Cyclists can soon enjoy going for a mid-afternoon ride along the Riegelmann Boardwalk, starting on Oct. 1.
Longstanding rules prohibited biking along the iconic Brighton Beach-to-Coney Island walkway after 10 am for decades — but starting next month, the Parks Department is lifting the regulations and allowing two-wheelers to traverse the seaside pathway after 10 am, for a one-year pilot program running from Oct. 1 through May 1, 2018.
But the rules still stand during beach season when the walk is too packed with pedestrians, said Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher during a Sheepshead Bay Town Hall on Sept. 14.
“Good news effective this October — the Boardwalk will be open after 10 am,” he said. “Been like this for the 33 years I’ve been here, but we’ve been looking at this, and during the summer season we can’t do it — it’s just too many people, it’s not safe — but we believe this will be the first year from it will be open after 10 am.”
Bicyclists can go for a spin until the Boardwalk closes at 1 am, said a spokeswoman for the city agency.
And both the local pol and Mayor DeBlasio floated the idea of either establishing a bike lane or putting in markings to make Boardwalk cycling safer for everyone.
“I’m going to suggest that we should be looking at whether we want some demarcation along the Boardwalk. Since we’re expanding the hours, that might be worthwhile to take a look at that,” Hizzoner said during the meeting at the Connie Lekas School with Councilman Chaim Deutsch (D–Sheepshead Bay). “But the good news is we’re expanding those hours.”
