Sister of Cyclist Killed in Clinton Hill Wants Bike Lane on Classon Avenue

CLINTON HILL, BROOKLYN — The sister of a cyclist killed on Classon Avenue in April wants a bike lane installed on the street.

Lauren Davis, a 34-year-old Weeksville resident, was riding south against traffic on Classon when she was fatally struck by a car at the intersection of Classon and Lexington Avenue, according to the NYPD.

The car's 41-year-old driver stayed at the scene, police said. DNAinfo reported that the motorist fainted in shock when she realized Davis had been hit.

StreetsBlog wrote at the time that most of Classon had previously been reduced from two lanes to one "due to a high number of crashes on the street." However, the site continued, the roadway still lacks a bike lane.

This week, pro-cycling activist group Transportation Alternatives circulated an online petition backed by Davis' sister, Danielle, calling for that to be changed.

"I started this petition because I believe the most vulnerable people on Classon Avenue and every New York City street should be protected," Davis said in a statement released by TransAlt, "instead of being forced to fend for themselves, which is disgraceful."

Citing NYPD statistics, the group claimed that a total of 67 cyclists and 98 pedestrians have been injured on Classon Avenue since 2009, in addition to two individuals who have been killed.

As of Friday afternoon, the petition had garnered more than 4,800 signatures, out of a goal of 5,000.

In a press release, TransAlt called for Councilmembers Laurie Cumbo and Robert Cornegy, who collectively represent much of Fort Greene, Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights, to support the initiative, along with Community Boards 2 and Community Board 3.

Cornegy's office did not immediately return a request for comment Friday, while a spokesperson for Cumbo could not immediately be reached.

Asked about the petition, CB3 district manager Henry Butler said, "We have not received anything from Transportation Alternatives about a bike lane on Classon Avenue."

Robert Perris, the district manager for CB2, also said that neither TransAlt nor the Department of Transportation had contacted the board about the proposal, adding that it was therefore too early to comment on the matter.

Pictured at top: the intersection of Classon Avenue and Lexington Avenue. Image via Google Maps