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 This is the NYC.gov News You Requested for: "Bicycle Updates" |
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NYCycles - The Official Newsletter of NYC DOT's Bike Program
In this July edition of NYCycles, you'll find:
Summer Streets
Summer Streets returns this year Saturdays August 8, 15 and 22 from 7:00 am ��� 1:00 pm.
DOT Completes an Unprecedented 200 Miles of Bike Lanes
In June the DOT completed the City���s ambitious goal of building 200 bike-lane miles in all five boroughs in just three years, nearly doubling the citywide on-street bike network.
Find a Bike Map Online
DOT and Department of City Planning (DCP) have partnered to create a Google Map showing the location of nearly every CityRack throughout the five boroughs.
8th Avenue Gets a Protected Bike Path
The popular 9th Avenue protected path gets an uptown twin.
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Save the Dates for Summer Streets
August 8, 15 and 22
7:00 am - 1:00 pm
From the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park via Lafayette, 4th Avenue, Park Avenue and 72nd Street.
With low-traffic connections to the West Side Greenway, Harlem, the East River Bridges, the Staten Island Ferry and Governors Island.
DOT will provide free helmet fittings and helmets
Bicycle Habitat and the 5BBC will provide free bike repair
Free loaner bikes to use to enjoy Summer Streets thank to NY400
Learn to Ride a Bike classes with Bike New York
And get to and from Summer Streets safely with rides from Transportation Alternatives.
Volunteer for Summer Streets!
Volunteers are needed for all three dates to help staff rest stops and marshal intersections. Volunteers get a free t-shirt and our ever-lasting gratitude!
Sign up today!
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Summer Streets is back! Saturdays August 9th, 15th, and 22nd from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Enjoy 6.9 miles of car-free streets connecting the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park right through the heart of Manhattan. If you���re biking to the event from further afield Transportation Alternatives will be offering free group rides to and from Summer Streets from neighborhoods around the City. Or if you need a bike you can pick up one of 150+ bright orange loaner bikes offered by the Dutch government as part of the NY400 program. Of course everyone is also welcome to walk, jog, roller blade or just hang out too. These are your streets, and this is your chance to play. Summer Streets gives everyone a chance to partake in summertime fun and merriment without having to spend a single penny.
Weekend Walks extends the fun to all 5 boroughs. The City has partnered with Business Improvement Districts and local business associations to bring these car-free street events to 14 neighborhoods in all five boroughs. While the events can range anywhere from one block to seven blocks long, one thing is for sure, each event will make you get out and move about, and see these neighborhoods in a whole new way. Download a Weekend Walks guide.
Both Summer Streets and Weekend Walks are about changing the way we see and experience the City���s streets. They open up the streets, allowing people to walk, stroll, bike, play, and experience the beauty of the city not from the sidewalks, but from right in the heart of everything. The events offer something for people of all ages, ability levels and from all parts of the city and all walks of life.
These initiatives provide opportunities for healthy recreation and are a part of Mayor Bloomberg���s sustainability plans, encouraging New Yorkers to use greener forms of transportation.
So whether you���re cycling, walking, running, hopping, skipping, or just resting and relaxing with friends and families, come out and enjoy Summer Streets and Weekend Walks and see your streets in a whole new way.
Summer Streets also needs tons of volunteers. Sign up here to help.
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| DOT Completes 200 Miles of Bike Lanes |
In June 2009, the NYC Department of Transportation completed the City���s ambitious goal of building 200 bike-lane miles in all five boroughs in just three years, nearly doubling the citywide on-street bike network while reshaping the city���s streets to make them safer for everyone who uses them. The same period also saw unprecedented expansion and innovation of the overall network, including the installation of 4.9 miles of bike paths physically separated from car traffic lanes, 20 sheltered bike parking structures and 6,100 bike racks, accompanied by a more than 45% growth in commuter cycling in that time.
Find about more about where these lanes were installed and read the official press release. |
DOT���s website now has a map, which shows the location of over 97 percent of the outdoor bicycle parking racks available throughout the city. Created through a partnership with the Department of City Planning (DCP) this new, interactive feature is one of the many ways in which DOT continuously works toward ensuring cyclist are safe, comfortable, and well informed each time they grab their bicycles, and set out to explore the wonders of the city. DOT worked side by side with DCP to take data that had long been sitting in file drawers and transform it into a tool that would be beneficial to the public. Together the agencies compiled years��� worth of data on the City���s bike rack inventory, and DOT converted the information they acquired into a format suitable for the Google maps application. The information is now available both as a Google map and as a downloadable data set. Computer savvy members of the public are encouraged to incorporate this data into their own maps and applications.
The familiar Google Maps interface allows users to click on a City map and magnify it to a street level. Bike labels reveal the exact locations of the City���s bicycle parking racks. Whether the webpage is accessed through a home computer, a mobile device, or any other internet compatible gadget, one thing is for sure: with over 6,000 bike rack locations listed, cyclists can now take the guesswork out of wondering where to lock their bicycles once they arrive at their destination. Users can also use the webpage to submit any errors or omissions they notice in the data.
DOT is also piloting a new web application called Ride the City. Savvy cyclists have been using Ride the City for several months now to plan door-to-door routes best suited for two-wheels. You can use Ride the City's routing application by visiting DOT's bike map page.
These services are examples of DOT���s commitment to providing data in a more open and user-friendly format.
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8th Avenue Gets New, Protected Bike Path
DOT is completing the new, protected bike path and pedestrian safety features on 8th Avenue in Manhattan. Using a design similar to that of the popular 9th Avenue bike path, the project includes a nine-foot-wide, one way, signalized path with a four foot buffer for cyclists. Construction on the 8th Avenue bike path is being completed in two phases. The first phase, which included the section between Jane Street and West 14th Street, was completed last fall. The second phase is nearing completion from Jane Street to W. 23rd Street. While most of the improvements are in place, DOT is working to install the bicycle signal head, ensuring the bike path does not just meet set standards but exceeds them. The newly installed bike path will give cyclists protection from moving traffic as they travel. Pedestrians will enjoy a greener, safer streetscape thanks to new pedestrian refuge islands. And motorists will benefit from a safer street where everyone has a place and there are fewer conflicts with pedestrians and cyclists. The new configuration of the street will accommodate turning vehicle movements more safely, cyclists will have their own turn signals, separate from motorists.
This path provides an excellent uptown companion to the award-winning 9th Avenue protected bike path. It is another example of DOT���s work to make New York safe for cyclists of all ages and skill levels.
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New Bicycle Routes
See upcoming bicycle projects here. Want to learn more? Check the DOT calendar to find out when we give public presentations about these projects.
Get Your 2009 NYC Cycling Map
 Get your copy of the Departments of Transportation, City Planning and Parks' NYC Cycling Map. The map includes bike lanes, routes, greenways, parks, bike shops and subway stations in all five boroughs. The map also shows bike rental locations. Download a copy online, pick up one at a local bike shop or order one for FREE by calling 311.
Safety Tip
Make a connection by seeing Eye to Eye! Establish a connection with drivers by making eye contact. Simple eye contact helps you establish your presence and your right to space on the street.
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Quick Tip:
Give your back a break. Get a rear rack or front basket to help take the weight off your back. Not only will you be able to carry more, but removing your backpack also means that you���ll be less sweaty at the end of your ride.
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Road and Bridge Closures
For information about street closures, sign up for weekly traffic advisories.
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Free Helmets
The DOT has distributed over 12,000 official NYC Bicycle Helmets for free to New York City residents. You can schedule a time to get fitted for an NYC helmet at one of the DOT's Safety Cities by calling 311. Check our events calendar for upcoming fittings.
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Suggest Bike Rack Locations
Do you live or work somewhere that could benefit from bike parking? NYCDOT is working with Community Boards to identify strategic areas to install clusters of new bike parking, including at transit stations, along commercial corridors and at other major destinations. If you'd like to suggest an area that needs bike parking contact your Community Board.
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Report a Problem or Send Kudos
 Potholes
Street Construction Hazards
Missing or Broken Street Signs
Report a faded or damaged bike lane: Call 311
Other Complaints and Compliments
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