7th Avenue Bike Lane Proposed By City From Flatbush To 23rd Street

SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN — The Department of Transportation (DOT) has proposed adding a bike lane to 7th Avenue from Flatbush Avenue to 23rd Street. The idea was presented to Monday's meeting of Community Board 7's transportation committee, and was previously pitched to Community Board 6, according to DOT staffer Preston Johnson.

Get more community news from Patch by signing up for our morning newsletter and email alerts.

During several days last June, DOT staffers tracked bike usage on 7th between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., according to Johnson. DOT counted 708 weekend riders and 382 weekday riders, showing that cyclists already commonly use 7th Avenue, Johnson said. The city's Vision Zero database lists five cyclist injuries on 7th during 2016 between Flatbush and 23rd.

The proposed bike lane would run in both directions on the street. Between Carroll Street and 20th Street, painted lines would separate the bike lane from a traffic lane and parking lane. The DOT would also add a "flush median," or a painted area several feet wide, in between the two traffic lanes.

From 20th to 23rd, the bike lane would be a "shared lane," meaning markings would delineate a safe area for bikers to ride in, as is the case on much of 5th Avenue. However, the lane would not be separated from the traffic lane.

The bike lane would run in one direction only from 22nd Street to 23rd Street.

Several community members at the meeting supported the proposal, while two others opposed it, seemingly because they felt bikers ignore traffic laws and cause problems for pedestrians and drivers alike. But CB 7 member Cesar Zuniga asked if there's any indication that bike riding would decrease on the street without the bike lanes. Johnson said that there's no data to suggest that.

The proposal will be considered again at CB 7's next general meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 15 at 4201 4th Ave. (the entrance to the building is on 43rd Street).

Pictured at top: 7th Avenue near 15th Street. Image via Google Maps.