64 Comments

• Rider

  Wonderful plan! Bike Lane? Awesome!

• ex chsp

  so going in one direction there will be zero lanes where shpritzer unloads his trucks?

• EMPIRE BTWN ALBANY ANY TROY

  HOW CAN THEY DO THIS AS I LIVE ON EMPIRE IT WILL BE IMPOSIBLE TO MOVE AS TO THE CARS GOING IN AND OUT OF DRIVEWAYS IT WILL COUSE A LOT OF TROUBLE

• pyeka

  INSANE!

• EMPIRE

  This is the most bizzare news that Iv’e heard this week, other then the unfortuante plain crash. I cant believe that I am reading this. Is this what the DEPT. Of Transportation was studying when they sat in their cars with pens and papers and cameras!!!!!!!!!DO YOU THINK MAKING ONE LANE AND THEN ANOTHER FOR BIKES WILL BE THE ANSWER. JUST COUNT THE SCHOOL BUSES IN THE MORNING AND THE TAXIS ETC AND YOU WILL SEE THE MISTAKE THAT WILL BE DONE. THERE WILL BE NO PLACE TO MOVE!!!!!!!!!!???????????????

  We know its dangerous around here. But to make congestion is out of the question. Why not ask US who live on Empire Blvd. what we think? THis is to crazy to belive. Find another way to make less accidents. Thank G-d it is a WIDE two way street as opposed to Boro Park where you have to squeeze in with the 2 one way lanes and make sure not to bump your car.

  MAYBE SPEED BUMPS WOULD HELP.

• Izzy

  it is a great idea I live on Empire and I’m all for it. I think the Island in the middle should have grass and trees and flowers. Empire Blvd is a residential street but there is way too much commercial traffic going through. Once this new plan materializes we should see a reduction of commercial traffic which will benefir all the residents of Crown Heights.

• CH Biker

  Greatt Idea!!

• a C.H.

  Oy! This is Bichlal a very busy Street ….a bike lane in the middle? I’m afraid….

• me

  Great idea….except how are cars going to get around all those double parked trucks in front of A1 now?

• bad idea

  end result = traffic traffic and more traffic. YAY

• Yossi S.

  Thank you Chanina for talking to the Mayor about this and helping to make Crown Heights safer. If you go by the politicians and say one name, “Chanina” they know what you are talking about and things get done.

• driver

  Is there going to be a public hearing where we can voice our concerns? And if so, will each proposal be dealt with individually? I don’t care about Vanderbilt. I care about Empire. I say NO! Traffic is tough enough as it is…very slow!

• concerned parent

  based on the dot statement, traffic will not only move slower on empire blvd. itself, but will also slow on the avenues since there will be less available space to turn onto empire. i can’t imagine that will improve conditions for the school buses. it already takes a long time for our children to go to school in the morning and come back in the afternoon. this would be a good issue for the new vaad to tackle.

• moshe

  if you live on one side and you have a driveway you will need to go around the block to get into your driveway

  that will use more gas

• wow

  GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!

• Life-loving

  The traffic will probably be unbearable at certain times, but it’ll make life more bearable (and more likely).

• Against proposal

  Great way how to reduce our quality of life. Hate it.

• Abba

  I really hope this dosen’t happen.

• Adam Curry

  I have to say, I do agree with this plan.
  If you are driving back to Crown Heights from Boro Park, for example, along Empire Blvd, you invariably have to constantly switch lanes due to cars turning left, double parked cars, etc – this will remove those obstacles.
  Furthermore, every other week there are articles about crashes on Empire – with turning lanes and lights those should hopefully be eradicated.
  Next item on the agenda: Let’s have alternate side parking in CH just twice a week like it is in Boro Park, as opposed to how it is now!!

• Anon

  Great idea, especially since most of Empire Blvd. is only one lane most of the time anyway…Double parkers, post office block, and especially the block of the police station.

• traffic is coming

  Considering the fact that Empire gets most of the truck traffic around here, I wonder how wise this plan is. The cars will get sandwiched by trucks, blocking visibility, and congestion will be the usual. Everyone will find it harder to get to work, school, wherever. Maybe there should be a separate truck lane!

• Better Safe

  Most of da time on Empire, there are cars on the right double parked (maybe loading) and the left lane is often blocked by cars turning left. This will cause loaders to block the bike lane, and create a left turn lane to allow straight through traffic to continue. I think it can only help.

• Blah blah blah...

  Ok, so we have established that it is a great idea AND a terrible idea. What a surprise…a new proposal and people disagree. And Baruch Hashem we managed to bash someone in the process! Anybody have anything new to say?

• Slow down!

  The trucks are not going away so this idea will only cause more traffic that will have a ripple affect throughout the neighborhood. Reduce the traffic accidents by enforcing the speed limit.

• roc

  Yay! prepare for lots and lots of tickets.. someone’s got to pay for this proposal.

• awacs

  Miserable, stupid idea. Who thinks up this drivel? People that don’t drive, of course.

• Milhouse

  This is supposed to CALM traffic?! How will drivers be calmer when they are stuck in traffic and can’t move?
  Who was the idiot who said it was a residential street? It’s not. It’s a major arterial route. How are people supposed to get through Crown Heights, if not on Empire Blvd or Eastern Parkway? Where are trucks and buses supposed to go? Through traffic has just as much right to this road as the local residents. Bloomberg just hates drivers, that’s all.

• Shmuli

  Great to know that they city of NY has crazy ideas! Mike Bloomberg for president (of Russia)!

  Did they ever here of speed bumps? I’m sure there’s gotta be another way!

• yay for walkers!

  I think its a great idea, for the pedestrians, have any of you ever tried crossing the street? Its really scary, when you have the walk signal and you have this huge street to cross, and the turning cars are turning on to Empire so fast you feel like you dont have enough time to get across, before they run you over. the medians are a great idea!

• beep! beep! english mistake!!!!

  just by the way—“arteries” are veins pushing blood away from the heart

• SHLUCHA

  BIKES IN MIDLE OF TRAFFIC IS NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• AN AFFECTED RESIDENT

  MILLHOUSE,

  YOU ARE THE IDIOT HERE. THE AREA BETWEEN SCHENECTADY AND BEDFORD ON EMPIRE BLVD [WHICH THIS PROPOSAL COVERS] HAPPENS TO BE ZONED JUST FOR RESIDENTIAL USE. THE FACT THAT OTHERS ARE USING IT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT.
  THE DOT WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FOR TRUCKS. LIVING ON ONE OF THE BLOCKS COVERED BY THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK WE WILL ENJOY A LOWERING OF THE NOISE AND STINK LEVEL THAT WILL BE GREATLY REDUCED IF THIS PROPOSAL WORKS OUT.

• Chani

  What about fairs that they have on Empire?? I guess no more of those either,,, wow ingenious quality of life,,,

• awacs

  Empire Blvd is a truck route:

  http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot…

  “THE DOT WILL HAVE TO COME UP WITH AN ALTERNATE ROUTE FOR TRUCKS. LIVING ON ONE OF THE BLOCKS COVERED BY THIS PROPOSAL, I THINK WE WILL ENJOY A LOWERING OF THE NOISE AND STINK LEVEL THAT WILL BE GREATLY REDUCED IF THIS PROPOSAL WORKS OUT.”

  And when truck deliveries get more expensive (in both time and money) and local merchants make a ‘stink’ about their vendors being unable to park, will you like it then?

• awacs

  My letter to DOT:
  To: hpoole@dot.nyc.gov
  Cc: info@gridlocksam.com
  Subject: Proposed traffic calming on Empire Blvd, Brooklyn

  As a neighborhood resident, I think the proposal is a lousy idea. To take the only truck route that serves Crown Heights and massacre it like this will change our quality of life – for the worse. To take space away from trucks – that need it – and give it to bicyclists – a select few in Crown Heights – sounds like the kind of thing that only a bicycle riding Transportation Commissioner would think up.

• bad idea

  how are u sopposed to drive when there double parked cars/trucks there will be more traffic

• Lives on Empire:

  awacs I’m sending a letter to counter yours. I think a bike route is perfect for Empire Blvd. I live on empire and I can tell you the place stinks from exhaust fumes. The trucks, cars and vans make this place really noisy.

  I look forward to more trees, less pollution and hopefully an improved quality of living here.

• if one life is saved

  if only one life is saved in this event then it is all worth it.
  it breaks my heart to see the consequence of a child hit too hard by a speeding car.
  slow the speeding.
  and for your info,
  you can take lefferts and east new york to get to/from boro park.

• sara

  OMG HOW STUPID CAN AMERICANS BE????? here, in france, there is a line for bike, then for parked cars and then for drivers!!! u cant park your car, then a bike comes at the moment u open your door!! its so dangerous! america will be ALWAYS dangerous! cant stand it

• ms. practical

  the area between troy and new york ave where most of us live
  have very few businesses that will be affected by this. trucks making deliveries can park on albany, kingston, or brooklyn
  avenue to drop off merchandise. most stores are on the corner of those blocks. empire kosher which is in the middle of a block has a loading dock on the side of the store and a parking lot. they shouldn’t be bothered too much by this change.

• Dear French Sara

  If you hate America so much and can’t stand it, why read American News. YOU talk about American Traffic??? Coming from France, the place with the worst congestion in the world? The place where they go on strike every 5 minutes? Please, please don’t preach about subjects you obviously have no clue about

• HAPPY RESIDENT!!!

  for all of you that said it will make more traffic, better more traffics than accidents, teaching new yorker to be more patient
  or wake up earlier..ah ah
  the all point it’s to do something that will be safer for pedestrian.. elderly and children
  so many kids are coming walking from beth rivka and you are thinking of traffic
  i think it’s a great idea and whoever is not happy take another direction
  better for resident on empire will look nicer and less commercial traffic.
  and for “sarah” i think it’s not nice to insult american
  like that, you live here. we dont’ spit in the plate you eat from
  i grow up in france but you don’t make me proud even from growing up in france.
  and to “if one life is saved wrote” i think you are 100% right.
  it’s a too busy boulevard it needs to slow down and be more patient all driver!!

• Be nice to mike

  Don’t get Mike mad or he will shut it all down and make a pedestrion mall out of it.

• Best idea

  Close Empire on Shabbos for pedestrians only.

• gitty

  Dear Sara,
  I assume you are scared of a driver getting hit by a motorbike rider. In the US a bike lane is for non-motorized bicycles. The danger here is for the bicycle rider, not the parked-car-driver.

• HappyPappy

  I also sent an email stating how happy I am with this plan. A bike lane is super. One lane is better then TWO. All you alter kockers complaning – give it up – I bet, and I could put money on it, you state your position for SELFISH reasons.
  Bottom line, the kids will cross safely. Seniors will cross safely. There is left and right turn lanes which obviously some of you have no clue what that is. Bike lanes is perfect for many of us couch potatoes.
  Green and island in the center is soooo nice and balmy I may change my mind of moving down South. Ya’ll just cheer up and stop looking at evevrything with half an eye.
  Truly great News!

• Kop

  So when Empire becomes a clogged artery. which street will be getting the overflow traffic – Montgomery? Lefferts? or Crown?

• Chaim

  Its great for those of us who like to bike!
  Come out and join us and leave your car at home.
  You’ll feel better and be happier!!!

• what we realy need!

  I don’t think this will cause more traffic,

  now you need to swerve around turning cars and double parked cars (back and forth) to get through!

  we need a TURNING LANE
  NO BIKE LANE instead a “DOUBLE PARKING LANE”.

  NO ISLAND is needed instead it can be WIDE YELLOW DIVIDER like eastern parkway (or coney island) for cars to leave and enter drivway and to make (safe) U turnes.

• Chassidic Great One from his bunker Ind

  Money. My question is for all you liberals writing for or against this who do you think is paying for this?
  Shouldn’t we find out first how much of our tax dollars are needed for this? Safety or not we should ask the taxpayers not the welfare leeches what their thoughts are huh?
  Everyone is quick to jump on the obama bandwagon and say what to do with other peoples money but when its their money they are cheap.
  Has anyone asked the homeowners on empire what this will do to the value of their property compared with the taxpayers cost?
  If this costs taxpayers x dollars and increases my property value I’m in. If it doesn’t then we get to vote. Taxpayers not anyone else should even have a say. Yes including the illegals.
  My taxes are high enough. How about asking the city to reduce our taxes and stop spending our money on garbage like this when there are more important ways to spend the money. Like deporting the illegals!
  If safety is an issue than take your kid to school yourself like a decent parent. Don’t have time? Well isn’t that too bad, Its your kid! Worried about the double parkers honk until they move. Trucks can’t unload? They’ll figure out.
  Again, its about money. If you pay taxes than vote or have your say. Otherwise get a job.

• Mother

  This is the most amazing idea………as a parent with children living on Empire Blvd this is the best thing that can ever happen to us.

• Doc

  To: beep beep English mistake. You should invest in a dictionary. The usage of artery as a thruway is absolutely correct. And an artery is surely not a vein. Kinda like saying a nose is an ear.

• californian

  and what happens when a car is turning RIGHT and someone is CROSSING then the whole empire comes to STOP, at least before you can go around him(2 lanes) so now empire will be slower than the small streets, just what crown heights needs. thank g-d i moved out of there when i did.

• Shea

  This plan will make traffic a bit slower.MAYBE.Where are you all rushing to??
  Quality of life will rise and attract GOOD neighbors.Due to politically correct reasons I cannot say exactly what kind:Hint:In Williamsburg the Satmar are complaining about their “artist” neighbors and I say:Bring on all those non violent artists!Willy:If you want give us your neigbors and take our sechorieh!!

• GREAT NEWS

  so happy to hear this wonderful news!!!

• Abba

  What about car services and ambulletes etc. How will they stop on Empire?

• west sider

  It will be like broadway on the west side. It works there, and there’s alot of traffic all the time. That’s how it looks to me – except we don’t even have turning lanes, you get stuck in between the grassy median when you want to turn. So this is even better!

• awacs

  “I live on empire and I can tell you the place stinks from exhaust fumes. The trucks, cars and vans make this place really noisy.

  ”I look forward to more trees, less pollution and hopefully an improved quality of living here.”

  Heh. You think, by restricting the lanes of traffic, the trucks will just … disappear? Do you believe in the tooth fairy?

  More likely: the same number of trucks will sit in traffic, RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE, discharging smoke and stink to the cacophony of horns … you’ll love it!

• shocked

  To: Chassidic Great One..

  “SAFETY OR NOT..” ?!?!?

  Are you kidding me?
  Your money is more important than anothers life?!

  Wow. That is incredibly selfish.

  (and ironic, being that a Chassid puts others before himself.)

• Lives on Empire

  awacs: your reply gave me a good laugh. I understand what you’re saying. I’m not an expert on the subject of traffic flow so I can only give you my opinion.
  I was hoping the narrowing of the street would DISCOURAGE commercial traffic from using Empire Blvd as often. Hopefully, bike lanes will mean I won’t have to fear for my life when I go biking down Empire. The professionals at the DOT conduct studies and provide compelling reasons for the changes they propose.

  In regard to critics of the plan, Hillary Poole from the DOT told me (via email):

  “They don’t seem to understand the project or the engineering design behind it. I think the residents will be pleasantly surprised with how nice this project will be for the neighborhood.”

  I hope you will be pleasantly surprised – awacs, and if it doesn’t work out, I’m blaming Hillary!

• Lefferts Resident

  Wow, how many bicyclists do you think will get hit? This is such a dumb idea.

• awacs

  “I was hoping the narrowing of the street would DISCOURAGE commercial traffic from using Empire Blvd as often.”

  And where should the trucks go? To the moon? Look at the maps: trucks can only go on truck routes, until they near their destination.

  And, the larger issue: you want to limit traffic on Empire Blvd, so the trucks go elsewhere? Well, what about the people who live ‘elsewhere?’ What did they do to deserve this? Aren’t they New Yorkers, too?

• Chassidic Great One from his bunker

  Dear Shocked,

  Yes Safety or not. You need to prove its a Safety Issue first. I am glad to see you got the complete manifesto of the research that went into deciding this project take place or not to share with everyone before making such a wise comment. I get sick of the Wealth Envy crowd telling me how to spend my money. A Chasid should also not tell others what to do. Bittel ever hear of it? So it works both ways. Prove to me this is safer. If what we had wasn’t safe enough why would they create such a road in the first place? Ever think about that? Ever think its the Bicycle Lobby that pushed for this? Next they should do this to Ocean Parkway? Coney Island Avenue? THE BQE THE BELT THE JACKIE The Garden State Parkway! I can go on all day. Instead of pointing fingers and judging others as selfish think about what it means to tell someone they are being selfish. Just because someone doesn’t agree with everything you say doesn’t make you smarter than the other. We need Achdus and that’s my point. Everyone affected should be involved. Then who pays for it makes the decisions. Kinda usually how it goes. If I am selfish what is it your business anyway? G-d will judge me one way and you another. You can’t force someone to do something to fill your agenda. You just have to suck it up and move on. May Hashem Bless you all that you make all the right decisions in life and as the Rebbe said all Jews should be Millionaires! And let each decide what to do with their lot. Ok with you Shocked? Good. Now get your pacifier and curl up in the fetal position. Mommy will be right there.

• Abba

  I take back what I said. I think its pretty good so far. Lets’ hope it stays like this. The only problem is empire between Rogers and Nostrand. Otherwise i’ts pretty good.