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D14DFF0B t1_j6iaiuj wrote

Take more lanes from cars.

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HEIMDVLLR t1_j6igyhl wrote

The city did take a lane from cars on the Brooklyn bridge, for the new bike lane. The congestion just transferred from cars to foot traffic and bikes.

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CactusBoyScout t1_j6jg1ch wrote

I think once congestion charging starts we should honestly consider making the Brooklyn Bridge into something more like the High Line. Just an elevated park with maybe a few lanes saved for buses/bicycles and emergency vehicles.

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TeamMisha t1_j6l5bca wrote

I believe it was the FiDI BID that suggested something like this actually. There is rising belief that the bridge is itself a true pedestrian destination, and prioritizing foot and bike traffic would make the most sense in connecting these parts of Manhattan and BK.

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ApplicationNo2506 t1_j6ifhkd wrote

Your post should say Let’s turn the Brooklyn bridge and Manhattan bridge into a parking lot.

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D14DFF0B t1_j6im06c wrote

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induced_demand

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OHYAMTB t1_j6ipd94 wrote

You can only remove so many lanes - cars and trucks still need to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn. Giving one lane to bikes was a great decision but there is marginal benefit to adding even more space down below (and the marginal cost to car traffic would be substantial). It would be better to widen the existing pedestrian path on the upper level, though I’m not positive what that would look like or how much it would cost.

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TeamMisha t1_j6l5ua3 wrote

I believe DOT is studying that right now. I don't think the bridge can support more structures on it is the issue, given its immense age. It would likely be simplest to close an entire side to traffic tbh, have dual-way bike lanes and pedestrian space, add a ton of river facing benches, could be sick.

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D14DFF0B t1_j6is761 wrote

Trucks can't cross the Brooklyn Bridge.

And why do cars need to? This may surprise you, but the Brooklyn Bridge existed before cars. And cars were banned on the bridge between 1922 and 1950 or so.

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thecloudcities t1_j6j7yoy wrote

The Brooklyn Bridge is the only one that allows a direct connection between the BQE and the FDR without going onto local streets (at least in the Manhattan-bound direction). Keeping cars off local streets is a good thing.

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tonka737 t1_j6iuiro wrote

As long as they transfer proportionate maintenence costs over to the other commuters then all power to them.

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TeamMisha t1_j6l62mh wrote

How, the bridge is free right now? I suspect we'd all be dead before drivers actually paid for the decades of damage they did to this bridge or the other free bridges nearby lol. The BK especially given its age you'd probably save tons removing traffic entirely and reducing the strain and rolling forces applied to the road deck.

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