Work Begins On Kent Avenue Bike Lane Expansion
Image: Over The Bars In Milwaukee
Good news for bicyclists chugging their way along Kent Avenue: The chaotic hellscape that is the South Williamsburg stretch of the roadway is about to get a much-needed expansion.
According to Greenpointers, work on the southern section of the avenue starts today and when all is said and done, the roadway will have a two-lane bike greenway, reconfigurations that will encourage motorists to slow down and a more uniform stretch of roadway between the Kent bike lane and the Flushing Avenue bike lanes.
At the moment, the street level bike lane on Kent Avenue is reserved for southbound bicyclists who are forced to negotiate their way between parked cars and moving vehicles. Meanwhile, northbound bicyclists are supposed to ride on the sidewalk, dodging pedestrians and parked cars at the same time. As a result, there’s been a lot of confusion and rulebreaking on both bicyclists’ and motorists’ parts.
When the expansion is complete, the new two-way bike greenway will sit on the southbound side of Kent Avenue only and cyclists will be separated from motorists by a 5-inch foot wide buffer. The lane will flow directly into the two-way bike lane on Flushing Avenue, partially completing the 14-mile long Brooklyn Greenway project.
An visual comparison between the current roadway and the proposed redesign. Image: NYC Dept. of Transportation
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