In a recent twist in the ongoing legal battle over a Brooklyn bike lane, an appellate judge has issued an emergency order to stop the Adams administration from removing the protected bike lane on Bedford Avenue. This decision came down hours before construction crews were scheduled to begin dismantling the stretch between Willoughby and Flushing avenues, as reported by Gothamist.
The restraining order marks the second time that the courts have sided with advocates fighting to preserve the lane, which was originally put in place due to high crash rates and pedestrian deaths. A Brooklyn judge had previously greenlit the city's plans, deeming the bike lane removal didn't qualify as a major transportation project. However, Transportation Alternatives and a local family had appealed causing an appellate court to rule in their favor. According to Gothamist, over 300 cyclists have pledged to sue if they’re injured on the corridor due to the removal of safety measures.
Transportation Alternatives has been outspoken in their fight to keep the lane in place. "The bulldozers might be ready to destroy the Bedford Avenue safety improvements, but the Adams administration is going to have to spend their night preparing their legal case," their Executive Director Ben Furnas stated, as obtained by Streetsblog. This order came as a last-minute save, mere hours before the lane was to be uprooted.
In defense of their actions, the Adams administration cites safety concerns expressed by residents, especially incidents involving children. A City Hall spokesperson remarked, "After several dangerous incidents — many of which involved children — the Adams administration listened to the community’s concerns and moved to reconfigure the bike lane to its original model while still maintaining safety measures," as per a statement given to Streetsblog. Despite the legal pushback, the city remains confident that they will once again prevail in court.
