Brooklyn Bike Lane To Be Removed Over Safety Concerns, Mayor Says

BROOKLYN, NY — Citing safety concerns, Mayor Eric Adams recently announced plans to scrap a protected bike lane on Brooklyn’s Bedford Avenue, a decision that has sparked mixed reactions across the community.

The Bedford Avenue bike lane has been a source of controversy in South Williamsburg since its installation. The area was redesigned in 2024 after the northbound stretch of Bedford Avenue between Dean Street and Flushing Avenue saw five pedestrian fatalities since 2020, according to the Department of Transportation.

However, on Friday, Adams announced that the previous unprotected design would be reinstated between Willoughby and Flushing avenues.

After several incidents—including some involving children—on a section of the Bedford Avenue bike lane in Williamsburg, Department of Transportation Commissioner Rodriguez and I listened to community concerns and decided to adjust the current design to better reflect community feedback," Adams said.

At a town hall meeting last week, numerous neighborhood residents criticized the redesigned bike lane, and an online petition opposing the redesign—titled “DOT: Please Stop the Murder of Our Children”—has garnered more than 3,000 signatures.

"The bike lane has always been a danger to our children, but this new change has turned a danger into an imminent one," the petition reads. "With the bike lane moved to the far side, next to the sidewalk, bikers can no longer see the bus stop signs, and bus drivers can no longer see the bikers."

However, not everyone agrees with the decision. City Council Member Lincoln Restler criticized the mayor’s move, calling it a purely political decision to remove a bike lane without offering an alternative.

"This reckless and arbitrary decision will lead to more tragic crashes, and it will be his fault," Restler wrote on social media. "Protected bike lanes are critical to achieving Vision Zero—they ensure that our streets are safe for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike."

Chi Ossé, the Council Member for New York City’s 36th District, also spoke out against the decision, calling it both "shameful" and "dangerous."

"The protected bike lane makes EVERYONE safer. Would the mayor prefer that people check the road for oncoming cyclists before crossing to the sidewalk, or be potentially flattened by a 2 ton car?," Ossé posted on X.

According to street safety organization Transportation Alternatives, the redesign of Bedford Avenue has led to significant improvements in safety. Data shows that fatalities, serious injuries, and overall injuries have all declined in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.

In particular, pedestrian injuries fell by 10%, while motorist injuries dropped by 42%. Notably, in 2024, two pedestrians were fatally struck by drivers on the avenue, but no fatalities have been reported so far this year.

“This is unwarranted, illegal, and reckless," TransAlt executive director Ben Furnas said. "In ripping out three blocks of the Bedford Avenue safety project, including the protected bike lane, Mayor Adams is undermining the safety of every person that uses the street and putting countless Brooklyn families at risk."

"There is no other way to bike safely from much of Central Brooklyn to North Brooklyn—and with this announcement, the mayor is demanding Bed-Stuy residents put themselves at risk just to get home," Furnas added.