By COLlive reporter
A recent survey conducted by the Jewish Future Alliance (JFA) has revealed significant community concerns regarding the New York City Department of Transportation’s (DOT) proposal for more protected bike lanes in Crown Heights.
With an impressive participation rate—over 900 respondents, 860 of whom completed the survey—the results offer a comprehensive view of residents’ opinions on the new lanes on Kingston and Brooklyn Avenues. Nearly all the respondents reside in the immediate area of the proposed bike lanes.
Community members have raised several concerns about the proposal, including difficulties with snow removal, parking issues, traffic congestion, and safety. Additionally, many senior citizens and large families rely on online shopping for essential goods and reducing these avenues to one lane would significantly complicate delivery services.
Rabbi Yaacov Behrman, Director of the Jewish Future Alliance, voiced the community’s strong opposition to the current proposal.
“Our survey results reveal overwhelming opposition to the current plan, with only 6% in favor and 90% against it,” he told COLlive.com. “We urge the DOT to consider alternative solutions that enhance safety without reducing these crucial avenues to one lane or eliminating vital parking spaces.”
Survey Results:
Do you regularly drive a car in Crown Heights?
Yes: 89% (823 of 920)
No: 11% (97 of 920)
Do you regularly ride a bike in Crown Heights?
Yes: 27% (247 of 916)
No: 73% (665 of 916)
Do you support the Department of Transportation’s proposal in its current form?
Yes: 8% (69 of 885)
No: 90% (794 of 885)
Neutral/Unsure: 2% (21 of 885)
Do you perceive traffic as a problem in Crown Heights?
Yes: 75% (657 of 874)
No: 8% (70 of 874)
Only during rush hours: 17% (146 of 874)
What is parking like in Crown Heights?
Finding parking is extremely difficult: 88% (776 of 881)
Parking spots are usually readily available: 3% (24 of 881)
It varies by season: 9% (80 of 881)
Would you prefer the protected bike lane to start from East New York instead of Empire Boulevard?
No, start from Empire as in the current proposal: 6% (49 of 877)
Start it from East New York: 11% (96 of 877)
I am adamantly opposed to both options: 83% (727 of 877)
Which safety measures do you most support to address dangerous driving in the district?
Extended sidewalks: 15% (128 of 860)
Raised Crosswalks: 46% (396 of 860)
Speed cameras: 22% (190 of 860)
Protected Bike Lanes: 6% (48 of 860)
I’m so pro the bike lanes since bikes are a pollution-free mode of transportation that can significantly contribute to reducing environmental pollution.
If we want to still have a world for our grandchildren we better encourage more biking and less polluting driving.
ונשמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם
“If we want to still have a world for our grandchildren” imagine being so naive and believing everything you see on the news.
the world isnt going anywhere, and you’re not gonna save it by making everyones lives harder.
you cant ride a bike in the winter, and most people have families and jobs.
I’m sorry, but bikes are for single people going to whole foods, not frum families in crown heights
Go weekly shopping to bingo in your bike
Are the crazy driving that non Jewish residents do, such as drag racing and in general theyre very impatient
We are a Community and are very familiar with our needs
Let verify the amount of car and bikes IN OUR COMMUNITY
and come with a unanimous decisive
decision
NO BIKE LANES IN OUR VERY SMALL STREETS IN OUR COMMUNITY
THANK YOU AGAIN
BUT NO
about the lanes let’s impeach them and vote them out once and for all. What have they done!!???
Hopefully something comes out from this.
Bikes are the most human form of transport, cars are a poor use of public space.
There should certainly be less cars, despite the lack of convenience. It’s just not the ideal way of building communities.
Though I understand the detractors..
please explain where on the bike i put my groceries for my family
Baruch hashem, crown heights is full of families. People don’t buy a car for fun, they have one because they need it. You can’t transport a families worth of groceries on a bike, you can’t go visit family in another state on a bike. And public transportation for a family is insanely expensive. And not convenient at all.
Singles can bike. Families need cars
To those who encourage biking v driving, please explain how my family of 7 is going to use these bikes?
Protected bike lanes cause less traffic it’s been proven in studies many times
How often is an individuals Citi Bike spot used?
I’m willing to bet that many of the Citi Bike spots are not even used once a day.
Good luck getting the city to release the data.
We should cut the volume of cars on the road by 50% and increase bikes by 300%. Replacing your car for a bike is a segula to be skinny and rich.
I was educated in the emerald towers of wisdom that is crown heights school system and I can confirm that math is correct.
Shame that our bike lanes aren’t as pretty as the ones they have in say Pittsburgh
WOULD YOU BIKE WITH YOUR 7 CHILDREN AND 2 INFANTS?!_BIKES ARE GREAT TO RIDE IN THE PARK! THEY TAKE AWAY PARKING SPOTS THAT ARE SO VITAL!
ALL OF YOU WHO WANT TO GO BACK TO THE “STONE AGES” SHOULD HAVE OUTHOUSES – YOU WILL SAVE ON WATER!!!
CAREY’S PRIVATE PLANE OMITS MORE POLLUTION IN ONE TRIP THEN DRIVING A THOUSAND CARS!
TIME TO GO BACK TO HORSE AND BUGY!
LETS BE REASONABLE!
WORK ON OMMITTING LESS POLLUTION BY CARS BUT DON’T FORSE OUR BEAUTIFUL LARGE FAMILIES TO RIDE ON BYSICLES!
The reason that Bike lanes cause more pollution
BECAUSE
creating one lane driving with stopping and going and congestion and necessary idling of cars
Creates MORE pollution than when cars are able to just move along without sitting and idling as is the case now due to excessive traffic and not enough lanes for cars to move along
To ” bikes are healthier” and “why” etc. Turning Brooklyn Ave into one lane is asking for opposite of what you wish. It’s going to create constant traffic jams, car horn noise, blocked intersections especially during school and rush hours and definitely increased pollution and noise for the whole area. Impatient drivers trying to take the light will endanger our children much more than before.
I found this blog post both illuminating and inspiring. A worthwhile read! https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2023/04/07/car-free-cities/