December 18, 2006
Wider Sidewalks for More Bike Racks in Williamsburg
Last year, cops were seen sawing through the locks of bikes locked up against the Bedford Avenue subway station entrance on North 7th and impounding them for obstructing the sidewalk. And back then, the Department of Transportation promised to open many more bike racks for cyclists to leave their bikes near subways, as well as widen sidewalks in Williamsburg.
So now you can set your watches to "somewhere between 1 and 2 years" as the time elapsed for DOT promises to come true. Streetsblog finds out that five parking spaces on N. 7th will be eliminated in order to widen the sidewalk and make room for the bike racks! Just think, if the MTA does add more L and G service, commutes might get somewhat easier!
Photograph by Will at UntitledName
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Has anyone actually tried to order Bike Racks from the city using the existing program?
I'm wondering if the program actually works.
Anyone?
I did once. The city said they would "investigate" the "feasibility" and "get back to me". Those weren't their exact words obviously, but you get the point.
It's just like 311. The city has done a great job of providing an outlet for people to feel like their complaining is listened to when in actuality, it's just a black hole of non-response.
Until Rockefellers, Bloombergs and Tisches start riding their bikes around the city, don't expect anyone to care.
The City actually ran out of bike racks this summer, and they don't install them during the winter. Bike racks, unfortunately, also need to go through Community Board review, where they are sometimes rejected for not-so-valid reasons by autoholics.
Community Boards are often run by old retired people (since they're the only ones who can go to a meeting in the middle of the day at 1 pm while everyone else is working), who think all change is bad.
"Cyclists?!? I saw them on Fox News starting riots! No parking for them."
Dude-
Most community board meetings occur in the evenings. The only thing keeping you from attending is >you