At-large City Councilor Michael Flaherty, irate over what he called an “outrageous” plan to eliminate 73 parking spaces, plus an outbound traffic lane, to make way for a special “cycle track” for bike riders on a stretch of Commonwealth Avenue in Brighton, said he plans to grill the city transportation officials who proposed it.

“At a time when we just overspent tens of millions on snow removal and the administration is talking about the need to close five schools, someone comes up with the idea to remove 73 parking meters from the streets of Boston, meters that could generate up to $341,000 a year,” said Flaherty, who intends to call a public hearing. “I want to know who did that cost-benefit analysis and what other streets in Boston are they looking at?”

“This is outrageous,” added Flaherty, noting a single meter generates up to $4,680 a year. “Where do we make up that lost revenue?”

John Barros, Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s economic development chief, countered with the claim that cyclists spend, on average, $12,000 more locally than motorists. He added that meter revenue pales in comparison to cyclist safety.

Deputy Transportation Commissioner James Gil-?looly said as part of a ?$17 million redesign of Commonwealth Avenue, from the Boston University Bridge to Packard’s Corner, the city wants to install special 6A-foot-wide bike paths along the sidewalks. A 3-foot-wide curb would separate bikes from parked cars and traffic.

The city would have to remove 57 parking spaces inbound and 16 spaces outbound, and cut outbound traffic from three lanes to two along the three-quarter-mile stretch, Gillooly said. There are only two inbound traffic lanes already.

“We don’t have enough money to implement changes like this everywhere, but this is a great opportunity to get a big stretch of road that has a large number of accidents,” said Gillooly, noting that from August 2010 to August 2014, there were 59 bike-related crashes in that span of Comm. Ave and 1,666 motor vehicle vs. bike accidents citywide.

At a public meeting on Comm. Ave. last night ?attended by a largely pro-bike crowd of more than 200, speakers were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposed tracks.

“This cycle track will be a great improvement that will benefit people for generations to come,” said David Miller, president of BU Bikes and a mechanical engineering student who bikes to campus and work.

“Obviously it’s going to make travel a lot safer,” said Scott Englander of Brookline, near Packard’s Corner, who applauded the city for an “innovative and world-class design.”