Spirit, thank you.

I can make the case that "thefacts" and his friends do not have the facts about who and how the roadways are paid for. Hint, it's not by motor vehicle owners or operators.

The FHWA produces a neat annual summary report with all the costs broken out to build and maintain the highways; from interstates, through state highways to local streets.

Then they have tables of who pays.

Bottom line, after accounting for all the gas taxes, license fees, tolls and every other possible allocatable motor user fee, drivers pay for 60 to 70 percent of the roadways they drive on.

The rest of the roadway costs are paid for by local real estate, income and sales taxes, which are paid by everyone even if you don't own or use a car! And if you follow the dedicated funding allocations, the bulk of the gas tax, etc. is targeted to Interstate and State Highways, while local roads and streets - the ones used by bicyclists and pedestrians - are paid for by local general revenue taxes.

This financial accounting does not include the "external" costs - congestion, air quality, crashes, medical care, policing, opportunity cost of land taken up by parking and roads themselves. There are many costs that can be directly attributed to driving and the road system that are not charged back to the drivers.

This fairy tale that cyclists and pedestrians don't pay their own way has been the Big Lie of the Auto Uber Alles crew for decades.

I'm pretty much resigned to not changing their minds: Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up.

But others may want to research the real costs and funding of the roadway network.

I was replying to "thefacts," who was doing his "that's all I'm saying" act. He's full of it. Like I wrote, if they put a lightweight deck on top of the crossbeams over the roadway and spent millions, he'd bitch and moan that they spent all this money for a few lousy cyclists who don't even "pay their way" with gas taxes. Google him and you'll see he's made complaint before. If they took away one lane, he'd whine that the bridge is already congested enough and those friggin' bikers don't deserve precious roadway.

Spirit, a path over the roadway may be too heavy for the bridge, but it was never evaluated, so costs are unknown.

As for the roadways, they are already "dangerously narrowed car lanes", three lanes in only 29 feet steel to steel. Three narrow lanes or two, they will still be narrow. However, installing a steel Jersey Barrier to create one two-way bike lane on the roadway level should cost about $4 million, not $30 million. There is roll-on - roll-off access at each end from local streets if the path is placed along the inside edge, where the bridge's cable cars used to be.

When, not if, but when the East River bridge are tolled, there will be less car traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, some will divert to the Bklyn Battery Tunnel and some will just disappear. Then that third lane won't be needed for cars. Maybe....

"We very strongly requested a separate bike lane be created either up over the roadway, or take one roadway lane for a two way cycle way. DOT obviously refused."

I can't agree with you more.

DOT transportation czars for decades have regularly refused to listen to sage advice from anyone but their own bureaucrats. That's why getting around NYC for anyone, pedestrian, car or cyclist is so difficult.

And if they took space away from cars or spent $30 million building a separate bike deck on the bridge, you'd be screaming bloody murder at the "dangerously narrowed car lanes" or the "unnecessary waste" of money. Just who do you think you're fooling?

With 45 years of bicycle commuting over the Brooklyn Bridge, I have used lights, bell and a loud voice to protect pedestrians, but some are really hard to connect with so you don't physically connect.

The cycling community has known that the bridge path is quite a bit less than optimal. Over 30 years ago, responsible bicycle planners (Yes, Virginia, there are responsible cyclists.) advised the NYC DOT that the path would be very narrow for shared use, particularly in the afternoon-evening. We very strongly requested a separate bike lane be created either up over the roadway, or take one roadway lane for a two way cycle way. DOT obviously refused. We still have a shared use path.

The Manhattan Bridge is a good alternate if a cyclist is staying on the East Side Uptown, but it makes a very poor route if you are going Downtown anywhere between Chambers and The Battery/Ferry. The Brooklyn Bridge also has better connections to the Hudson River Greenway.

Going west from the Manhattan Bridge drops cyclists into the Canal Street corridor. I realize that Sow-cow and friends would be happy for any cyclist to be killed in traffic, but no, cyclists may be crazy, but are not stupid. We balance the safety risks of using the Brooklyn Bridge path against the dangers of extra miles of riding in Manhattan traffic. And balance the energy costs and time of extra distances.

The good news is that the city rebuilt the Manhattan Bridge paths after 45 years of being abandoned. Thank you DOT. But that bridge is still a long ride through congested traffic if you are cycling home from a Wall Street job or the SI Ferry. It's narrow, but we share.

Thanks for the well-written comment.

Grease in the west bound bike lane. LOL

My screen name is sowhat. Get it.

sow-pig, you are going to be awfully disappointed.

You hate bicycles, bicyclists and even roller blades.

But like most drivers, you are utterly ignorant of the NY State Traffic Laws. Which Wallmart did you buy your drivers license in?

This is going to hurt (you) -

In Line Skating is ALREADY LEGAL on New York Roadways - Bike Lanes ARE Skate Lanes!

NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law:

V&T § 1231. Traffic laws apply to persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates.

Every person riding a bicycle or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this title, except as to special regulations in this article and except as to those provisions of this title which by their nature can have no application.

V&T § 1234. Riding on roadways, shoulders, bicycle or in-line skates lanes and bicycle or in-line skates paths.

(a) Upon all roadways, any bicycle or in-line skates shall be driven....

(b) Persons riding bicycles or skating or gliding on in-line skates upon a roadway shall....

Bikes and skates are street legal. Get over it, you have to share the road with other drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and even skaters.

Sow, you are a fat old pig, usually referred to as a Road Hog or a selfish pig.

You calling someone a pig? You damn moron. Did I mention a drivers license?

My taxes are paying for the bike lanes. Every purchase anyone makes pays for the luxury of a bike lane. There are places bike lanes just do not belong. There are numerous bike riders who do not follow laws of the road. I have an opinion, boo-hoo you do not like it. Stuff it up your ass.

Glad so many here think a 7 year old walks

everywhere with military precision and accuracy.

No, but I expect a responsible parent to hold their child's hand or be extremely vigilant in this situation. Too many younger parents let their kids wander all over the place. I've been in restaurants and kids are walking around the place. Watch your kids and don't walk in our bike lanes!!!

You are the reason I will go out of my way to mess with YOUR BIKE LANES.

I ride a bike and I do not want any part of your mentality. I like the person who puts crazy glue in your locks or broken glass in the bike lanes. The more I read your type shit the more I can't stand any part of a bike lane. I even like the people who paint them over. Now eat them apples. Watch this kid.

Use all of the glass from the way too many beers you must be drinking...I have Kevlar tires so HA!!!

Anybody that rides a bike in NYC is a moron. Why don't all you jackasses that think Brooklyn is cool move back to Ohio where you belong.

+1million

Porter learned a lesson about living in the big city; pay attention to your friggin surroundings!

I counted once....there's something like 70 notices or signs on the bridge alerting people to the separation between the pedestrian lane and the bike lane. SEVENTY. and tourists still wander cluelessly into the bike lane.

Exactly. I never ride on that bridge for that very reason -- the Manhattan or Williamsburg Bridges are easier. I have walked over a few times recently, and it's just nuts how many people completely ignore the bike lane signs.

As many people as cyclists who ignore red lights or sidewalk restrictions?