Seniors take over Crown Heights bike safety forum
A Crown Heights town hall aimed at expanding bike access for communities of color was quickly overtaken by seniors looking to shift the focus from bike safety to senior safety.
State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, whose district covers Crown Heights and parts of Brownsville and Sunset Park, hosted a “Bike Equity” town hall on Wednesday night, which included a panel of women of color promoting bike access. But within half an hour, the conversation had shifted to senior mobility issues.
The City Council passed a $1.7 billion bike safety initiative dubbed the Streets Master Plan on Wednesday. The plan, praised by cyclist advocates, is set to add 250 miles of protected bike lanes to city streets, alongside other major street design changes. Elderly residents of Central Brooklyn voiced their concerns on Wednesday over modifications that, they feared, would prioritize those on two wheels instead of those on two feet.