New York - Brooklyn    

I was given a wonderful walking tour of Brooklyn by dear friend, John.  Contrasting with Manhattan were beautiful, tree lined, quiet streets, with apparently higher residential density than Manhattan, but in tall terraces reminiscent, to me, of Dutch cities (and some with Dutch style bikes out the front). A very attractive looking neighbourhood to live in, with some bike lanes.

A picturesque Brooklyn street

Bike lanes here and there

We stopped to chat to Lauren, an urban planner.

Cargo bikes and other practical, Dutch style bikes were parked along this street.

As Brooklyn has become more densely populated (and gentrified) over the years, this laneway, formerly of garages for nearby housing, has been converted to housing itself.

Former garages, now cute coach houses

Part of the Brooklyn waterfront open for walking and cycling (where is everyone?)

Some parts of the Brooklyn waterfront are accessible by foot and by bike.  The previous night I had been invited to a celebration of the announcement of the full implementation plan for the Brooklyn Greenway, a 14 mile waterfront path.  The project was conceived by the community back in 1998 and everyone was very excited that it is now becoming a reality.  Some sections already exist, and some have temporary arrangements, such as the bidirectional protected cycleway along Kent Avenue.

Janette Sadik-Khan making the announcement

The Greenway celebration

Kent Avenue

Residents of this row of expensive houses with great views of Manhattan across the water, fought the motorway being built along the waterfront decades ago.  In the end, two levels of motorway were built, but with a pedestrian promenade on top.  You can look over the edge to see the motorway, and, soon, more of the Brooklyn Greenway along the water's edge.

Looking over the edge - 2 levels of motorway, and the construction site that will soon be part of the Greenway

The motorway diving under the promenade