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Residents pressed council for bike lanes on Fishkill Avenue and to limit drive‑thrus amid Dunkin' controversy
Summary
Multiple members of the public urged the Beacon City Council to pursue bike lanes and safer crossings on Fishkill Avenue and to remove drive‑thrus as a permitted use; speakers asked the council for a transparent study and for the Fishkill Avenue Concepts Committee's recommendations to be considered.
Public commentators urged the Beacon City Council to prioritize bike lanes and safer crossings along Fishkill Avenue and to prohibit drive‑through facilities, citing a pending Dunkin' Donuts application as a focal point.
Yvonne Carruthers, a Ward 4 resident, founding member of the Beacon Bicycle Coalition and member of the Fishkill Avenue Concepts Committee (FACC), questioned comments she said the mayor made at a recent workshop that outside "experts" found bike lanes on Fishkill Avenue infeasible. “I'd like to know specifically what those experts said that make bike lanes not feasible,” she said, and asked whether those opinions are in the public record.
Thomas Wright, a member of the Beacon Bicycle Coalition, urged the council to "vote yes on the proposed local law that would eliminate drive through facilities as a permitted use in all zoning districts," arguing drive‑throughs prioritize cars over people and noting the FACC had presented buffered bike lanes at a public meeting with strong community support.
Katie Helmuth (Ward 1) said she supports bike lanes but also spoke in favor of drive‑thru access for some residents, describing how local auto repair and other businesses have been pushed out by changing development and stressing accessibility concerns for caregivers.
Speakers asked for a transparent, thorough study of bike lanes and for the council to make public any expert opinions referenced by the mayor; the FACC has formally requested such a study, several speakers said. The council did not take formal action on Fishkill Avenue at the meeting; the committee’s final report timing was requested by a council member for a future update.
