Thank you for expressing most New Yorkers’ attitudes about the dictatorial, distracting and insane changes to our avenues and streets by constructing bicycle lanes (“Strangled by Bikes,” Steve Cuozzo, PostOpinion, Oct. 22).
Those changes were implemented without any input from citizens, wasting money while New York City goes bankrupt. Worst of all, bike lanes paralyze commercial traffic, making life even more difficult.
Mayor Bloomberg has forgotten who elected him. It was people like me, but now we have had enough of his dictatorship.
Anton Loew
Manhattan
***
In a city where walking is critical to life and biking holds great promise for improving our environment and energy independence, Steve Cuozzo should be applauding this administration’s efforts to re-balance the uses of our public thoroughfares.
Thirty percent of New York City’s land area is devoted to streets. Since the advent of the automobile, essentially all of that space has been handed over to cars at the expense and danger of the walking and biking public.
All of the great cities of the world are moving in the direction of safer, better-balanced streets. If New York City doesn’t, our economy and our lifestyle will be caught in traffic with nowhere to go.
Lucius J. Riccio
Former NYC DOT
Commissioner
Manhattan
***
I take offense at Cuozzo’s comments about community boards.
We at CB 15 have been advocating for public hearings before any more pedestrian islands or bike lanes are implemented.
CB 15 has voted unanimously against many initiatives of the Department of Transportation, but we are only advisory. Many times, the DOT forges ahead with its plans.
CB 15 is anything but anti-car.
Theresa Scavo
Chairperson, CB 15
Brooklyn
***
The planned 34th Street change is insane.
I live in Midtown — what a mess. When you ask the DOT where people will unload, move in and deliver fuel or inventory to retailers, there is total silence.
Pathetic.
Eric Anton
Manhattan
***
The most serious problem with new and replacement bike lanes is the constriction of traffic lanes, which has resulted in stalled traffic flow and impediments to emergency vehicles, like ambulances and fire trucks.
These bike lanes clearly demonstrate a serious lack of planning, which could have allowed for a healthy balance between bikers and other vehicles.
When a fire truck is delayed because of traffic congestion and citizens are killed, then Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan will wipe that grin off her face.
Victor J. Cino
Manhattan
***
I was a part of the anti-bike-lane protest on Prospect Park West, where it was reported that we were outnumbered by the bikers at their counter-rally.
At 8:30 a.m. the next day, there was not a single bicycle in sight.
This is the case the majority of the time, of course, but the bikers have a one-issue agenda and can summon people for a rally at the drop of a hat who may not even live in the neighborhood. In the meantime, we have to suffer the ramifications of these changes 365 days a year.
I am not sure how long-time, hard-working and community-minded residents of Park Slope became unconsidered victims of a DOT that is in thrall to Transportation Alternatives.
Jasmine Melzer
Brooklyn