Bergen Street Bike SwapBergen Street Bike SwapBergen Street Bike SwapBergen Street Bike Swap

aa Bike Swap Bike Swap replaces on street vehicle parking with bicycle racks

BEFORE room for just 1 vehicle AFTER room for multiple bikes

-The city’s first bike swap was installed summer

2007 in Williamsburg @ the L train stop,

intersection of Bedford & North 7th

- DOT extended a 76-foot section of the sidewalk by

five feet and installed nine new bike racks to

provide parking for more than 30 bikes

Its time for another Bike Swap, @ Bergen & Smith street intersection

Why @ Bergen/Smith?• Located at subway stop F,G, which sees almost 10,000 riders

daily and needs more pedestrian space• Bergen Street is narrow & residential east of Smith, yet widens

at Smith allowing vehicles to speed dangerously through the intersection

• Bergen Street already has a bike lane, and is part of Downtown Brooklyn’s heavily used network of bike lanes

Why Now?• Construction of a simple

neckdown has already begun, and could be completed in just a few months. We do not want to miss the opportunity for only half an improvement.

• The Smith/9th street F,G station in Red Hook will be closed for 9 months, cutting off thousands of commuters. Bergen Station is just a 5 minute bike ride from Smith/9th that bridge that connection.

• The South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation (SBLDC) is a major stake holder for Smith Street and has formed a steering committee to create a BID. One of their goals would request Muni-Meters in place of regular meters. However, many local businesses rely on delivery bicycles, all of whom use nearby meters, poles, etc.

Can we afford to lose parking? Parking in BoCoCa always seems at a premium , yet according to the

last census, nearly every district in which the intersection falls, car ownership is only around 40% or so. % WITHOUT CARS

• District 33 councilman yassky…..65% don't own vehicles...

• District 39 councilman deblasio ...56% don't own cars...

• 52nd assembly district... joan millman 61% don't own vehicles...

• State senate district 25…dan Squadron... 75% don't own cars

• Many people do not own cars, and since that 2000 census, Smith has seen even more pedestrians on restaurant row, and thousands more cyclists using Smith as the bike route to East River Bridges.

• A calmer Bergen street intersection benefits 100% of pedestrians local, and more bike parking helps all area cyclists

Where do we get support?ALREADY SUPPORTING IT• Boerum Hill Association• Domino’s Pizza (146 Smith)• Mary McDowell Center for Learning (20 Bergen)• Sage (136 Smith)• Dowling Realty Group (88 Bergen)• Flight 001 (132 Smith)• Lucky Brand Jeans (135 Smith)• Apartment 138 (138 Smith)• Shop Art Gallery (51 Bergen)• Homage (151 Smith)

SHOULD SUPPORT IT• Cobble Hill Association• Dunkin Donuts (at intersection)• The Brooklyn Montessori School• The South Brooklyn Local Development Corporation (SBLDC)• Assemblywoman Joan Millman• Councilman Bill DeBlasio• Councilman David Yassky* (paid for some of the original Williamsburg Bike Swap)• State Senator Dan Squadron• Other nearby businesses such as

• Something Else on Smith (144 Smith)• Raga Indian Restaurant (142 Smith)• Atomic Wings (136 Smith)• Sand Box USA (141 Smith)• Rime (157 Smith)

What Next?• Estimate cost - Sam Rockwell, former aide to David Yassky's office, where the

first Bike Swap occurred estimated costs at $30,000. • Speed Studies of cars crossing Smith at Bergen?• Site Survey -# of bike RACKS v. number of actually bikes in same radius• Survey cyclists who lock up at Smith/9th now… would they ride to Bergen when

the subway is closed?• DOT told me “If bicycle parking at this location is something the

Transportation Alternatives' Brooklyn Committee supports and believes would be well utilized, I would encourage you to send us a letter to that effect to my boss. ”

So….MOST IMPORTANTLY….• Get writing!

Brooklyn Borough Commissioner Joseph Palmieri

NYCDOT16 Court Street, Suite 1620Brooklyn, NY 11241