New Twist in Kent Ave Saga: Safer Bike Path Plus Parking

Photo: i'm not sayin, i'm just sayin

After a contentious few months full of clowns, scantily-clad women, illegal billboards, and community board strife (since resolved), we may finally be approaching the denouement to the city's most talked about bike lane drama. The Brooklyn Paper reports on the latest Kent Avenue development:

The new bike path will be separated by on-street markings a la Grand Street, according to sources familiar with the plan.

The configuration more closely resembles that of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, which will eventually succeed the bike lane on Kent Avenue. "This establishes the greenway footprint much sooner than would otherwise be the case," said Transportation Alternatives' Wiley Norvell. A two-way protected path on Kent, he added, could serve as a groundbreaking precedent for other on-street paths -- even more so than the two-way path planned for Prospect Park West, which doesn't contend with any cross-traffic.

Another thing to watch for is the treatment of parking. The absence of parking on Kent has given pedestrians an unobstructed view of traffic, making crossing the street safer. The revised design should make ample use of daylighting to keep sightlines clear and open. "As long as those safety gains are preserved, this is a win," said Norvell.