The World’s Most Talked-About Bike Lane & The (Former) Home of the Death-o-Meter

Image via Streetsblog

I’m co-hosting a short bike ride with Eric McClure of Park Slope Neighbors next Sunday, May 6th at 12:00 noon as part of the Municipal Art Society’s annual Jane’s Walk program.  Our “Jane’s Ride” will focus on a certain bike lane, the majestic plaza at one end of Prospect Park, and all of the history and political intrigue surrounding both locations.

How did an eight-foot wide strip of green paint, less than a mile long (which by most accounts transformed Brooklyn’s Prospect Park West from a three-lane, speeding-plagued arterial into a traffic-calmed neighborhood street appreciably safer for biking, walking and driving) become the front line in the global battle over bike lanes? How is Grand Army Plaza, one-time home of the Death-o-Meter and written off for decades as an inhospitable and impenetrable “traffic peril,” being transformed into Brooklyn’s pedestrian- and bike-friendly town square? Pump up your tires, strap on your helmet and join us for a family-friendly exploration of two of Brooklyn’s most startling public-space transformations.

This is an all-ages ride that will last about an hour and a half with frequent stops.  Please meet at Prospect Park West and Union Street.  Per New York law, helmets are required for all children 14 years old and under.  No RSVP necessary.  The ride happens rain or shine.

And if you’re in the mood for other great ways to explore Brooklyn, check out the full Jane’s Walk schedule.  A wide range of walks are scheduled for the entire weekend.