Markowitz Slams Bike-Happy DOT Commissioner

A certain someone is going to love this: In an interview with WNYC, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz blasted bike-loving Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan as "a zealot." Marty is miffed because of all the damn bike lanes encroaching on car territory, particularly on Prospect Park West, where the DOT has finally decided to move ahead with a bike lane from Grand Army Plaza to Bartel Pritchard Square, despite opposition from motorists. On the eve of last night's final public hearing on the issue, Markowitz wrathfully tore into Khan:

Even our commissioner of DOT, who you very well know is probably the biggest advocate of doing everything possible to eliminate automobiles. Even she, when she goes to meetings, she’s not on a bicycle. She’s in a chauffeur-driven car. Interesting, isn’t it?... She is a zealot... We just disagree in certain instances where I’m acutely aware that she wants to make it hard for those that choose to own their automobiles. She wants to make it difficult, their life difficult. I really believe that.

Markowitz did concede that if he walked and biked more he would "probably would be in much better shape," but argued, "I represent everyone. Not just a segment of the population. And I have to balance out those that feel that everyone should be on bicycles and those that feel that they need their automobile and that they shouldn’t be stigmatized." Streetsblog notes that 57 percent of Brooklyn households don't own cars, so surely you can understand why motorists feel like a downtrodden minority struggling under Kahn's boot.

Instead of a two-way bike lane on PPW, Markowitz thinks northbound cyclists should just ride on the sidewalk on Flatbush Avenue between Grand Army Plaza and Empire Boulevard—which would be a strange substitute. And part of the reason the DOT wants to remove a lane of traffic and add bike lanes to Prospect Park West is to slow down traffic; a DOT survey found 70 percent of drivers on PPW traveling faster than the 30 mph limit, with 15 percent driving 40 mph or faster. At last night's hearing, one Park Slope resident summed up the opposition: "Just a few yards away is a bike lane — it’s called Prospect Park! Why not use that?"

In response to the brouhaha following his interview, Markowitz has released this statement:

Like our DOT Commissioner, whose professionalism I respect, I too support cycling in this city, and have not only supported bike lanes like the ones on 9th Street in Park Slope and Kent Avenue in Williamsburg, but have also been a major proponent of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile on-and-off street bike lane that connects Greenpoint to Sunset Park. Without my office’s support and advocacy the Greenway would not be happening. What I am opposed to is bike lanes on Prospect Park West, which will both take away needed parking for residents and park-goers and interrupt access of pedestrians to the park during peak usage in summer and on weekends. There are better options to explore that would meet everyone’s needs—such as adding traffic lights to calm traffic, and adding another bike lane to the park itself. By the way, as borough president I advocate for bikers, and also for those who do not live near public transportation, those who cannot bike for various reasons, and yes, those families and residents who chose to own a car in this borough.
Also, to clear up an apparently ambiguous statement from my original WNYC interview, I in no way advocate for cyclists to break the law and ride illegally on the city's sidewalks. My comment about utilizing excess sidewalk space on Prospect Park West and Flatbush Avenue off Prospect Park stems from the fact that, given low usage and wide widths, these sidewalks can potentially safely accommodate the creation of new off street bike lanes. I think that such a proposal should be explored since it would avoid removing a lane from Prospect Park West.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on April 13, 2010 12:38 PM

Comments [rss]

potsmoker

i suggest many of you leave downtown and the hipster parts of brooklyn, in certain parts of brooklyn its officially ok for no more than 85% of bicyclists of a certain religious group (guess which one?) to ride on the sidewalks...even in front of cops,

Aunt_Bike

Mr Markowitz is merely pandering to the car owners in Brooklyn. The car owners who complain and complain about the traffic congestion that they themselves cause.

Every progressive city and town in this country recognizes that it's becoming more and more impractical and costly to keep pouring money into making improvements to roads that encourage more cars. It's time for change.

I'm supposed to ride my bike in circles in the park? News for Mr Markowitz...I'm legally allowed to ride my choice of transportation in the street. Get used to it, Marty.

LB

I actually agree with the fat bastards assessment here . I've been stating this for years that some roadways do not need nor should have bike lanes ! The higher the level of automotive traffic the lower the sensible need for a bike lane on that roadway ! It just makes sense this way, But because more people are tooling around on bikes the city feels the need to create more grief, and havoc for motorist . More cyclist are killed primarily because of the placement of bike lanes of certain roadways at particular junctures then anywhere else! Instead of recognizing this and planning these bake lanes accordingly , The Dot Commish, Elects to treat cyclist like regular automobiles which is crazy ! Set up bike lanes on secondary, and side roads adjacent too the main roadways, This alone may be an inconvenience to cyclist but in the long run will save more lives .

LB

Dammit I Meant "Bike" Not "Bake" LOL , Sorry folks I tend to Multi-task bit much at times .

RevWaldo

"I read Gothamist all the time. They post articles about cycling in the city, and then these flame wars break out, it's fun, it gives me energy, and it's a great way to stay in shape."

grizzzly

I can't imagine many cyclists would complain about a marked, smooth bike lane on a wide sidewalk provided it's connected to other lanes properly (i.e. you don't have to dismount to get up on it.) I welcome any chance to ride legally in a space separated from traffic.

jjm2052

This city needs fewer cars, more bicyclist safety and better arguments.

JGNY

Does Marty realize that his post is merely symbolic? He has as much power as the person who has a "key" to the city.

psquire

KKKHHAAAAAAAAAANNN!!

Gotham Extremist

Did Jobs even responded to his retarded sales pitch last week?

Sketto

The city population is changing. A lot of residents now ride bikes exactly BECAUSE there are also now safe bike lanes. Car advocates know this is the trend, so both sides are trying to protect turf.

This bike vs. car thing is going to remain a long, long battle.

StudiedImpartiality

I don't know about northbound cyclists, but southbound cyclists can already use the Prospect Park road, just a few hundred feet to the East of PPW. Seems like that would be a more logical thing to consider than revamping PPW.

williambklyn

Not only is Prospect Park not open 24 hours a day, thereby making it a pointless place to divert bikes, the West Drive is south-bound only, the same direction as PPW. It would also be totally irresponsible to force women to have to ride in the park after dark, where it is considerably more dangerous than outside the park. Marty's suggestion that cyclists use Flatbush Avenue as an alternative is completely asinine as it would mean riding all the way around the park, completely out of one's way just to travel north from Bartel Pritchard Square to Grand Army Plaza.

As anybody who currently bikes on PPW now knows, the avenue is a six-lane (including parking) wide street. The minute cars turn on to it, they hit near-highway speeds (the timing of the lights helps) and there is almost never congestion because it's so wide. Clearly PPW can afford to lose some automobile space in favor of a great, protected bike lane.

As for whether or not Sadik-Khan bikes to every official function or not, who cares? She's not really anti-car, she's for redistributing public space toward a more environmentally sensible balance of all possible modes of transportation, including cars.

williambklyn

Oh and I agree with Marty that the stretch of sidewalk on Flatbush Ave, between Grand Army Plaza and Empire Blvd, is dramatically under-utilized and part of it could be taken to make a fantastic 2 way bike lane!

bigmikebrooklyn

why can't the bike lane be on the far inside and the parking on the the next lane out? like the lane on kent in greenpointiamsburg that gives up basically one lane of traffic to allow for a bike lane... a pretty much protected bike lane at that. i love riding on that lane on kent, except for that torn up patch, that's kind of rough, but the cars are all parked on the ouside of the lane so i'm protected when I ride around it. Basically any multilane one way street in the city should have a green lane protected by parking. it totally makes no sense not to. and it wil prevent 90% of the shenanigans and bike vs. car crap. there's a place for both. cars just need to be treated like the deadly half to 4ton pieces of steel they are by both drivers and bikers.

also, I would like to say that a very nice Hacidic (spelling?) man actually asked me if i need a ride somewhere when my crank fell off on my ride home monday night. that's two positive interactions with their community in less than a week, for just me. Maybe inroads are being made. Or maybe i'm latently anti-semitic and am about to get a bunch of flames, i dunno, i'm just livin and observin. Some of my best friends are jewish... ;)

camera_club

it's one way only

soxinthecity

There is a very simple solution to speeders that doesn't cost residents their parking spaces, raise asthma rates by causing gridlock, and make a majority of the residents miserable. It's called enforcing traffic laws, and it actually makes money instead of costing it.

Enforce the traffic laws, and have bikes and cars share the road like they do in the rest of civilization.

Kevin Walsh

>>>Markowitz thinks northbound cyclists should just ride on the sidewalk on Flatbush Avenue between Grand Army Plaza and Empire Boulevard

The sidewalk is the last place any bicyclists should be. Imagine the carnage if the bike racers invaded that stretch.

www.forgotten-ny.com

ceraunograph

Moderation is the key to all things. Too many bike lanes and it will detract from the overall quality of life. Neither Markowitz nor Sadik-Kahn are right, but on this particular point Markowitz has the edge. There is an entire park next door for cyclists, and if they want to control traffic, they should install speed bumps or more lights.