“The final two bills before me enhance the safety of those who operate bicycles regularly for employment and for pedestrians who share the City’s streets with them.  

“Introductory Number 24-A, sponsored by Council Members Gerson, Brewer, Martinez, Sanders, Mendez, Garodnick, Gentile, Lappin, Liu, Mealy, Recchia, Sears and Weprin requires businesses that make deliveries by bicycle to provide their delivery personnel with helmets, at the business owner’s expense, and to make sure such helmets are readily available and in good condition.  The bill also requires that such personnel wear a helmet while operating a bicycle on behalf of a business.  Finally, the business owner must provide and ensure that each bicycle is equipped with safety devices required by the State Vehicle and Traffic Law, including brakes, reflective devices and a lamp or bell.

“Introductory Number 58-A, sponsored by Council Members Brewer, Gerson, Gonzalez, James, Koppell, Lappin, Martinez, Nelson, Sanders, Weprin, Liu, Recchia, Gentile and Garodnick requires the posting of signs summarizing bicycle safety laws and regulations at businesses that employ personnel who make deliveries by bicycle.  The Department of Transportation will determine which provisions of law will be included on the sign.  A model sign that includes these provisions will also be made available on the Department’s web site.  Finally, this bill requires the sign, which must be in English and Spanish and any other language spoken predominately by any bicycle operator, to be posted in a manner conspicuous to the bicycle operators and patrons of the business.

“In addition to enhancing the safety of pedestrians traversing the City’s streets, these bills will help protect our City’s hard-working delivery personnel, many of whom are immigrants who speak a language other than English.  Immigrants form the backbone of our City’s workforce and have helped re-energize our economy, and this bill will ensure that they are given additional protection.

“I would like to thank Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and the agency staff who worked on these bills.  I would also like to thank the Council for approving these bills.”