Overview

• The court overturned the July 15 emergency stay and lifted a preliminary injunction, restoring the city’s ability to remove the safety barriers Mayor Adams ordered last June.
• DOT’s October 2024 installation of parking-protected lanes on Bedford Avenue is credited with cutting reported injuries by about 47 percent, according to city data.
• Plaintiffs led by Transportation Alternatives and local residents argued that eliminating the three-block stretch without proper advance notice or environmental review would violate city transportation rules and heighten crash risks.
• City attorneys countered that most safety gains derived from prior intersection redesigns and said removing the barriers would not increase vehicular capacity.
• Advocates warn that reversing a proven safety measure could expose taxpayers to costly lawsuits under a 2017 state high-court precedent holding the city liable for dangerous streets.