By James Allenby
Gowanus Lounge
August 22, 2011
The city’s hotly discussed bicycle lane built by the city on Prospect Park West has gone through another round of court decisions. Last week, a judge dismissed the efforts of concerned Brooklyn citizens to remove the lane. The plaintiffs, two civic groups in Brooklyn with ties to former city transportation commissioner Iris Weinshall, have accused the Transportation Department of misleading residents.
The judge’s decision, this time, did not address the plaintiffs’ claims. Rather, Judge Bert A. Bunyan of the State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, found that the lawsuit the residents brought wasn’t valid because it had been filed after the statute of limitations had expired for legal challenge to the land to be considered legitimate.
While most people would assume that a bike lane is a healthy addition to a progressive city, as does the city and its supporters, opponents have accused the city on different grounds. They say that the bike lane does not take into consideration the needs of the car drivers and that the lanes pose a potential danger for pedestrians.
Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan said, after the decision that “This decision results in a hands-down victory for communities across the city.”
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