Beyond Bay Ridge: The New Fresh Creek Bridge

Fresh Creek Bridge open for bicycles along the Greenway!

You may recall from our Real Rider Route #5 that there is substantial construction along the Belt Parkway. A new bridge is being built over Fresh Creek and it includes a brand new bicycle lane. BRBR cruised over it today and can report that it is open for use. Construction crews were putting some of the final parts of the fencing into place on Saturday afternoon. We are guessing that it will also open to eastbound Belt Parkway traffic very soon.

The bicycle and pedestrian lane is wide and generous and separated from the Parkway traffic by a stepped concrete barrier. Chainlink fence sits atop the barrier to a height of about 6'. The water side is only an 8' high chainlink fence.

Very straightforward and the chainlink side allows a view straight down to the water inlet below.

While riding a bicycle, the barriers also keep that Formula-1-in-Monaco feeling that we have grown to appreciate.


Ayrton Senna qualifying at Monaco, 1986

For the Runners and Walkers

This morning's revelation: When it is dark outside, don't wear all black!

Find the presunrise walker in this photo, wearing black pants, coat and hat while walking in the bicycle lane opposite the direction of traffic. Hint: look right in the middle of the photo.

Daylight savings time ended a few weeks ago and sunlit hours are growing shorter as the winter solstice approaches. If you are like BRBR and working during the day, this means all your morning and evening workouts are done in the dark from now until April.

Bay Ridge runners use the neighborhood bicycle lanes all the time. BRBR has run there, too, so we get it. The sidewalks are not always well lit and the concrete and asphalt pavers can be irregular and inconsistent.

BRBR isn't going to play crazy bike dude and rant to get non-cyclists out of the lane. But realize that there is a chance that some A personality nutter like yourself (but on a bicycle) is going to plow right into you. And trust us, it is going to hurt. We went head-on into a skateboarder going the wrong way around a blind turn earlier this year on Shore Road. It wasn't fun for anyone. And this happened in daylight.

So the odds of mutual pain and suffering are only increased when you run in the dark in the bicycle lane and:

A) Wear black or other dark clothes so you cannot be seen,

B) Run or walk opposite the direction of the bicycle lane, coming towards each other faster and reducing reaction time (note that better fitness only equals faster collision),

C) Run or walk (or bicycle) with head down in an asphalt stare, unaware of what is coming.

It"s New York. People wear black, we understand this. No need to fully change fashion to a colorful West Coaster going to a new age seminar. But take a few tips from above and lessen the chances of a physically impacting wake up before the sun rises.

This runner was wearing a reflective Run for Your Life jacket but otherwise black from top to bottom; at least a cyclist has a chance to her with the reflective patch.

These runners from Ft Hamilton do it right: the Army warm-ups are light clothes with some reflective panels. They even had a flashlight. The pennant is also a nice touch, but probably not needed for everyday runners.

Improvements Up North: Grand Army Plaza

So what is happening in Brooklyn, outside of Bay Ridge? Here's a quick update from the Architect's Newspaper on the redesign of Grand Army Plaza at Prospect Park.

Did you know that Grand Army Plaza was intended to a part of the park? BRBR didn't know this either. Hard to believe with the amount of traffic passing through, but a nice transition from our prior post on cars' takeover of pedestrian space.



The new Grand Army Plaza.


Original Olmsted Plan

The Pedestrian Loses the Way

Another streets article in this weeks' New York Times, this one by Christopher Gray, discussing how pedestrian occupation of " 'The Street' meant the entire open area, from building line to building line" and attitudes towards pedestrians have changed with the advent of streetcars, bicycles, automobiles, and on-street parking.

Read the full article here.


Columbus Circle


Bay Ridge, 5th Ave and 57th St. Image for sale on ebay.

Life in the Slow Lane

Do yourself a favor and follow this link to read the eloquent article written by architecture critic Michael Kimmelman on the simple pleasures of riding a bicycle in NYC. How good is it? Both mom and dad independently emailed the article to BRBR, asking if we'd read it yet; now that's no small planetary alignment.

"It’s too bad that so many New Yorkers still complain about the bike lanes’ contribution to the inconvenience of urban driving instead of promoting them for their obvious role in helping solve the city’s transportation miseries, and for their aesthetic possibilities. I don’t mean they’re great to look at. I mean that for users they offer a different way of taking in the city, its streets and architecture, the fine-grained fabric of its neighborhoods. Decades ago the architects Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown wrote about how we see cities differently at different speeds. Las Vegas was their example, and they wrote about driving versus walking (skipping over the bicycle). But the point stands. On a bike time bends. Space expands and contracts."



There might have been something in the air last weekend. BRBR had a similar pleasant time-space experience last Friday night (while cycling). About 10pm, riding back to Bay Ridge from the Affinity Cycle Shop: roads were empty, air was cool, and it was like easy flying. 40 minutes on the dot from Affinity to the Verrazano.

Tip: 6th Ave through Park Slope late at night is fantastic.


View Late Night Ride in a larger map

Roads are for Bicyclists

Bicyclists at Grant's Tomb, NYC

Did you know that the first paved roads in the U.S. were initially intended for bicyclists? "...through the lobbying efforts of the League of American Wheelmen, which had 102,000 members in 1898. But new technology—the automobile—ended cyclists’ dominance, and the League disbanded in 1902. (It was eventually revived, and is now known as the League of American Bicyclists.).

Read the full article by Bob Monske at Bicycling.

NYC Bike Share is Coming!

As reported back in December 2010, a public bike share program is indeed coming to NYC. Expect to see 10,000 bicycles across 600 racks throughout the city by summer 2012. Eventually, the bicycles will be in Brooklyn, too.

“It us puts on the same level as the other great cities of the world, ” says landscape architect Richard Alomar.

Read the full article here.

Prospect Park West Bike Lane to Remain

Good news north of Bay Ridge:

A judge on Tuesday dismissed an effort by Brooklyn residents to remove a hotly contested bicycle lane installed by the city on Prospect Park West, in one of the most closely watched controversies over a signature policy of the Bloomberg administration.

The suit, filed in March, had come to encapsulate a moment of unusual civic strife over one of City Hall’s most notable policies. The city and its supporters say bicycle lanes are progressive, healthy additions to streets that reduce traffic accidents and promote more environmentally friendly modes of transport. Opponents have accused the city of neglecting the needs of car drivers and say the lanes can create dangers for pedestrians.

“This decision results in a hands-down victory for communities across the city,” Ms. Sadik-Khan said in a statement on Tuesday that described the plaintiffs as “dead wrong” in their arguments.

Read the full article here.

Governor to Sign Complete Streets Legislation

On August 15th, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced he will sign a law to require state and local transportation agencies to consider "complete streets" designs that will make streets and roadways across the state safe and accessible to all New Yorkers.

"New York's roadways should safely accommodate all pedestrians, motorists and cyclists, and this legislation will help communities across the state achieve this objective," Governor Cuomo said. "Complete Streets designs recognize measures that will make streets safer for New Yorkers of all ages and abilities."

Read the full press release from the Governor's office here.

PlaNYC Update: Transportation Issues and Opportunities

On August 8th, several committees of the American Institute of Architects held a roundtable discussion about the status of transportation in New York City. The discussion was one of a series of ongoing presentations that will culminate in a whitepaper publication later this year.

Since PlaNYC was introduced, it is an open question whether the plan will continue to guide purposeful changes over several decades or evaporate under the political and financial pressures of a future administration. Charted side by side, PlaNYC 2.0 (release earlier in 2011) shows more specificity than the original version in some areas — expanded Select Bus Service in the outer boroughs, East River ferries, Muni-Meters, transit-oriented up-zoning, traffic-management systems, and anti-congestion technologies — but not, overall, a corresponding increase in ambition.

Read more at eOculus.

FDNY Fireboat Greeting

At about 7:45 am this Saturday morning, an FDNY fireboat sailed past Bay Ridge, escorting another ship into New York Harbor. BRBR caught a few photos of the ships.

Since we're just two-wheeled landlubbers, we contacted Tugster's Waterblog who identified this ship as the TS Empire State IV, a SUNY maritime training vessel probably returning from a summer training cruise.

Click any of the images for a larger view.

Stripers in Bay Ridge

Stripers with one "P", not two! They've been in Bay Ridge over the past couple of weeks, re-striping the existing bicycle lanes throughout the neighborhood.





Shore Road at Ft Hamilton High School.


Shore Road. Notice the new bicyclist icon painted over the old fading one.


Colonial Road, behind the Visitation Academy.

Epic Ride in Bay Ridge

Yes, it happened! The Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ride passed through Bay Ridge and many local riders from Bay Ridge and nearby neighborhoods met with the group at Owl's Head Park. The riders continued to the 69th Street Pier and the Bay Ridge Promenade, continuing towards Jamaica Bay and Rockaway Beach.

The ride included bicyclists of all kinds and ages. the ride was organized by the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative. Members of the National Parks Service even joined for the event (see the green NPS shirt in the photo below)!

The Dutch Way: Bicycles and Fresh Bread

This article recalls one of BRBR's first posts. And besides, who doesn't like fresh bread?

Speaking about a bicycle's carrying capacity, "...cyclists can’t carry six bags of groceries; bulk buying is almost nonexistent. Instead of shopping for a week, people stop at the market daily. So the need for processed loaves that will last for days is gone. A result: good bread."

Read the full article in the New York Times. Oh, and BTW Washington, settle the debt ceiling so we can move on.

Petition for Bay Ridge Parkway Bicycle Lane

Click here to add your name to our new petition to bring a bicycle lane to Bay Ridge Parkway and throughout Bay Ridge.

It will only take a moment but can make a great difference in informing our Community, Elected Officials and the Department of Transportation about the travels and needs of bicyclists in our neighborhood.

We'll be collecting signatures all summer, both online and on paper, to deliver in the Fall.

We saw the paper sheets last night and there are already 200+ signatures collected. But you are online and don't need paper... so take 60 seconds to include your name on the online list. Cyclists, let them know you are in the neighborhood!

3rd Annual Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ride

The Brooklyn Waterfront Epic Ride is coming on July 30th, 2011, all along the Brooklyn Waterfront. The ride starts in Greenpoint at 9am. And for all the Ridge-ites, there will be a pickup point in Bay Ridge!

Join with the bicycle riders at 10am at Owl's Head Park, near the comfort station at 68th Street between Bliss Terrace and Narrows Avenue. Google Map link here. Depending upon their speed, riders may arrive from Greenpoint as late as 10:30am, so be patient in case they don't arrive at 10am, sharp.

Be sure to preregister for the ride at the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative's website. One of the members of the Greenway will bring a sign-in sheet and provide maps and other information. Local Bay Ridge riders welcome as volunteers to help facilitate the day and sign in. Feel free to send us an email at brbrbrooklyn@gmail.com.

This will be a great way to meet other riders in the area and see the future of the Brooklyn Waterfront!

http://www.brooklyngreenway.org/3rd-annual-brooklyn-watefront-epic-ride/

Summer Fun with Video

A recent article from the New York Times on the all the video documentation happening about traffic conflicts between pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. These are all interesting to watch and BRBR can't help but feel that the attitude in each is kinda finger-pointy and taken as a group, the pointing is going in all directions.

On that note: who's insane-o enough to ride a bicycle opposite the direction of traffic on Park Ave South in Manhattan?! It's on the 3-way street video. Geez.

Pro-Bike Lane Member Removed from CB10

Bob Cassara, a member of Community Board 10 and key supporter of bicycle lanes in Bay Ridge has not been reappointed to the Board. In fact, he was the only member not reappointed by Councilmember Vincent Gentile. Read more about it in the Brooklyn Paper:

Pro-bike CB10 member not reappointed by lane foe Gentile

Gentile: I didn’t boot Cassara over the bike lane!

Book'em!...Whoops!

Here's a fun (and often true) video about bike lane ticketing and obstructions in NYC.

Bay Ridge Summer Streets

Here's an opportunity to put our neighborhood streets to use for local businesses and residents. Imagine being outside on a summer evening, maybe enjoying a meal from a local restaurant that has set up tables on a part of the street, meeting friends and neighbors under the setting sun with the bridge framed by the buildings of 3rd Avenue. Sounds quite OK, right? I'd go to Bay Ridge for that... wait, BRBR already lives here! How convenient!



Here's a 2009 article about the Summer Streets program.

And here is the information from the CB10 website http://www.bkcb10.org/announcements/:

Public Hearing - "Summer Streets Pedestrian Mall"
On June 8th Community Board Ten's Traffic & Transportation Committee will host a Public Hearing to discuss our Elected Officials' suggestion to create a "Summer Streets Pedestrian Mall" along 3rd Avenue between 82nd and 92nd Streets on Friday evenings from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm during the months of July and August. This would involve the street closure of 3rd Avenue to vehicular traffic with side street crossings remaining open to traffic from 82nd Street to 92nd Street. This Public Hearing will take place at St. Anselm's McMahon Auditorium, 365 83rd Street, at 7:00 pm. (Handicapped access ramp is located at the side of the Church.)

New News For Bay Ridge Bicycle Lanes

Yes, BRBR left the CB10 meeting after the bike lanes portion of the agenda was discussed. But more occurred. This information straight from Bob Cassara who commented on our prior post:

"Most people interested in seeing the bike lane proposal move forward at this meeting left after my motion to rescind the Board's prior June 2010 was defeated. However there is good news. At the last few minutes of the meeting, Bob Hudock made a motion under Old Business to open up the idea of alternate bike lane proposals in Bay Ridge. I made an additional amendment to his motion that the T&T committee form a sub committee on bike lanes. The motion was passed by the full board. The community board chair said that she would seriously consider it. So, we get to continue the effort to get bike lanes in Bay Ridge. But unless we get more people involved and be more proactive in this matter we will not succeed. Last night's turnout was great and had we had that kind of turnout last year when the bike lane was first proposed, we would be in a very different position now. As we all witnessed last night, it is very difficult to change people's minds once they have committed to a certain position. But I believe we can still do it. It is just going to be harder now. It would have been great to see 50 to 100+ people turn out to last night's meeting, along with pickett signs and a parking lot full of bikes. Perhaps for the next meeting and/or in September. I would lke to hear from others and their ideas. The electeds and the Community Board members need to get the message - loud and clear. Our safety matters too!"

No Bicycle Lane on Bay Ridge Parkway, Confirmed by CB10

Bob Cassara addresses Community Board 10

At last night's Community Board 10 meeting, Bob Cassara put forth a motion to rescind the Board's prior June 2010 vote opposing a bicycle Lane on Bay Ridge Parkway. It was defeated at the full Board member vote by a wide margin (only 8 voted in support).

At the present time, there are no other proposals being considered for new bicycle lanes in Bay Ridge.

Support Bicyle Lanes on May 16 at CB10

Community Board 10 member Bob Cassara has breathed life back into the proposed Bay Ridge Parkway bicycle lane which was scratched from DOT's plans a few weeks ago. Come to CB10 on Monday and voice your support!

What: Brooklyn Community Board 10 Full Board Meeting

When: Monday, May 16th, 7:15pm
Where: Knights of Columbus - Columbian Room, 1305 86th Street
Note: Please arrive by 7pm or earlier and sign up to speak during the public session. Members of the public will have 2 minutes to speak at the beginning of the meeting.

Read more at the Brooklyn Paper: "Not Everyone in Bay Ridge Hates Bike Lanes"

BRBR Related Posts:

Thoughts on Bay Ridge Parkway

Bay Ridge Parkway - What It Might Have Been

Bicycle Lane on Bay Ridge Parkway? Fuggedaboutit

9th Street - The Bay Ridge Parkway of Park Slope?

Bay Ridge Parkway: A Quick View


Hi, Bob!

Observations on a Tuesday Morning in May

BRBR was out this morning and rode along Shore Road at several different times between 6:00 and 6:45am. BRBR counted at least 7 individual bicyclists along Shore Road at this early hour going both northbound and southbound. Bicyclists among those BRBR spotted include:

The guy with the orange jacket *
The guy with the teal jacket *
The woman on the mountain bike with the front handlebar bag *
The guy in the yellow LiveStrong jersey and shorts

(* denotes morning regulars)

Several of these folks were adding the harbor bike path to their route to make a continuous loop or were just riding back-and-forth along the ups and downs of Shore Road. If we just counted bike passes along Shore Road, there would have been 15 or more. And yes, at the moment BRBR was at Bay Ridge Parkway, a bicyclist in a black jacket was turning onto Shore Road.

Fit City - May 17th

Now in its 6th year, Fit City is coming back to the Center for Architecture, looking at how the design of the environment can encourage and promote physical activity for better health and wellness..

If you have ever wanted to learn and be informed about some of the bigger ideas behind bicycle lanes, pedestrian access and walkability, food resources, health and the design of buildings and communities, this is an event that should not be missed. Several Commissioners and some of the best thinkers in NYC will be presenting and having discussions at this event.

BRBR has attended in the past so we'll give you a tip: the room, hallways, and balcony will be filled to overflow so be sure to RSVP and arrive with plenty of time to spare!

From the event flyer:

The AIA New York Chapter, in partnership with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will host the sixth annual public conference to examine how design of the built environment creates opportunities for increasing physical activity and access to healthier food choices. This conference will bring together architects, planners, designers, developers, and public health professionals to address how building design and policy decisions can improve health outcomes in communities, helping to prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and asthma.

Read about the full program here.

Kids Ride Club

About a month ago, BRBR attended a fundraiser for the Kids Ride Club. Last year, these participants collectively rode over 10,000 miles on the streets of New York City….. yes, you read that correctly…. ON THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY….. visiting new neighborhoods, meeting new people and learning about themselves and their capabilities along the way.

BRBR met a few of the kids and the organizers of the Kids Ride Club at the fundraising event. It was great to meet them and see the enthusiasm they all had for the bicycle, being physically active, and eagerness to do it again in 2011.

One of the riders also talked about how hungry she was during one of the rides. Not only was her internal furnace working to make her grow, she was also riding a bicycle which required energy to do even more work. It was great to see her realization of the connection between physiology, transportation and food.

One ride that they loved the most was the going out to Kissena Park to ride on the velodrome. Maybe they’ll get involved with the Star Track program – an introductory bicycle racing program for kids.

We even learned about the Youth Bike Summit that took place earlier this year in New York. May need to mark our calendars for 2012.


The Kids Ride club is run by Recycle-A-Bicycle and Woodhull Hospital with lots of adult volunteers and supporters.

Friday's Random Posting

A few observations and notices for the week:

13: That's the number of cyclists BRBR counted on the Manhattan Bridge on Thursday morning as we rode the Q train into Manhattan around 9am. 12 of the riders were going into Manhattan, 1 was going to Brooklyn. Considering it takes the Q train only about 2 minutes to cross the bridge, that's quite a count of riders in that timespan.

Bike Marking Refresh: BRBR carried our Howard Beach ride all the way over the Cross Bay Boulevard and to the Rockaways (this has been a regular ride in recent weeks). Heading back west along Rockaway Beach Boulevard, BRBR noticed that many of the bicycle lane markings had been freshly painted and refreshed in the vicinity of Beach 117th Street to around Beach 125th Street. The markings are so new, Google doesn't even show them yet but we promise they are marked. Thanks DOT!

Bike New York is happening this Sunday (May 1). Bay Ridge will be saturated with bicyclist this Sunday. The route travels along the highway to Cannonball Park and then over the Verrazano Bridge.

Is Bay Ridge Participating in PlaNYC?

On April 22, 2011, to commemorate the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day, the City of New York released an update to PlaNYC 2030.

Under the transportation section, Initiative 6 speaks about “making bicycling safer and more convenient” and Initiative 7 is to “enhance pedestrian access and safety.” Too bad this initiative update to PlaNYC wasn’t released a few days before April 12^th , when the plans for the bicycle lane on Bay Ridge Parkway were tossed to the shredder. Perhaps our elected officials and community representatives need a reminder about the larger community and city planning goals of PlaNYC. After reading Council Member Domenic Recchia's press release on his blog, BRBR has to ask: what is the alternative to Bay Ridge Parkway? To our knowledge, there are no other bicycling routes planned for this neighborhood.

Thoughts on Bay Ridge Parkway

Bay Ridge Parkway was probably an easy political sacrifice for DOT: (comparatively) low cycling volume in a car-focused area, well documented objections by local community groups (either the cyclists or the community and political representatives are out-of-touch with one another… not sure which way this swings).  The shovel-ready lane on Bay Ridge Parkway was easily converted to shredder-ready with a quick press release that makes DOT appear responsive to community needs in the current bikelash environment.

It is obvious that Bay Ridge Parkway is almost a freeway at times and it is tragic that pedestrian accidents and fatalities occur along this road.

The bicycle lane had pros and cons on paper or a map:

Pros:
1) 3 mile connector from Seth Low Playground to Shore Road and the harbor

2) Wide enough at most all blocks to accommodate a bike lane, or even a buffered lane

3) Uses one of the few bridges over the highway for continuity of connection.  Also one of the few bridges with 90 degree intersections and traffic that feels reasonably managed.  (B.R.Pkwy is so not closely linked to a highway on/off ramp or major intersection as compared to 86th, or 92nd or others).

4) Not a high commercial street, mostly residential or community functions


Cons:
1) Perception of a busy street

2) Riding it is convenient but not always pleasant due to the vehicles (real speed)

3) Others issues?


Other side streets might be usable as bicycling routes and maybe even more friendly (ie less trafficked).  However, BRBR sees two potential losses or problems:

a) Loss of continuity across the highway.  This is a real challenge.

b) Crossing some of the avenues is difficult (whether for bicycle or car) because many are not signaled.

There is a real lack of marked east-west routes in this area of Brooklyn.  A network of east-west routes would be fantastic.  For reference, look at what the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is proposing in the Sunset Park area (see page 30 and others for the conceptual plan).

As a final mini-sidebar, BRBR would love to see a bike lane pass through Ft Hamilton.  This could be one of the connectors as part of the east-west network.  BRBR used to do this often pre-9/11, but no longer.   Though BRBR has read that the new base commander is trying to open up to the community more.

Multimodal Transit Ticketing

BRBR shot this photo while driving across Brooklyn last week (full disclosure: yes, we drive cars, too). Pay NYC $115+ of respect if you violate those terra-cotta colored bus lanes.

Of course, bicycle lanes are not so lucrative for NYC as a revenue generating venture. If there are laws on the books that allow ticketing of bicycle lane violations, they don't seem to be enforced too often or regularly. Seeing parked cars, double parked cars or driving in the lane is frequent in NYC. By contrast, the bus system is automated and can easily generate tickets and pay for itself quickly to create revenue. Bicycle lane enforcement requires an officer to stop on the street and issue the tickets.

Here's an idea: if the city is following through with the bike share proposals for Manhattan and Brooklyn, why not mount cameras to the rental bikes that can be triggered automatically when a bicycle lane violation is sensed, or manually by the operator when an infraction is seen? Revenue galore for NYC! And an opportunity for cyclist to give back to the city that provides so much.

It's better than the recent NYPD bikelash on ticketing the cyclists themselves:

'Scandal'bars Bike Bust: Cop Cites Gal for Tote-bag 'Hazard' - NYPost

Undercover Cops on Bike Duty - NYVeloCity
(This one is true - one of BRBR's co-workers was stopped by an undercover officer in an unmarked car in downtown Manhattan.)

Cop Nearly Doors Cyclist, Then Chases and Arrests Her - Gothamist

Bay Ridge Parkway - What It Might Have Been

Last Fall, this proposal received approval and was moving forward. As of Tuesday, this shovel-ready project was made shredder-ready with a single press release, published on Council Member Domenic Recchia's website.

See the full DOT presentation at the link below and some snap shots provided here.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/201010_bayridgepkwy_slides.pdf

For the record, a federal highway lane (the ones you can drive 55 to 65+mph upon) is 12' wide. The current travel lanes are 16' wide (25' minus 9' parking). The new bicycle lanes would have reduced the travel lanes to 11'. Perhaps drivers were concerned that this reduction in lane width would have decreased opportunities to complete the classic Brooklyn mid-block U-Turn? This is the only explanation we can immediately think up.