Battle Over Bedford Avenue Bike Lane Heats Up as Mayor Adams and Councilman Restler Clash Again

By Y.M. Lowy

Political debate over the Bedford Avenue bike lane has reignited a new clash between Mayor Eric Adams and Councilman Lincoln Restler.

As we previously reported, after multiple crashes involving the Bedford Avenue bike lane injured residents, tensions between NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Councilman Lincoln Restler flared up. Restler, who supports the bike lane, posted a video of one bike lane accident on X and called on the DOT to add safety measures. Mayor Adams responded to that by accusing Restler of never requesting any changes. Restler fired back, criticizing the mayor’s leadership and saying he has been pushing for safety fixes for months, and it's clear the mayor isn't paying attention to his efforts. 

With Councilman Lincoln Restler’s urging, the Department of Transportation installed stop signs for cyclists and created a designated pedestrian crossing on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. 

Recently, Mayor Adams has announced that the city will remove the current Bedford Avenue bike lane design and restore it to its original layout.

The mayor said, “After several incidents — including some involving children — on a section of the Bedford Avenue bike lane, Department of Transportation Commissioner Rodriguez and I listened to community concerns and decided to adjust the design to better reflect community feedback.”

Lincoln Restler is speaking up again, answering the mayor with: “Instead of identifying solutions to improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers, the Mayor is making a purely political decision to rip out a bike lane with no alternative. This reckless and arbitrary move will lead to more tragic crashes, and it will be his fault.”