Brooklyn CB 7 Tables Fourth Avenue Protected Bike Lanes Until January

Brooklyn Community Board 7 declined to vote last night on the DOT plan for protected bike lanes along Fourth Avenue, opting to take it up next month when more board members should be present, according to District Manager Jeremy Laufer.

Last week, the CB 7 transportation committee unanimously endorsed the project, which would add curbside protected bike lanes on Fourth Avenue north of 65th Street [PDF]. DOT hopes to install the bike lanes in temporary, low-cost materials between 38th Street and 65th Street in the spring.

Protected bike lanes on Fourth Avenue would be a breakthrough for safe, convenient north-south route for bike travel in western Brooklyn. But without including protected lanes in an upcoming capital reconstruction project, it could be another generation before the city considers them on Fourth Avenue.

Attendance was low last night, Laufer told Streetsblog, prompting board chair Daniel Murphy to forgo a decision until next month. "Because it’s a passionate issue he didn’t want to rush it," Laufer said.

Murphy's term as board chair ends at the end of this month, and he will be replaced in January by Cesar Zuniga, a researcher at CUNY Grad Center.

CB 7 next meets on January 17 at 6:30 p.m. at the board office, located at 4201 4th Avenue (entrance on 43rd Street).

Tonight, meanwhile, Brooklyn CB 6 takes up the northern segment of the project, although holiday season attendance might also pose a problem. Transportation co-chair Eric McClure said the committee may ask DOT to come back next month if they are not able to make quorum. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Services, located on the third floor at 503 5th Avenue.