Mayor joins Brooklyn bike bus as city announces major safety redesign for Bergen and Dean streets
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn joined families along the Bergen Bike Bus route before announcing plans to redesign 10 miles of Bergen and Dean streets in Brooklyn.
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Kids, parents and volunteers rolled through Brooklyn together Wednesday morning for National Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day — and this year’s ride came with a major announcement from City Hall.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn joined families along the Bergen Bike Bus route before announcing plans to redesign 10 miles of Bergen and Dean streets in Brooklyn.
The city says the project would turn the streets into what’s called a “bike boulevard” — changes aimed at slowing traffic down and making the area safer for people biking and walking.
The Bergen Bike Bus has become a weekly tradition for many Brooklyn families. Every Wednesday during the school year, kids, parents and volunteers ride together to school through neighborhoods including Brownsville, Crown Heights and Prospect Heights.
Families gathered early Wednesday morning near Thomas S. Boyland Street before taking off along the route.
Supporters say the rides are about much more than exercise.
They say biking together helps kids feel safer getting to school, builds community and gives families more confidence riding on busy streets.
“It’s the easiest fastest best way to get to school hands-down,” said Hilda Cohen, co-founder of Bike Bus NYC.
City leaders say Bergen and Dean streets have already become a major route for cyclists, especially families and students. But advocates say many stretches still feel unsafe because current bike lanes offer little protection from traffic.
According to the city, there have been hundreds of traffic injuries reported along Bergen and Dean streets since 2022.
The proposed redesign could include protected bike lanes, safer crossings, traffic-calming measures and changes meant to reduce cut-through traffic while still allowing local vehicle access.
“Bike boulevards give families the peace of mind they need to start the day right: by enjoying a safe, easy ride to school,” Mayor Mamdani said in a statement.
The city says the project will happen in phases. A design proposal is expected later this year, with the first phase targeted for installation in 2027.
Organizers also say they hope to eventually expand the bike bus with more after-school rides across Brooklyn.
