Bedford when the Brooklyn Greenway is finished. Since the meeting, the issue has received much media attention due to complaints that the bikers are an affront to Chasidic religious ideals, as they are often women who don't conform to religious dress codes. (Apparently men can bike in whatever they want.)

However, before you assume that the Chasids are all behind this argument, check out the discussion on the Yeshiva World website. There are many viewpoints expressed, including several urging that the group work with the rest of the community to promote safety for everyone.

Then, a few nights after the community board meeting, a biker was injured while biking along Kent Avenue. A witness alleges that the cyclist was thrown over his headbars when he hit the brakes to avoid colliding with an oncoming Northside Car Service car that was turning onto North Seventh. Gothamist says that the biker has met with Northside and received compensation for his injuries, but a friend of the cyclist is calling for a boycott of the car service.

A great place to read about issues like this is the CB1 Transport email list, run by the amazing Teresa Toro, member of CB1 and head of the transportation committee. You can join it here. Responses to current events have included asking that the police conduct bike safety seminars so that bicyclists are more aware of the rules of the road; requesting a DOT review of the situation on the Pulaski Bridge, where cyclists and pedestrians must share a narrow lane; lobbying for more bike lanes using census data; and many others. The group discusses more than just bikes—mass transit, trucking, and more all come up.

Finally, has anyone seen this guitar-shaped bike rack? Urbanite says it's on North 6th and Bedford. Designed by David Byrne, which is nice, but couldn't they have found an artist who lives here?


Photo by Sawung Gue, via a Creative Commons License

Is the L train the best in the city?

Photo: sarahnw

According to the latest Straphanger's Campaign State of the Subways report, it is!

They write:

"The best subway line in the city is the L with a MetroCard Rating of $1.40. The L ranked highest because it performs best in the system on two measures—regularity of service and announcements—and well above average on three other measures: frequency of scheduled service, delays caused by mechanical breakdowns and the percentage of dirty cars. The line did not get a higher rating because it performed well below average on: a chance of getting a seat during rush hour. The L runs between 14th Street/Eighth Avenue in Manhattan and Canarsie in Brooklyn. The previous top-rated line—the 1—dropped to a fourth-place tie."

If you want to read an indepth report on the L, plus links to L-related forums and and contact info for the L line superintendent, visit Straphanger's L Train Home Page.

Are you as surprised as I am by this? The L has gotten a little better, true, though it is still sorely inequipped to deal with the rapid growth of our neighborhood. But is it really the best?

—Mikki