From The Brooklyn Paper, 05.19.07:
On board with bikesAs readers of this blog know, I am an unequivocal supporter of improved cycling infrastructure, such as bike lanes, "sharrows," signage, bike paths, and secure parking. A small minority of bicyclists object to bike lanes, citing the exceedingly infrequent Dana Laird incident.
The good news is that the statistics bear out the (New York City Department of Transportation's) aggressive push for more bike lanes.
In the decade from 1996 to 2005, 225 bike riders were killed in crashes on city streets--yet only one death occurred on a street with a bike lane. No wonder the agency plans to lay down 50 miles of new bike lanes every year from now until 2030.
A recent survey compiled by the Department of City Planning showed that virtually all pedal-pushers support more bike lanes — and that the majority of non-bikers would bike to work if only the roads were safer. (Read more.)
Beyond providing a measure of safety for cyclists, bike lanes serve to calm traffic, legitimize bicycling, and enhance neighborhoods. Congrats to NYC's cycling advocates for pushing their city to improve streets for bicyclists.
Image: Web capture.
Visit: Transportation Alternatives
Visit: Time's Up
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips
2 comments:
I'm also a complete supporter of expanding bicycle infrastructure, but wanted to say that in 2006 alone, there were 2 deaths in NYC that occurred on what should be car-free bike paths. See related article: Drunk Driver Kills Cyclist on West Side Bike Path.
Building the infrastructure is the first step. Driver education & enforcement of traffic laws are the next step. In my opinion NYC is building the facilities, but failing in the second step by allowing bike lanes to become double parking zones & truck unloading zones.
Anyhow, I love the site. Keep up the great work & check out my site
NYC Bike Map if you get a chance. It will give you a good visualization of NYC bike facilities.
-seth
Good job!
I hope this site can encourage more people to bike! (Especially in America)
Post a Comment