Tonight: Opposition to Kent Ave Bike Lane Expected at CB1 Meeting

2:42 PM EST on November 12, 2008

New bike facilities on Kent Avenue are expected to be the subject of protest tonight from motorists angry about the removal of on-street parking.

E-mails circulating in advance of this evening's meeting of the Brooklyn Community Board 1 transportation committee are calling for officials to suspend installation of the Kent Avenue bike lane in lieu of further study. The partially-constructed lane is a key component of a Brooklyn bike lane network as well as the future Brooklyn Greenway, and is already getting plenty of use.

Though CB1 signed off on the lane last April, and community board recommendations are non-binding, it is imperative that board members hear from those whose interests extend beyond the perceived convenience of copious free on-street parking. Judging by one unsourced missive (see it here), it looks like the opposition is pulling out all the stops, claiming, among other things, that changes on Kent have created hardships and hazards for children -- who are presumably far more secure with the status quo.

Here are the details for tonight:

CB1 Transportation Committee MeetingWednesday, November 12211 Ainslie Street, corner of Manhattan Avenue, Williamsburg6:30 pm -- registration for public speaking ENDS at 6:15

Brad Aaron

Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.

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