City work crews have been removing protections on a three-block stretch of the Bedford Avenue bike lane.
NY1 reports that “the lane is being shifted from its current position next to the sidewalk to the other side of parked cars, placing cyclists adjacent to moving traffic.”
The section spans from Flushing to Willoughby avenues and was recently subject to a tumultuous legal battle, with back-and-forth from various judges leaving the project’s status uncertain.
Mayor Eric Adams announced changes to the bike lane in June, prompted by local concerns about children hit by cyclists, often when exiting cars or buses parked mid-block. Cycling advocates sued the city in response, arguing that the mayor didn’t have the authority to unilaterally decide to remove the protections (the city is legally required to provide advanced notice about any changes to major transportation projects). The case batted around the court system over the summer; an appellate court judge ultimately ruled in the city’s favor, allowing work crews to proceed with the removal process last week.
The city’s Department of Transportation installed the protections last year, which they said led to a 47% decrease in injuries. Street safety group Transportation Alternatives, a plaintiff in the case, shared a petition signed by over 500 cyclists promising to sue the city if they sustain injuries on the bike lane corridor.