Following last week's double committee vote in favor of DOT's suggested changes for the Prospect Park West bike lane, the proposal to add raised pedestrian refuges to the redesign is set to go to the full board on April 13.
At this point, just about everyone has weighed in on this project. The Community Board approved the initial installation nearly two years ago. More than 70 percent of Park Slope residents want the bike lane to stay, according to last year's survey of nearly 3,000 Brooklynites. And at the last public hearing about the redesign, supporters outnumbered opponents eight to one. We know that Borough President Marty Markowitz is a relentless opponent, and that City Council Member Brad Lander is a steadfast supporter.
But there is at least one person who still has no position on the Prospect Park West bike lane: City Council Member Steve Levin.
Levin's district includes the northern part of Prospect Park West, above Third Street. The district has one of the highest rates of bike commuting in the city, but also happens to encompass the PPW bike lane opposition headquarters at 9 Prospect Park West, residence of Iris Weinshall, Chuck Schumer, and NBBL president Louise Hainline.
Together with Markowitz and Lander, Levin is one of three local electeds whose stance on the Prospect Park West bike lane counts the most. Those are the three pols whose appointments will determine who sits on Community Board 6 going forward.
Before last week's committee vote, Streetsblog contacted Levin's office to see whether he had joined Markowitz and Lander in taking a position on the bike lane and whether it should stay.
After all the votes, data collection, and surveys -- including the one his own office jointly organized with Lander's staff and CB 6 -- showing that the redesign has achieved its stated goals and enjoys broad support, Levin's office had only this to say: He hasn't taken a position on the bike lane.
