NEW YORK - There is a new battle brewing over the L train plans, but this one’s happening above ground. Many want the bike lanes that are implemented ahead of the shutdown to remain.   

Choresh Wald and a number of residents pressed the issue at a community board 3 meeting Tuesday in the East Village.

Many are also pushing for all of the streetscape improvements, bus lanes and carpool restrictions to remain in place.

"A lot of people are using the bike lanes right now. This city put them in for the L train shut down plan but we need to have them permanently regardless of the L train shut down because they’re safe to ride in," said Wald. We live here, we walk here, we bike here that’s why we need safe street facilities in the neighborhood."

"Community is still asking for the same bus way and  bikeway commuter options that we’ve been asking for for months and for years well before the governor took his first tour of the Canarsie tunnel. So although the mitigation plans are changing we don’t want that burden to fall on the subway riders and the M 14 bus riders who currently take these transit options every day," said Chelsea Yamada, an East Village resident.

This was the first neighborhood meeting since the governor’s surprise announcement to avert a complete shutdown of the L train for repair work. NYC Transit President Andy Byford was in attendance but didn’t have a clear answers as to what will happen. 

"We are reviewing every aspect of what is the alternative service plan to see what remains necessary or beneficial," Byford said.

People also pressed Byford on the governor’s plan which they say lacks details.

"I’ve made it clear that I am not a rubberstamper and it’s my professional responsibility and accountability to make sure that what we implement in the way of a revised plan is safe practical customer focus and operable," Byford said.

Byford took a lot of heat at the meeting. But in the end, residents said they were glad he attended and that he answered as many questions as possible.

NYC Transit President: Parts of New L Train Repair Proposal Were Considered Before
Engineer: Rebuilding L Train Tunnel Completely Would Extend its Life Further Than New Plan
'L-pocalypse No': Cuomo Says Full L Train Tunnel Shutdown No Longer Necessary

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