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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 March edition of NYCycles, you'll find:
- Looking for the Next Generation of Bike Racks for NYC: NYCDOT and
Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design Kick-off CityRacks Design Competition
- Commuter Cycling at an All Time High
- Building a Complete Street - DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn
In Every Issue:
New Bike Routes
Get A NYC Cycling Map
And tools to make your ride safer and easier:
Road and Bridge Closures
Free Helmets
Request a Bike Rack
Report a Problem
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Quick Bit:
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It's time for something new, he said. "New York deserves a bike rack that is worthy of the city, that's unique, exciting and modern." NYTimes CityRoom Blog: Bike Racks Are Due for a Makeover
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Photo: Bonnie Natko |
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Next Generation of Bike Racks for NYC
New York City currently has nearly 4,000 CityRacks within its five boroughs and plans to add at least 500 each year in the foreseeable future (in addition to 37 sheltered bike parking structures). The CityRacks design, however, has been in use for over ten years and does not fulfill its potential to be an icon for New York City cycling. The program for the CityRacks Design Competition encompasses two categories: the Sidewalk Rack and In-Building Parking. Competitors may choose to enter in the Sidewalk Rack category, the In-Building Parking category, or both. The competition is open to the international design community including architects, artists, engineers, landscape architects, planners, urban designers, product and industrial designers, and manufacturers. Multi-disciplinary teams are encouraged to participate.
The City intends to use the winning sidewalk rack as its new standard for bicycle parking and Google may install the in-building facility in its New York City offices. It may also be used by City-owned buildings in the future.
The competition will be juried by a panel of experts from the worlds of industrial design, art and transportation.
Find out more and register at http://nycityracks.wordpress.com/.
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Commuter Cycling at an All Time High
Direct methods are a challenge as well. Since 1985, NYCDOT has been conducting the NYC Bicycle Screenline Count, an annual 12 hour count of cyclists entering and exiting the center of Manhattan. It includes counts of cyclists crossing the four East River bridges, entering and exiting the Staten Island Ferry at the Whitehall Terminal and each avenue and the Hudson River Greenway at 50th Street. But short of stopping cyclists and asking them directly it is hard to gauge if an individual is bicycling for recreation, fitness, commuting or as part of their job.
Measuring commuter cycling is important to NYCDOT as it, like other metrics such as numbers of annual injuries or fatalities, helps us track the progress of our bicycle program. So using the Bicycle Screenline Count data as a starting point we have developed the Commuter Cycling Indicator.
The indicator shows a clear and rapid growth in regular cycling in New York City this decade. We estimate that commuter cycling has grown by 77% between 2000 and 2007. With NYCDOT's accelerated investment in bicycle facilities, along with the increasing desire for healthier, less expensive, more environmentally sustainable modes of transportation, it is anticipated that the commuter cycling volumes will continue to increase.
Download the NYCDOT Commuter Cycling Estimates for 1980-2007.
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Building a Complete Street - DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn
DeKalb Avenue provides a vital connection between Fort Green, Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant in North Brooklyn. Many commuters travel on DeKalb Avenue to work, shop or connect with transit in Downtown Brooklyn on the heavily-used B38 bus line, by car or by bike, but up until now there has been no dedicated space for cyclists.
This June NYCDOT will embark on a new project to improve safety and comfort for cyclists and calm traffic on DeKalb Avenue, while still preserving street space for motorists and buses. NYCDOT will apply an innovative set of design features, tailored to meet the needs of commuters, residents, visitors and businesses. Curb regulations will be adjusted to improve access to businesses and reduce double parking. Marking treatments will be applied to the approach and in the intersections to make them safer. New lanes will also be created to position cyclists safely outside of the door zone and buffer them from motor vehicle traffic. The capacity of the street will be adjusted based on the need both by time of day and location along the corridor. This will calm traffic and minimize aggressive driving and speeding without causing delays to bus and other commuters in this important corridor.
The DeKalb Avenue bicycle lane will provide a westbound pair to the Willoughby Avenue lane installed last year and will be a key element of a multi-neighborhood network of bicycle routes in Brooklyn. This network, along with other bicycle facilities, such as expanded bike parking helps facilitate bicycling as an attractive transportation option.
 Read more about the DeKalb Avenue project.
Hear more about the DeKalb Avenue project at two upcoming community board meetings on March 17th and 18th.
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The DOT Bicycle Program installed over 60 new lane miles of bicycle routes in 2007. Check where new lanes will be installed this spring here.
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Get Your NYC Cycling Map (2008 edition coming soon) |
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For information about street closures, sign up for weekly traffic advisories: http://www.nyc.gov/dotnews
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The DOT recently distributed over 10,000 official NYC bicycle helmets for free to New York City residents. The helmet distribution is part of GET FIT-TED, a new campaign to raise consumer awareness and promote safety and bicycling in all five boroughs. Sponsored by Target and designed by NYC & Company, the official NYC helmets offer riders safety and a unique urban style. You can schedule a time to get fitted for an NYC helmet at one of the DOT's Safety Cities by calling 311.
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Do you live or work somewhere that could benefit from secure bike parking? Request a CityRack, free sidewalk bicycle parking rack, from DOT. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikerack.shtml
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Report a Problem or Send Kudos
Street Construction Hazards: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/permits/hiqaform.shtml
Missing or Broken Street Signs: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/signs/trafsign.shtml
Report a faded or damaged bike lane:
Call 311
Other Complaints and Compliments: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildot.html or call 311
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Street Smart Cycling: Lock the frame and rear wheel of your bike to a bicycle rack. If you have a quick release, lock the front wheel also. Do not lock your bike to trees.
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Quick Tip: Beat the spring rush and have your bike tuned up now at your local bike shop. And in between tune-ups remember to check brakes regularly and keep tires properly inflated.
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