Good Fences Make Good Teenagers: DOT to Fence In Footbridge

photo by Elizabeth Graham via The Brooklyn Paper

A couple of weeks ago we were updated on the recovery of Stephen Arthur, the Park Slope biker who was hit by a brick in Fort Greene last August while biking home from work. Apparently teenagers were standing on the footbridge over Navy Street that acted as a pedestrian connector between two housing projects. In the wake of the accident, the injured Arthur was mad as hell that police were not taking the matter seriously. To make shit worse, those dumb ass kids were still hitting bikers with golf balls, bottles and apples.

The 88th precinct responded by saying that they were working with the Walt Whitman and Ingersol housing projects to increase patrols in the area, which translates to: leave us the hell alone. 

But the Department of Transportation thinks something should be done sooner rather than later. According to Thursday's Daily News, a spokesperson for the DOT said that they intend to "to install a fence...where the top of the fence curves back.” (My favorite) Fort Greene Councilwoman Latisha James says she wants the whole bridge renovated so it can “serve as a gateway into Fort Greene.”:

“I want to fix it. It is an eyesore. I want to make it aesthetically pleasing and make it safe for cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicles.”

Meanwhile, Gothamist recently reported that Stephen Arthur has decided to raise funds to start an advocacy group that will educate teens in the projects to ride bikes instead of harassing bikers for sport. It's a nice idea, but good luck with that one.