Kent Avenue Showdown on Tuesday, Jan 13

Showdown is a strong word: we want to broker peace on Kent Street...and keep our lovely, tremendously useful bike lanes!

Truth be told, we have no idea if anyone reads our humble, sporadically-updated blog...and if you do, you likely already know about this really important meeting.

But if you don't, details are below. If you aren't busy on Tuesday, please haul over to Anslie Street, please! The voices against the bike lane are plenty loud and at the last meeting bikers barely made a peep. So, let's pipe up!

Part of the urgency here is not only protecting bike lanes (though I for one can't believe we would really use taxpayer money during a big recession to roll back something that greatly aids safe, enviromentally sound transportaton). The Kent lane is also part of the burgeoining Brooklyn Greenway, which will be a boon to the borough's bikers, walkers and joggers. Kent Ave. is an integral part of the Greenway--it loops people around the Navy Yard and makes for a convenient route all the way to Greenpoint. Hand, sexy and good!

Anyhow, soapboax stuff over, here's the scoop on the meeting:


WHEN: January 13, 2009
WHERE: Swinging Sixties Senior Center
211 Ainslie Street (Corner of Manhattan Avenue)

QUOTH TRANSALT:
"Williamsburg, BrooklynThe back and forth over the Kent Avenue bike lanes has continued over the last several weeks. This coming Tuesday is the first full meeting of Community Board 1 since the dispute erupted, and we need a strong showing of supporters to make the biggest possible impression on the board leadership. Please attend this critical meeting, and sign up to make a brief 2-minute statement during the public comment period to back up this critical safety improvement.

You must sign up by 6:15 pm AT THE LATEST to speak"


More from TransAlt

Save The Kent Avenue Bike Lane

ACK! Maybe this is just a scare tactic by T.A., but I just received the missive below and it sure gave me the heeby jeebies.

I have no idea if anyone reads our little blog. And if you do, I am guessing you probably already get the full slew of T.A. stuff. So, maybe you have already sent something in.

But if you haven't done the e-fax thingy, please do. Trite but true: it takes but a moment and it can't hurt to have our voices massed and shouting!

Thanks and ride on...

Click here to send your E-Fax To Mayor Bloomberg

Dear T.A. Brooklyn Committee member,

The Kent Avenue bike lane is in trouble. Local elected officials are bending to the will of drivers angered at the loss of parking, and are calling for the lane's removal. We need you to reach out to Mayor Bloomberg, who has the final say, and affirm the value of this critical link in the bike network.

We would not be reaching out to you if we didn't think this project and future lanes in North Brooklyn weren't in jeopardy. To prevent this lane's removal, please help by sending this e-fax now . You can modify the text as you see fit.

The Kent Avenue lane is not perfect. T.A. supports the efforts of Community Board 1 and the DOT as they identify addition parking and loading zones on adjacent streets, and work with businesses to find solutions to loading difficulties. But we firmly oppose the premature calls of residents and elected officials for the lane's removal in order to preserve convenient parking spaces for area car-owners at the expense of bicyclists' safety.

The Kent Avenue bike lane is the precursor to a fully-formed Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. This plan, including the removal of parking, was overwhelmingly approved by Community Board 1. T.A. supports the Kent Avenue bike lane as a way to hold the future greenway's footprint, and protect the thousands of cyclists who use this dangerous street.

Send off the e-fax today . T.A. will cc your other elected officials and community board, multiplying the impact of your statement.