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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
| Protected Bike Paths Grow by Leaps and Bounds! |
Spurred on by the success of 2007���s 9th Avenue complete street from 16th Street to 23rd Street in Manhattan the DOT is rolling out more protected bike paths this year and has committed to installing 15 additional miles of protected on���street bike lanes by 2010 and 30 miles from 2011���2015. The design of 9th Avenue has won rave reviews from cyclists and pedestrians alike. It has also been lauded by leading transportation experts. At the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) 2008 Annual Meeting the Ninth Avenue Complete Streets Project won ITE���s Transportation Planning Council Best Program Award. The extension of the protected path on 9th Avenue to 31st Street is almost complete. The bicycle path will be accompanied by other traffic calming measures and new greenstreets which will make the street safer and more pleasant for pedestrians as well.
And since what goes south usually must come north again, 8th Avenue will soon get its own protected path. This fall DOT will create a complete street on 8th Avenue from Bank Street to West 14th Street, using a design similar to that of 9th Avenue. Next spring, the 8th Avenue path will be extended to West 23rd Street.
Broadway Boulevard from Times Square to Herald Square also incorporates a protected curbside bike lane, with cyclists sheltered from traffic by new pedestrian spaces.
This style of design has worked well on the larger avenues, but what about smaller streets? DOT is currently testing a new protected path design for the much narrower Grand Street.
The Grand Street Protected Bike Path, which is being installed now, will be Manhattan���s first cross-town protected route. The bike lane will be protected by a ���floating��� parking lane. At intersections where motorists can make right turns, ���mixing zones��� will ensure turning traffic and straight moving cyclists can see one another and cross paths safely. The design adapts successful European models to the New York City context. Both cyclist and motorists will need to look out for each other at these intersections, sharing the responsibility for visibility and awareness.
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| Now Where to Park All Those Bikes? |
All of these new bike lanes are making it easier to get around the City. But what happens once you reach your destination? Many buildings still do not offer secure bicycle parking, which deters many a would-be cyclist.
DOT is tackling the bicycle parking issue from a number of angles. By installing 5,000 new outdoor racks by 2011, improving the way they look with our CityRacks Design Competition and piloting 36 sheltered bicycle parking units at locations citywide we���re upping the ante on outdoor bicycle parking. And in partnership with Transportation Alternatives, our Bicycle Friendly Businesses Awards called attention to one company, Credit Suisse, that���s doing right by its cyclists by providing bicycle access to its building and one of the city���s most elegant bicycle parking rooms.
Now the Real Estate Board of New York has taken up the issue as well. This fall REBNY issued a letter to its members encouraging them to ���survey your buildings and find a means to accommodate bicycles within them where possible.��� As REBNY���s website points out, there are many different options for providing bicycle access, to suit different types of buildings. Some buildings may be able to provide bicycle racks in an in-building garage. Others may allow tenants to bring their bikes up to their office space via a freight elevator. And still others may find under-utilized space near a loading dock, in a basement or an alcove off a lobby to provide an indoor bike parking room. While there is no one right solution for every building, one thing is clear ��� more secure bike parking is needed as the number of cyclists in New York grows.
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Bike Share Movie: World Premiere
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Join Janette Sadik-Khan, Commissioner of NYCDOT, for the world premiere of Paris: V��lo Libert�� from the critically acclaimed PBS series e��: the economies of being environmentally conscious.
The screening will be immediately followed by a discussion of metropolitan bike sharing programs with:
Denis Baupin, Deputy Mayor, Paris
Andr�� Lavall��e, Mayor, Arrondissement de Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie, Montr��al
Janette Sadik-Khan, Transportation Commissioner, New York City
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Photo Courtesy of Carlos F. Pardo/Flickr
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WHEN
6:30 pm - Refreshments
7:15 pm - Film screening
8:00 pm - Panel discussion
WHERE
The New York Academy of Sciences
Kayden Auditorium
7 World Trade Center / 250 Greenwich St. (bet. Barclay & Vesey Sts.), 40th Floor
Manhattan
RSVP
Limited seating. RSVP is essential for entry. E-mail pyee@dot.nyc.gov
NOTES
If you can't make the premiere & screening, the program debuts November 6 on Channel 13.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. next Wednesday on the 40th floor of 250 Greenwich Street (between Barclay and Vesey). RSVP to pyee@dot.nyc.gov.
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| Heads Up - Brooklyn Bridge Bike Path Work Ahead |
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In order to provide safer conditions for cyclists and pedestrians alike the DOT will be performing work to upgrade the signage and markings on the Brooklyn Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path this Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. Weather permitting the rest of the work will be completed during overnight hours over the next few weeks. The bridge will be off-limits to cyclists during the hours when work is occurring. Unfortunately due to weather and other scheduling factors DOT may not be able to give advance warnings of the exact closure times. Cyclists are advised to use the Manhattan Bridge path or other routes. Bridge access maps are available at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/bikemaps.shtml. We encourage all cyclists to ride slowly and respectfully and yield to pedestrians on these shared use paths. Thank you for your patience and understanding while these upgrades are made.
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New Bicycle Routes
The construction season is nearly over, see a list of all the new lanes we've installed this year.
Get Your 2008 NYC Cycling Map
Get your copy of the Departments of Transportation, City Planning and Parks' 2008 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.
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Street Smart Cycling:
Get bike lights. Visit your local bike shop (you can find one near you by looking on the NYC Cycling Map) or go online. There are ones in all price ranges and they make you more visible to drivers and your fellow cyclists on the streets. |
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Quick Tip:
Use a bike box! Did you know the DOT has installed over 100 bike boxes at intersections citywide? A bike box reduces the chance of a ���hook��� crash. When the traffic signal is red, enter the bike box, stop before the crosswalk and wait for the light. This makes you more visible to drivers and gives you a head start before vehicles enter the intersection. When you use a bike box, the crosswalk is clear, allowing pedestrians room to cross as well. When the light turns green, proceed as normal. Be aware of turning motorists. |
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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. |
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. |
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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