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A problem-plagued bike lane in Brooklyn — where an e-biker slammed into a 3-year-old girl over the weekend — has drawn outrage from neighbors as local pols remain short on solutions.

Safety concerns over the 1.5 mile cycle path on Williamsburg’s Bedford Avenue have erupted into campaign mudslinging, with the local City Council rep and Mayor Eric Adams pointing the finger at each other.

The issues were thrown into the spotlight after video of Sunday’s terrifying incident went viral, underscoring a troubling pattern of cyclists and e-bikers colliding with children on the perilous pathway.


  Girl, 3, is mowed down by e-bike rider when she runs into bike lane at Bedford & Park aves in South Williamsburg Sunday evening May 25, 2025. Obtained by the NY Post Girl, 3, is mowed down by e-bike rider when she runs into bike lane at Bedford & Park aves in South Williamsburg Sunday evening May 25, 2025. Obtained by the NY Post

Footage posted on X by Williamsburg 365 News captured the unaware tot, who appeared to have just stepped out of a double-parked car with a man, scurrying into the lane at Bedford and Park Avenues around 7:40 p.m. when the oncoming biker struck her.

She was hospitalized with minor injuries to her stomach from the blow, cops said. The biker, a 22-year-old man seen with a bag hanging on the back of his ride — possibly a delivery rider — stayed at the scene and was not arrested.

Other videos on social media showed similar incidents involving high-speed bikers plowing into unsuspecting kids along the bike lane – which many of Williamsburg’s Hasidic residents have condemned.

“It’s very dangerous. I pray to God every day to take it down,” Rabbi Joseph Schwartz, a 48-year-old father of eight, said Wednesday of the route, explaining that he fears for his family crossing the street.

“There are crashes every day. They have to take it down.”

Samuel Schlesinger, 25, a dad of three who owns the cafe Grill on Lee, said thousands of kids live in the area — and the bike lane, which runs from Dean Street to Flushing Avenue, has made them unsafe.


  NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced, on Sunday, July 6 will have a ticker tape parade to give our post 9/11 Veterans the homecoming they deserve. Robert Miller NYC Mayor Eric Adams announced, on Sunday, July 6 will have a ticker tape parade to give our post 9/11 Veterans the homecoming they deserve. Robert Miller

“Bikes come flying down here. I see it every day,” he said.

Sabrina Gates – who is challenging incumbent City Council member Lincoln Restler in the June Democratic primary – slammed him for being on “the wrong side” of the bike lane issue.

“Even before the bike lane, Bedford Avenue was a chaotic street. It’s a hazard,” said Gates, ripping the pro-cyclist Restler as not heeding the community’s concerns after the tot was injured over the weekend.

“Lincoln Restler has been on the wrong side of this issue,” she said. “Move the bike lane!”

Restler, who reps the 33rd Council district, defended his support of protected bike lanes and said he had pressed city transportation officials for safety improvements to curb accidents in the Bedford Avenue cycle path.

“Protected bike lanes are proven to make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles,” Restler, the heavy favorite to win re-election, said Tuesday.

“There have been too many crashes on the new Bedford Avenue bicycle lane involving young children,” he said. “I’ve been on the record repeatedly urging the Department of Transportation to make significant safety enhancements and expand outreach on Bedford to improve safety for all.”

The mayor, in a rare statement on his X campaign account, disputed Restler’s statement.


  The footage of the accident shows the unaware tot, who appeared to have just stepped out of a double-parked car with a man. Obtained by the NY Post The footage of the accident shows the unaware tot, who appeared to have just stepped out of a double-parked car with a man. Obtained by the NY Post

“Let’s be clear: @LincolnRestler never called for modifying or removing the protected bike lane on Bedford Ave,” he posted.

“But when the people speak, we listen — with or without their councilman’s support,” Adams wrote. “That’s why I was in Williamsburg last week, hearing directly from the community.”

Restler shot back on X saying, “Mayor – we all know you aren’t paying much attention to governing our City – but I have requested safety enhancements from DOT for months in private meetings and at public budget hearings.”

Restler, during a City Council budget hearing on May 13, had asked DOT officials for guidance — and raised the idea of restricting biking to certain times, such as outside school drop-off and pick-up, along the hazardous route.

Officials pushed back but said they would follow up with potential solutions to enhance safety.

Another child was hospitalized on May 11 after being struck by a cyclist while exiting a school bus at the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Myrtle Avenue, footage posted by the Williamsburg X account showed.


  The blow left the youngster with minor injuries to her lower stomach, and she was taken to Bellevue Hospital, cops said. Obtained by the NY Post The blow left the youngster with minor injuries to her lower stomach, and she was taken to Bellevue Hospital, cops said. Obtained by the NY Post

More than 53 injuries related to bicycles, e-bikes, and scooters have been reported on Bedford Avenue since 2024, public records show.

New York City has about 1,500 miles of dedicated bike lanes, including 623 miles of protected bicycle lanes, according to the DOT.

But merchants and restaurateurs in parts of the city — such as Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills — have complained that bike lanes have taken away parking spaces for customers and hurt business.

The Adams administration has moved ahead with the bike lanes as a public health and safety measure to protect bikers and encourage cycling, as did prior mayoral administrations.

City Hall officials said in a statement Wednesday that the mayor, who is an avid biker, recently hosted a public safety town hall with the Williamsburg community to address their safety concerns.

“We are now considering all options to address safety concerns while still keeping all pedestrians and cyclists moving across the city safely,” the statement said.

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