A Brooklyn judge has halted the city's plans to tear up three blocks of a protected bike lane — and ordered city lawyers to return later this summer to persuade her that they weren't acting "arbitrarily, capriciously, and illegally" in ordering the hasty removal.
The city is "enjoined and restrained from implementing and commencing/performing any construction or other acts related to the removal," Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo posted on the court's website early on Wednesday — the same day that the city was preparing to remove protections for cyclists along Bedford Avenue between Willoughby and Flushing avenues.
Judges typically only issue such temporary restraining orders if they feel that the plaintiffs have a reasonable chance of success on the merits when the full case is argued. Walker-Diallo ordered the parties back to her courtroom on Aug. 6.
For now, street safety advocates crowed that they had, at least for now, halted the city's plans to put cyclists back in harm's way on a notoriously dangerous street.
“We’re relieved the judge stepped in," said Baruch Herzfeld, a Williamsburg resident who, with his 12-year-old son, are the plaintiffs in the case.
"Forcing kids into traffic was never the answer. Yes, people go too fast in the lane — especially on e-bikes — and too many school kids cross it unaware. But the solution is to fix it, not rip it out. Protected lanes save lives, and the data proves it. The city and DOT need to act fast — not just to preserve the lane, but to make it even safer.”
Lawyer Peter Beadle had filed the case late on Tuesday in Kings County Supreme Court on behalf of the Herzfelds and Transportation Alternatives. The papers demanded the temporary restraining order, arguing that cyclists "will be irreparably harmed" by removing a safe route.
"Despite the completion of the upgraded lane’s installation in October 2024; and, despite data showing both that the old [painted lane] was not safe or effective and safety of all road users has improved since the upgraded design was installed, the city improperly, irrationally, without proper legal notice and in an abuse of discretion announced on Friday, June 13, 2025 that it would remove the upgraded bicycle lane," the papers state.
City Administrative Code Section 19-101.2 requires the Department of Transportation to provide email notice to local elected officials and the local Community Board — in this case Community Board 3 — of the removal or installation of bike lanes "and allow at least 10 business days within which
said officials may request a presentation with details of the projects and the justification for it," the court papers state.
"DOT did not provide the required notice," it added.
DOT argued in its court papers that the planned changes to Bedford Avenue only "seek to further refine recent modifications to the street."
"This plan would not remove the existing bicycle lane, but would shift its location within the street," the argument continued. "Previous improvements to the intersections, such as pedestrian islands that reduce crossing distances and intersection redesigns that improve visibility for all street users, will remain in place."
But that didn't wash for Herzfeld.
"Tearing out portions of the Bedford Avenue bike lane will only make our streets more dangerous for everyone who uses them, including children," he told Streetsblog on Tuesday. "I’m honored to stand with my son to fight for his street, his community, and his city.”
That fight has been going on almost since the city installed the protected bike lane on a dangerous stretch of Bedford north of Dean Street. Leaders of the Hasidic community — who have long complained that bike lanes bring outsiders to their enclave — claimed that it is unsafe after several minor crashes involving children running into the bike lane from illegally parked cars or buses.
The city made several design tweaks, but illegal parkers consistently thwart the city's effort to provide daylighting so cyclists and kids can see each other.
At a town hall meeting convened by the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg, Rabbi David Niederman took his case directly to the mayor, who pledged he would listen to the community. Several residents of the neighborhood, including Herzfeld's son, spoke in support of the bike lane.
Nonetheless, without warning late on Friday, Mayor Adams announced he would tear up the northernmost three blocks and put the bike lane, protected only by paint, back in the street.
The DOT did not respond to an immediate request for comment. But previously, the agency has advanced a new street design that would create "protected intersections" on roadways with mere painted bike lanes. The plan, as reported by Streetsblog, would divert the painted lane behind a pedestrian island at corners.
It shows promise, except for the fact that in Williamsburg, car drivers routinely park on the daylighted zones.
After initial publication of this story, a mayoral spokesperson sent over a statement and links to several tweets from anti-bike special interest groups.
“After several dangerous incidents — many of which involved children getting seriously hurt — the Adams administration listened to the community’s concerns and decided to reconfigure the bike lane to its original model while still maintaining safety measures," the statement said. "It’s unfortunate that elected leaders are intentionally disregarding the needs and safety of the very community who elected them to be their representative. We will address this matter in court where we are confident we will prevail.”
The judge's ruling does not affect a rally that was planned along the roadway at 6 p.m. tonight. Reporters for Streetsblog will be on hand.
