Prospect Heights residents divided over proposed bike boulevard, B65 bus changes

Plans to redesign two streets in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, to accommodate bike boulevards are dividing residents, with opponents raising concerns about access to public transportation and supporters arguing the changes could improve street safety.

Audrey Taitt-Hall, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years, relies on the B65 bus a few blocks from her home.

"This is my only mode of transportation," Taitt-Hall said.

She is among more than 2,600 people who have signed a petition opposing the New York City Department of Transportation's plan to redesign Bergen and Dean streets as a bike boulevard.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the plan earlier this year while riding with the neighborhood's bike bus. It would change the street layout to accommodate protected bike lanes and reduce traffic flow.

This comes as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is proposing to reroute the B65 bus from Bergen and Dean streets to Atlantic Avenue several blocks away. The change would require Taitt-Hall and other riders to walk farther to reach a bus stop.

"If they get their way, it's going to be very challenging for me," she said.

Caitlyn Rose, co-founder of the neighborhood group Brooklyn for All of Us, organized the petition in response to the proposals. 

"The streets are too narrow for a bus lane, to keep our parking and to have a protected bike lane," Rose said, adding the plan would likely require the removal of parking spots.

The B65 corridor also passes through areas with historically significant demand for accessible transportation, according to an NYU study examining Access-A-Ride trips.

Rose said she is concerned about how the proposed street changes could affect people who rely on the service.

"We have a lot of people with Access-A-Ride. So if you've constricted the street, where is the Access-A-Ride going to pull over?" she said.

Community Board 8 has opposed the proposed bus route changes, though the board's role in the process is advisory.

The MTA says the proposed route changes are part of its Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign, and would increase the distance between bus stops but speed up service. A spokesperson said a new draft of the redesign will be released in the coming months and will include opportunities for public feedback.

Many residents and cycling advocacy groups, like Transportation Alternatives, applaud the plan. Steve Flack, a Prospect Heights resident, said he supports changes to the bus network, which promise to speed up service.

"All it takes is one double-parked car on Bergen Street to slow down the bus for everybody, and that's not fair. And if moving the bus allows redesign of Bergen Street to make safer streets for cyclists and for pedestrians, that would be amazing," Flack said.

When asked about the concerns brought up in the petition, he said he trusts the DOT and MTA to make the right decision. 

"Change is hard, but I don't think that should get in the way of safer streets and faster buses," he said.

The DOT said the proposed bike boulevard can be implemented without moving the B65 off the corridor, leaving the bus route decision to the MTA.

Opponents plan to rally against the proposals on Nov. 8. 

The DOT will host virtual workshops about the bike boulevard on Nov. 10 and Nov. 12.

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