This morning dueling protests broke out along the Prospect Park, as residents and cyclists find themselves divided over a new two-lane new bike path running along Prospect Park. Even the borough president, Marty Markowitz, complained that the Department of Transportation was using Brooklyn as a "guinea pig" for Mayor Bloomberg's bike initiatives.
This morning's protest was larger than a protest that took place in the city on Friday, which attracted only "a small but kvetchy crowd," as Gothamist reported.
Local opposition argue that the lanes are dangerous to pedestrians, impede traffic and hurt businesses. Protestors today could be heard shouting "Ride in the park!" referring to existing lanes in Prospect Park. Proponents like BikeBlogNYC believe the protest to be simple scapegoating, a result of "hatred of cyclists."
Of today's protest, the Times reports:
"While some claimed the lane was unnecessary given the presence of a bike path inside the park, others opposed it on aesthetic grounds. "Extraordinarily ugly" is how Robert Linn, a 31-year resident of Prospect Park West, described the green and yellow paint and plastic barriers. "It looks like the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel.""
The tension isn't limited to Brooklyn, however. Last week there was a similar protest in the East village.