Another day, another story about the growing interest in pushing New Yorkers to travel via bicycle.
Yesterday it was reported that the Administration is considering changing zoning regulations to require parking space for bicycles as any part of new development. Many pro-bike groups agree that more parking space is needed. Today, the New York Post is outlining the bike/pedestrian
Is this a good policy push for NYC?
The high cost of gasoline this summer may have led some commuters to move into bicycle transportation as a way of saving money. A city study this summer supports that point by describing the 35% increase in Staten Island Ferry commuters were traveling with bikes. Some believe this is a trend that is growing.
The obvious benefit of this new trend are numerous - less crowded streets/traffic
The less-than-obvio
Therefore, is the creation of bike lanes that are often completely empty during rush hour - constricting the flow of automobile and bus traffic - a good idea?
Although I think it is a good idea for the City to encourage the use of bicycles, the push that is going on by the Administration makes little sense. Constricting traffic along Broadway on the Upper West Side creates congestion and doesn't encourage more bicycle riders. In a time where New York City is experiencing economic difficulty, the City should not be spending any of it's precious resources building and planning bike lanes. Honestly, with the significant reduction in gas prices recently, most commuters don't feel the need to leave thier cars in the garage when traveling to work.
Like the placing of calorie counts in chain restaurants and handing out NYC brand condoms in our subways, the Mayor's push for a more "bicycle-friend
There's nothing wrong with encouraging the use of bicycles and encouraging employers and developers to make space for the traveling devices to be parked safely and conveniently. But in a City where a chicken can run twice as fast as a NYC bus, constricting roads and diverting traffice for empty bicycle lanes makes little sense....
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written by Robert Prol , November 13, 2008
I bike commute, but not in NYC. Our existing roads are terrible, and without good pavement, it is dangerous. Add psychotic school bus drivers, and it is almost suicidal to ride. Many traffic lights lack sensors that detect bikes, and few drivers of cars know the laws as they pertain to bikes. Okay, I'm rambling... but if we are going to improve roads for cars, do it for bikes too.
I don't advocate having government require developers to foot the bill for special facilities, but think that as we improve the infrastructure for bikes, we will increase bike usage, which will create a bigger voice to push companies to provide special facilities. My company has a membership at a gym for employees, I ride the each day to shower and change. But I gave up for the school year... psychotic bus drivers...
written by Chance Haywood , November 13, 2008
I'm not sure that I've ever seen the upper sections of Broadway congested so that might not be a best point to make as a negative to the plan in question.
In a city busting with cars I'm all for bike only lanes.
written by Jay Golub , November 14, 2008
The Broadway DOT development is not completed. The plans have just been annouced. But the southern part of Broadway has these lanes and other than delivery people and messengers, few if any real commuters are using those lanes.
Again, I support the use of bikes, but I truly believe that if the Public Transportation System performed better both in service and in timing, car "congestion" wouldn't be an issue.
Either way, bike transportation will only be a minor contributor to the overall solution in the end for the reasons i mentioned in the post above. Therefore, I see little reason for the City to devote much time to the issue...
written by greg vitarbo , November 15, 2008
NYer's are not the Chinese. We don't travel the same way they do. This isn't a third world country! The only way NYer's start to use bicycles to commute to work is if we fall into an economic depression - and if that's the case, then no one will have a job anyway.
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