The town has pumped the brakes on a divisive new proposal.
A controversial bicycle ban on a well-liked strip of Rockaway Seashore’s well-known boardwalk has been scrapped – lower than a month after it was floated – following mass group blowback and protests, The Put up has realized.
The proposal, which sought to bar rushing cyclists from using the boardwalk between Seashore 108th Avenue and Seashore 73rd Avenue from Memorial Day weekend by way of October, was sparked by a string of current accidents — nevertheless it was finally no match for outraged locals.
NYC Parks rep Elizabeth Walsack rep advised a group board assembly Tuesday night time that the now-axed proposal was “bad timing” and mentioned there was a false impression that the movement was a direct ban.
“I’m glad that the Parks Department is going to continue allowing Rockaway residents to enjoy their bikes on the boardwalk this summer, but now we need real enforcement,” Queens council member Joann Ariola advised The Put up.
“NYPD and [Parks Enforcement Patrol] officers must step up patrols to ensure riders dismount in concession areas, and they need to crack down on the Tour de France-style cyclists treating the boardwalk like a racetrack,” she added. “This space is meant for leisure, not speed trials, and we cannot put the safety of beachgoers at risk.”
In an interview final week, the council member famous Parks had obtained “so many” current complaints from locals reporting 20-25 cyclists using at breakneck velocity and coaching for races – however acknowledged that native households shouldn’t be penalized for misuse of the beachside respite.
In lieu of the bicycle block, Parks will kick off the seaside season by beefing up signage and dismounting enforcement on the boardwalk’s three concession areas at Seashore 86th, 97th, and 106th Streets and “step up” in Parks Enforcement Patrol alongside the boardwalk “in an effort to educate and increase compliance.”
Talking on the Tuesday night time assembly, Queens mother or father Andreanna Seymore known as the proposed bike ban “asinine,” likening it to banning swimming at metropolis seashores after a drowning. As a substitute, she argued Parks ought to deal with educating each cyclists and pedestrians on boardwalk “etiquette.”
Different residents identified {that a} rising variety of non-English audio system within the space could not be capable of learn indicators, and as an alternative urged Parks to put in color-coded bike lanes.
Queens Neighborhood Board 14 member Jose Santana advised The Put up he was shocked that the boardwalk bike lanes aren’t painted — solely marked with faint stencils. Portray them inexperienced, as is customary all through town — could be an economical manner to make sure common understanding for each pedestrians and cyclists, he mentioned.
“I am asking for them to do a study on what can be done for it to be safe,” Santana added, “because while everybody can give opinions, nobody’s going to know exactly what’s the best way to move forward until a study is done.”
The group board, which additionally voted on Rockaway Seashore Amphitheater noise laws, voted 30-1 Tuesday night time to put in the brand new Parks signage — however emphasised much more must be executed to make sure security on the waterfront.
Board chairperson Dolores Orr additionally known as for your complete boardwalk bike lane to be clearly marked and for long-requested security measures to be applied: bike lane indicators on each different mild pole in each instructions, an 8 mph velocity restrict and signage alerting pedestrians and cyclists to crossings and right-of-way guidelines.
Bike owner and pedestrian security enhancements alike have been largely lacking from the boardwalk, even after the boardwalk was rebuilt after 2012’s Hurricane Sandy.
“When we first saw the design when the boardwalk was being built, we said you can’t distinguish the bike lane from the rest of the boardwalk, and we were ignored,” Orr mentioned.
“And then when the boardwalk was built and opened, we had the same repeat of that concern, and it’s been every year since,” she added. “We’re [also] asking for the following signage, and most of it was, again, asked from the day the boardwalk opened.”
