Aug 31, 2009 6:38 pm US/Eastern
Brooklyn Residents Divided Over Traffic Change
BROOKLYN (CBS) ―
Watch out for those big trucks illegally backing up on Kent Avenue and Broadway in Williamsburg. Half the thoroughfare was converted to a one-way street just a week ago and it's got plenty confused, from an electric service vehicle that went the wrong way, to a fire engine that was stuck in the middle.
Supporters say it's great for bikers, but critics say it is down right dangerous.
Gerry Esposito said the Department of Transportation forced the change despite concerns from Community Board 1. The plan gives New York it's very first two-way bike lanes on any city road, but he said they're paying dearly since it turned one of a handful of neighborhood north-south roads into a one-way confusion zone.
"They're going through red lights, there are truck drivers that are coming down the street the wrong way, they're trying to make illegal u-turns, it's a disaster. Nobody knows which way to go," Esposito said.
"By eliminating one of the corridors it's just pandemonium," Esposito said.
"It's very confusing, yeah, because this light here doesn't coordinate with that light up there," said Monte Montana, who worked in Williamsburg for 22 years.
Transportation Alternatives collected more than 300 signatures of support for this petition in favor of Kent going one-way. They said the entire community wins with biker-friendly two-way lanes, spaces for residents to park on the street and room for commercial trucks to unload.
"Biking, it seems a lot safer. There's a lot of big rigs going on this road, a lot of people go really fast, and so knowing that the traffic's going only one-way really makes a difference," said Glen Robinson.
When we contacted the Department of Transportation about the flagrant traffic violations, they responded saying: "The DOT will be coordinating with the NYPD to better manage trucks in the area and direct them to existing truck routes."
The second phase of the Kent Avenue conversion takes place next month when the stretch between Broadway and north 14th Street becomes one-way.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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