Guerrilla Stripers Paint Back Bedford Avenue Bike Lane

Looks like some New Yorkers who bike on Bedford Avenue decided not to sit idly by after the city removed 14 blocks of bike lane in South Williamsburg. Multiple sources informed Streetsblog this morning that DIY, unofficial bike lane striping has appeared along the stretch of Bedford Avenue that was sandblasted last week. We don’t know who is responsible for this act of civil disobedience and guerrilla safety enhancement, but apparently, their efforts have run afoul of the law.

After DOT blasted them off last week, Bedford Avenue bike stencils have reportedly reappeared. Photo: Elizabeth Press.

According to sources cited by Ben Muessig at Gothamist, the bike lane stripers were apprehended by NYPD this morning, with an assist from the neighborhood watch in South Williamsburg’s Hasidic community:

According to tipsters, the neighborhood’s volunteer community watch
group responded to reports at around 4 am that two men were using
spraypaint to recreate a section of the bike lane, which the Department
of Transportation controversially removed from a 14-block stretch of
Bedford Avenue last week. Police arrived at the corner of Bedford
Avenue and Rutledge Street and arrested two suspects, sources said.

Streetsblog has requests in with NYPD and the 90th Precinct to confirm the arrests. In the meantime, if you have more information or pictures of the unofficial bike lane, send to tips@streetsblog.org.