Comments on: LIC community groups fight for improved bicycle lanes on Vernon Blvd

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:36:59 +0000

Yes, Blend will need to get beer and wine delivery!

By: Charlie

Charlie — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:56:08 +0000

What happens, when trucks have to make deliveries to business on Vernon? Does the no parking rule make exceptions for deliveries?

Charlie.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:12:04 +0000

well said #148.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:44:09 +0000

I’m wondering if what we’re really dealing with here is a lack of understanding of who bicyclists are, the purpose of the bike lanes proposed thru LIC, and the benefits that would accrue thru their development. I never realized that there were a sizable number of bike commuters living in LIC, and I can easily envision how great it would be for the neighborhood’s residents if many more safe lanes were created. For far too long, we have been conditioned to accept without question the huge amounts of money that go into disruptive roadway projects, dedicated parking lanes, and this immense infrastructure organized to support the car culture. If people would just open up their minds a little to the prospect of a robust bicycle network in LIC and surrounding areas, I think we could see benefits to our neighborhood’s character, the environment, and the health of the people living here.

By: Heffron

Heffron — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:20:49 +0000

If you work in downtown Manhattan there is a good chance you are taking the Pulaski through Brooklyn to the Williamsburg or Brooklyn Bridge. People from the general Greenpoint area commuting to Midtown also take the Pulaski and make their way to the Queensboro Bridge. People who live on Roosevelt Island and work in Manhattan also take the Queensboro Bridge, then hook down to Vernon to get back to RI. The Queens Committee has been doing a lot of outreach at the foot of the ped/bike path over the bridge and we’ve been meeting with a lot of folks who take all thses routes, so this ins’t just idle guessing on our part.

As for the route going in the opposite direction, Vernon Blvd has a bike lane going both ways, parking was just removed on the west side of the street, it was not removed or altered on the east (non-river) side fo the street, but there is a bike lane for each direction of traffic.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:36:29 +0000

Totally agree with you, #144. It seems this bike lane on Vernon is facilitating recreational cycling only, rather than commuters. I think emphasis should be placed on creating a direct route to the Queensboro bridge bike lane for commuters to get in to midtown Manhattan. It seems a reasonable assessment that more folks work in Manhattan than in Greenpoint and beyond. Facilitating recreational riding at the expense of business and industry (along Vernon) that has called LIC home for a long time does not seem fair to me.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:16:01 +0000

#144 to answer your question, the pulaski bridge is a major artery for bikers, both commuting and for general transportation. why is commuting to work more important than biking to greenpoint from LIC to see my friend’s art show in Wburg? I can’t reliably catch a cab. The B61 is hit or miss after workday ends… The subway is more work than biking. So often biking seems like the most efficient way of getting somewhere. It’s appeal is counter-balanced by how dangerous it is to bike around here. Which could be severely lessened, if the city recognizes its biking population, and honors them with equal consideration in infrastructure development. Who knows? It could happen. There has definitely been progress. The very fact alone that we’re fighting over bike lanes. Anyway, gotta go back to work.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:06:22 +0000

I’m not being facetious, but I’m wondering why do so many people in LIC have a need to bike across the Pulaski Bridge, which seems like a difficult and not so fun ride, especially when you enter McG Boulevard. Is it to shop, hang out, jobs? I ask this because I think certain bike lanes in the city should have a priority over others. In my view, those that encourage commuting during rush hours to lighten vehicular traffic are more important that those that are used primarily by leisure bikers. Those people should seek out parks instead.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:03:04 +0000

biking on the pulaski pathway is fine. I’ve never had any problems. getting onto that thing is very hairy on the LIC side, super easy on the Gpoint side. You do occasionally have to stop to navigate safely around walkers, but they’re pretty used to sharing the path with bicyclists. all in all, only the LIC entrance is really a huge safety issue.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:14:12 +0000

you have to be a very skilled and courageous rider to go over the pulaski. there’s no way you could get me to bike over that bridge in the street unless there’s a divided lane for bikes. and unfortunately riding on the walkway is the only way to go. i try to be extra careful and go slow around wlakers, but not everyone does.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:39:43 +0000

Bike routes take second billing to the power plant. As you said wasn’t the issue resolved?

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:05:42 +0000

Yea, I thought the power plant had halted operations, even if it wasn’t dismantled; as was promised.

Being that it’s a G.E. Methane fueled turbine, it’s the least polluting and I believe the quietest of the fossil fuel power plants. Still, we were told one thing, while another materialized. It wasn’t like we didn’t see it coming. All of us who were at those meetings, knew what the real deal would end up being.

Wasn’t the Blend license issue resolved? Is there still more debate to be had before they get their license?

It is important however, for the community to work towards a bike lane plan, which is the least undesirable for all. I say it that way, because there very well may be no solution, that is desirable to any one side of the issue.

By the way, are there bike lanes on either side of the traffic lanes of the Pulaski Bridge? I only know of the pedestrian walkway, which was a part of the original design. I haven’t biked across that bridge, since I was a teenager, and whenever I’ve driven across, I’ve never come across any bikers.

Any thoughts on the alternate route possibilities I mentioned?

Charlie.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:56:13 +0000

#135, if there an issue CB2 should be taking up instead of screwing around with Blend its that “temporary” Power Plant which has turned into permanent. It was supposed to be decomissioned years ago, but there it is still belching out polution and interfering with Silvercup’s plans to redevelop their waterfront property. The comunnity was lied when we were told that this was just to get us through the peak demand of the summer. Quit wasing time interfering with bike lane that people want and get rid of this plant.

By: anonymous

anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:46:42 +0000

The area up in Astoris where they are eliminating waterfront parking is CB1.
The area below the bridge from 44th Drive to Borden Ave is already a very crowded and narrow traffic congested route - along with the problem of businesses getting daily deliveries. 11th St is much wider and has room for a bike lane. 11th St. has an island in the middle with 2 lanes for traffic on either side. Vernon Blvd has much heavier truck traffic than 11th St. Improving the Pulaski Bridge entrance and exit ramps is already being studied. It is also very dangerous for pedestrians on return bus trips from Greenpoint as well as for residents who will be moving into Hunters View and LHaus. No matter which route is chosen, bikers have to get onto the Pulaski Bridge, and it is dangerous from all angles.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:39:06 +0000

Hi #136. You were probably busy writing when I posted my comment, so when you get a chance, read #135, and see what you think about my alternate bike lane idea, and if you think it has merit.

Charlie.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:32:00 +0000

Actually I respectfully disagree. Most of the time 11th street is empty. True, rush hour times are a bit more crowded and dangerous. But there is no bike lane. Also, I think that the parking issue on Vernon is way further down towards Astoria. If you are eliminating parking spots at Vernon Jackson area of Vernon then you have just lost a bike lane supporter. There are not enough spots right there as it is, and if you are just hating on cars because you’re a bicyclist, well that’s just as bad as vice versa. I think they should clean up that dangerous pulaski intersection… the bike lane on 11th could lead right up to the bike path over the bridge, and if you want to get to the waterfront, just cut down Jackson, which becomes 51st, down to the water.

But I think the bike lane on Vernon is fine, just up until about 44th or so. If that’s what the board is saying, then I agree with them. But the caveat is they must make the pulaski intersection better. My boyfriend is a die-hard bicycler and lives in LIC too. (I’m a die-soft.) I need him to have all his arms and legs etc. I’m small. I can’t do heavy lifting. :)

PS. we also have a car, and use it responsibly. We need it for work, and general life - not much in LIC, so you have to go outside to get things like groceries, household items, anything… parking the car used to be so easy and now it’s hard. we definitely need that thing. unfortunately.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:28:52 +0000

I was wondering, how about putting the bike lane on 5th St. or Center Blvd (when completed). They both run north-south and they (mostly) parallel Vernon Blvd. Both of those streets have, and probably will continue to have less traffic congestion than Vernon, 11th, and Jackson. The bike lane could hang a right off Vernon at 46th Ave.

Parking spaces and room for truckers to make deliveries to the retail establishments, are also important.

By the way, wouldn’ t a bike lane in the reverse direction, on the other side of the street, or on another parallel street, be necessary also? It seems that the issue might be more complex, than we think, especially if there might be physical barriers put up.

Anyway, all sides of the issue need to work together, with some sort of compromise to be worked out, and a decision has to be made by the people of the neighborhood, or DOT and any other powers that be, will do what they want.

I recall the power plant controversy of some years ago, to be built just south of the bridge. The city, the builders, and the power co. (Con Ed?), offered to put a facade around the plant, to make it appear as if a structure, such as an office building was there. Well everyone fought tooth and nail, and the city won. They got the power plant and we got the eyesore.

Charlie.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 19:05:46 +0000

11th street is also a multi lane street with heavier and faster traffic. It is far more dangerous for bikers than Vernon. The issue here is that Conley does not want to give up parking spaces on Vernon. It has nothing to do with the safety of bikers. If it did they would be keeping the bike lanes on Vernon.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:52:16 +0000

11th street’s intersection at the Pulaski Bridge is dangerous for bikers and would make it difficult to link up with future bike paths on the waterfront. It’s not a serious alternative.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:50:14 +0000

I agree. Even some of mine can be childish. I’m man enough to admit it. However I will not go without defending myself against an attack.

I’m going to state here and now, that my end of this will cease. If you see more posts that are of the attack and insult variety, it won’t be me, or of my making. I wiil state again however, that if I’m insulted or attacked, I will defend myself. I’m not referring to disagreements and personal opinions, as long as they are respectful. That’s is an integral part of discussions and debates.

Anyway, I’m curious too, as to why a switch to 11th from Vernon, would be such a problem. Those who are experienced bikers should know what is best for them, and for inexperienced bikers. I can only see an issue of overall saftey for bikers, drivers, and pedestrians, as a valid reason to switch. That does seem to be the case, to me. Let’s hear from those, who will be the most directly affected.

Charlie.

By: bonafide

bonafide — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:34:44 +0000

This thread is about bike lanes in LIC. If you stop antagonizing each other, the childish banter should hopefully die out.

Question: Did anyone sign the parking petition?

Question 2: What’s wrong with using 11th street? Can someone explain? I think it is a good idea and confused why the pro-bike people are against it.

By: Charlie.

Charlie. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:18:42 +0000

That’s good #129, I can take a humorous jab. It’s comic relief, of sorts.

Charlie.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:02:01 +0000

Charlie,

Did you attend special ed classes as a kid?

By: Charlie.

Charlie. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:49:20 +0000

# 126, say that to the others. Let’s hear you say it.

Charlie.

By: Charlie

Charlie — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:47:15 +0000

How is that a flip flop, #125? The first quote is not an insult or a negative statement about anyone. It is a statement of instruction. It’s all about the ability to comprehend what one’s reading, and to think before they respond. So, if there is no attack or insult, then there can be no flip flop. That is the common sense of it all. Try it sometime.

You must be one of the ones who created the problems in the first place, otherwise you’d have let it rest. You want to keep this going. You are instigating and prodding.

Forget about it.

Charlie.