Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Bike Lanes

Eyes on the Street: New Bike Path, Same Old Illegal Parking

NYPD Transportation Chief Thomas Chan's unit, overseeing illegally-parked minivans putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk. Photo: Robert Wright
NYPD Traffic officers had a great view of illegally-parked minivans last night in South Williamsburg. Photo: Robert Wright/Flickr
NYPD Transportation Chief Thomas Chan's unit, overseeing illegally-parked minivans putting pedestrians and cyclists at risk. Photo: Robert Wright

Well, that didn't take long.

The paint is barely dry on the new two-way bike path on Kent Avenue in South Williamsburg, and drivers are using it as car storage for minivans. Again.

Robert Wright snapped a photo of cars blocking the bike lanes and sidewalk in full view of NYPD Traffic officers. "What's the point of putting in a new bike lane if the police are essentially going to supervise its obstruction?" Wright asked in an email.

The bikeway should eventually include flexible posts, supposedly to keep cars out, before implementation wraps up. But without a more substantial barrier -- and the revocation of consent from New York's Finest -- illegal and dangerous parking in the path of cyclists and pedestrians will probably continue.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Council Members Put Everything But Riders First at ‘Bus Oversight’ Hearing

The Council spent its last bus oversight hearing of its term asking the MTA and city to pull back on bus lane enforcement.

November 14, 2025

Community Board Defies Parents in Vote to Reopen Forest Park to Cars

The Parks Department appears to have given in to a vocal group of Queens drivers. Paging Mayor Mamdani!

November 14, 2025

Opinion: Daylighting Isn’t Anti-Driver — It’s Pro-Common Sense

Listen to a Republican: "The Department of Transportation's negative report on daylighting is like judging the effectiveness of lifeboats on the Titanic by studying the ones that never left the ship."

November 14, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: More Agenda Items Edition

Transportation Alternatives laid out, in 85 chunky bullet points, what the next major should do. Plus other news.

November 14, 2025

SHAMEFUL: Pro-Parking DOT ‘Forced’ Lawmakers To Scale Back Daylighting Bill, Says Queens Pol

A parking-first City Hall has thrown up road blocks against pedestrian safety.

November 13, 2025

House T&I Chair Vows ‘No Money for Bikes or Walking’ in Fed Transportation Bill

The outlook for active transportation won't be good if advocates don't stand up.

November 13, 2025
See all posts