#bike-lanes

#bike-lanes

The other day we noticed that a sign installed by the Department of Transportation to herald the role then-President Joe Biden played in funding the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge bike lane (above) had been quietly taken down (below). We wondered if the sudden disappearance of Amtrak Joe was linked to the city's ongoing battles with President Trump over such near-and-dear transportation initiatives such as congestion pricing, bike lanes, the 34th Street busway and the Second Avenue Subway.

Protesting parts of a new bill that would limit construction of new bike lanes in Ontario, dozens of cyclists pedalled to Queen's Park through downtown Toronto Thursday morning to push back against what they say is yet another baseless provincial attack on cycling infrastructure. Bill 60 is an omnibus bill proposed by Premier Doug Ford's government in October, which has already drawn criticism from Toronto City Council, housing advocates and environmentalists, as well as cyclists.

I've learned firsthand why cities like Lubbock need better cycling infrastructure now, not later. As cyclists, we all know the uneasy balance of sharing the road with vehicles that outweigh us by thousands of pounds. A bike lane isn't just a strip of paint - it's often the only physical space between us and potential tragedy. And after decades on two wheels, I can say this with certainty: bike lanes save lives.

We were going to give Mayor Adams a pass after the city issued its annual Mayor's Management Report for fiscal year 2025 (also known as July 2024 through June 2025). We felt we didn't need to pile on because we've already reported so many measures of how badly Mayor Adams is building bike lanes, how slowly he's building bus lanes, how he decides on safety measures based on vibes, and how corruptly he is overseeing the public process of making the city safer.

It has four wheels and a tall trailer, which make it look like a truck. But it also looks like a bike because the driver pedals it, usually in the bike lane. It's an ingenious contraption, built for last-mile deliveries in crowded city streets, but it's arguably too big for existing bike lanes and too slow for the street, so everyone in the city seems to get mad about its presence wherever it is.

Different neighborhood, same story. The city is once again halting a modest proposal for unprotected bike lanes in Brooklyn, this time in Midwood, after the all-too-familiar backlash from some car-focused locals. Department of Transportation honchos recently told local electeds they would pause the proposed network of unprotected bike lane in the southern Brooklyn's Community Board 14 that has been in the works for at least four years, frustrating residents who want to safely travel around without a car.

"The changes we're making really are balancing a lot of competing interests for limited curb space, so where we've been able to help we've tried to do so," Baird said.

"Bikes make the most sense" as they allow faster delivery by bypassing congestion, said Cyndi Gilbert, a board member at Bike Brigade, whereas using a car poses additional challenges including parking.

In his ruling, Justice Schabas stated that not issuing the injunction would "cause more harm and inconvenience to the public interest" than allowing the legislation to be implemented.

This week, crews are scheduled to work on: striping, meter installation and painting curbs at the locations listed.

I think the province knows that they're not going to solve traffic congestion by taking out bike lanes.