Judge Puts Brakes On Adams’ Bedford Ave Bike Lane Removal Plan

BROOKLYN, NY — Just days after Mayor Eric Adams announced plans to remove a protected bike lane on Brooklyn’s Bedford Avenue—prompting a lawsuit over the removal of cyclist safety barriers—a judge has stepped in to halt the process.

Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Carolyn Walker-Diallo has ordered the city to pause any work on the Bedford Avenue bike lane until a court hearing in August.

The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by street safety advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, which argued that the Adams administration’s decision to remove parts of the protected lane was “improper, irrational, made without proper legal notice, and an abuse of discretion.”

"We’re ecstatic that a judge is currently blocking the city from ripping up street safety improvements,” said Ben Furnas, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "We know that City Hall’s plans aren’t just wrongheaded, they’re illegal—and we will keep fighting for safe streets every step of the way."

The controversy centers on a stretch of Bedford Avenue in South Williamsburg, where the bike lane has been a flashpoint since its installation. In 2024, the area was redesigned to include protective barriers following a troubling spike in pedestrian deaths. Five fatalities were reported along the northbound section between Dean Street and Flushing Avenue since 2020, according to the Department of Transportation.

The current lawsuit stems from Mayor Adams’ recent decision to revert part of the redesign, removing protections between Willoughby and Flushing avenues and reinstating the previous unprotected layout.

Mayor Adams said his decision was influenced by feedback from local residents, who claimed the protected lane had made the street more dangerous. An online petition opposing the redesign—titled “DOT: Please Stop the Murder of Our Children”—got thousands of signatures from members of the community.

Adams took to social media to announce that he was authorizing the removal of the protected bike lane, reverting it to its previous unprotected design, with cars parked along the curb and cyclists riding alongside traffic.

The decision drew swift backlash from local lawmakers, including City Council member Lincoln Restler, who called it “a reckless and arbitrary decision that will lead to more tragic crashes, and it will be his fault.”

Restler also submitted a signed affidavit supporting a temporary restraining order against the bike lane removal. He said he was never notified about the plan to remove the lane, despite it being legally required under Section 19-101.2 of the Administration Code, amended by Local Law 3 of 2024.

Restler added that he had proactively reached out to the DOT the day before, asking if a major transportation project notification process was planned.

"I passed a law that requires the mayor to notify communities when proposing to add or remove bike lanes. We hope and expect the mayor will comply with the law,” Restler added.

The temporary restraining order remains in effect until the court holds a hearing on the lawsuit later this summer. During this period, the city is legally prohibited from removing or altering the safety improvements.

"We won’t let anyone make our streets more dangerous. Mayor Adams, we’ll see you in court," Furnas added.