Mayor de Blasio And Commissioner Trottenberg Announce That 2016 Will Bring The Greatest-ever Expansion To New York City’s Bike Network

September 13, 2016

NYC DOT is on track to add at least 75 lane miles to the citywide network this year, including a record 18 fully protected lane miles, exceeding projections, and 43 miles of exclusive lanes

DOT will commit to a doubled annual target of at least 10 miles of protected lanes

Citi Bike continues to break daily ridership records, as membership grows and network expands to more communities

NEW YORK–– Mayor Bill de Blasio and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg today announced that New York City's bike lane network is undergoing unprecedented enhancement this year, shattering the protected lane record set last year and exceeding earlier projections. By the end of 2016, New York City will have added 18 miles of protected bike lanes and at least 75 bike lane-miles are projected overall.

“Among our Vision Zero plans announced earlier this year was an unprecedented 15-mile expansion of the protected bike network, because we know that protected bike lanes not only get more people cycling, they calm traffic and save lives. Today we are proud to announce that we are poised to exceed this ambitious goal,” said Mayor de Blasio. “No cyclist death is acceptable and that’s why we’ll continue raising the bar to keep riders protected.”

“I want to thank the extraordinary team at DOT – planners, designers, and construction crews – who have gone above and beyond to make greater new bike lanes all across New York City a reality,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “Our Vision Zero goal has always been to make sure that with the massive growth in its popularity, cycling remains safe. This year’s progress – with at least 75 new miles of bike lanes and over 18 miles of protected lanes – assures that even more New Yorkers will take to two wheels in the years ahead.”

In 2015, DOT set an annual record for protected bike lanes when it constructed 12.4 lane miles. This year DOT is on track to install 18 miles. By the end of 2016, DOT anticipates it will have expanded and enhanced the bicycle network by at least 75 miles, of which only 19 percent (14 miles) are signed/shared routes. The remaining combined mileage (61 total) of protected and exclusive bike lanes will be among the most the City has ever installed in a year, with the pace of such installations nearly equaling the last three years of the City’s pre-Vision Zero output (2011-2013). By January 1, 2017 there will be nearly 1,100 miles in NYCs bike network, including over 400 protected miles.

Among the many notable protected or exclusive lane projects in 2016: 1) Bruckner Boulevard in the Bronx, from Hunts Point Avenue to Longwood Avenue (a Vision Zero priority corridor); 2) Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan from West 72nd Street to West 110th Street; 3) Queens Boulevard between 74th Street and Eliot Avenue (a Vision Zero priority corridor); 4) Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, between Sands and Fulton Streets (within a Vision Zero priority area) and 5) Rockland/Travis/Nome Avenues (primarily exclusive), connecting the New Springville Greenway and La Tourette Park Greenway in Staten Island (within a Vision Zero priority area). A full and regularly updated list of 2016 protected lane projects can be found here.

DOT’s efforts to add more protected lane miles to the network reflects the increasing citywide interest in cycling – and the demand for more and higher quality infrastructure. DOT’s Cycling in the City report, issued in May, found that on a typical day, over 400,000 bike lane trips are made in New York City, with roughly three-quarters of a million people cycling on a regular basis. Between 2010 and 2014, New York City experienced a 68 percent growth in daily cycling, underscoring the need for continued investment in bike infrastructure across the five boroughs.

“New York City continues to invest in infrastructure to make biking safer and more accessible for New Yorkers,” said Daniel Zarrilli, Chief Resilience Officer and Senior Director of Climate Policy and Programs for the City of New York. “Today’s announcement and DOT's commitment to expanding protected bike lanes as part of their new Strategic Plan supports our OneNYC goals to expand sustainable transportation ‎options and reduce greenhouse gases 80 percent by 2050.”

"The DOT continues to move forward, making cycling a more attractive option for New Yorkers each day," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Committee on Transportation. "We must do everything we can to better protect these vulnerable commuters and the expansion of fully protected bike lanes is the best way to do it. I'm glad to see this effort moving forward and hope we can be even more ambitious next year!"

"Biking is healthy, it eases traffic, and now it's safer than ever with 75 miles of new bike lanes in New York City. I applaud Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Transportation for exceeding projections this year and continuing to pave the path laid last year towards making biking accessible for all New Yorkers. As a biker who enjoys traveling to and from City Hall along the Hudson River Greenway, I am excited at the thought of new routes to explore and enjoy," said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

"Protected bike lanes make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers to share the road by providing each with a safe space to travel. As our protected bike lanes expand, bike ridership increases as cyclists discover they can commute further, more quickly and safely, alleviating congestion on roads and public transportation," said Council Member Ben Kallos. "Thank you to Mayor de Blasio for his commitment to Vision Zero, Commissioner Trottenberg for her leadership, as well as Community Boards 6, 8 and 11 along with countless residents who have come out over the past years to ensure that CitiBike stations and bike lanes are placed in the best possible locations to benefit our neighborhoods."

“Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg have made biking in NYC a safer, more affordable, and better transit option than ever before,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “The bike lanes that have been installed across NYC keep bikers safe, and are an important part of achieving our Vision Zero goals. We’re continuing to make improvements so bikers on our streets can get around free from harm. On top of major infrastructure improvements, the expansion of Citi Bike has created a fantastic new transportation resource all over the city. It’s been widely-used in my district since the moment the docks went up. I look forward to bringing Citi Bike to even more New Yorkers next year. Thanks to the strong leadership we have, this is truly a proud moment for bicyclers all across NYC.”

“As an avid cyclist who commutes to and from work as often as I can, I wholeheartedly support this unprecedented expansion of protected bike lanes and exclusive lanes,” said Council Member Carlos Menchaca. “In my very own community of Red Hook, we recently saw the expansion of Citi Bike, while in Sunset Park, we are looking to create the Fourth Avenue protected bike lane that has been demanded and advocated for by community members. I applaud the DOT and the Administration on these remarkable efforts and call on New Yorkers to continue advocating for expanded bike networks with me.”  

"I want to thank Mayor de Blasio and DOT for all their hard work to encourage cycling and ensure safety for cyclists,” said Council Member Antonio Reynoso. “Safety should always be our first priority, and I am confident that these projects will benefit not only cyclists, but pedestrians and drivers as well. I look forward to continuing to work with DOT to expand the bike network in my district and beyond."

"As New York City continues to become more bike-friendly, I'm particularly excited about the many new protected bike lanes, including the one on Amsterdam Avenue on the Upper West Side. I look forward to seeing this safe model implemented around the City as quickly as possible," said Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

“On behalf of the 17,000 students who take Bike New York’s classes every year, from beginner cyclists to aspiring commuters, we’re thrilled that Mayor Bill de Blasio, Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, and their teams have shown a commitment to the safety of all New Yorkers by expanding the city’s bike lane network,” said Ken Podziba, President and CEO of Bike New York. “Bike lanes have been proven time and time again to increase safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers alike, while encouraging a sustainable means of transportation—thereby making New York City a healthier and safer place for everyone.”

"In order to reach our ambitious greenhouse gas reduction and air quality goals set forth in OneNYC, we need to encourage low-carbon modes of transportation like cycling. Protected and exclusive bike lanes are one of the best ways to get more people on bicycles so we're thrilled to see DOT and Mayor de Blasio's record expansion of New York City's bike network. Thanks to Vision Zero, CitiBike and our increasingly interconnected bike lanes, there's never been a better time to make the greener choice and ride a bike," said Marcia Bystryn, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters

"The city continues to fulfill the promises laid out in its OneNYC resilience strategy by promoting a transportation option that can reduce traffic, make people healthier, increase economic opportunity and reduce inequity,” said Michael Berkowtiz, President of 100 Resilient Cities. “Providing diverse and robust transportation options is a hallmark of resilience building, and with this announcement New York is paving the way towards a happy, healthier, stronger city.”

"Bike lanes and Citi Bike go together like a bagel and a schmear. Our riders tell us they want safe, well-maintained bike infrastructure so they can feel comfortable riding in neighborhoods from Harlem to Red Hook and everywhere in between," said Jay Walder, President & CEO of Motivate, operators of the Citi Bike program. "We commend the NYCDOT on their continued efforts to build more bike lanes, and especially protected lanes, the lox on top."

A significant part of the ever-growing embrace of biking in New York has been the monumental success of Citi Bike since its debut in May 2013. In just over three years, over 32 million Citi Bike rides have been taken – without a single fatality. Motivate, Citi Bike's operator is currently installing new stations in Brooklyn and last week set new daily ridership records with more than 60,000 riders in a single day. The system has already seen nine million rides in 2016, and in the next month expects to exceed the annual record of 10 million rides it achieved last year.

In 2016, as part of Vision Zero, DOT is implementing its most aggressive street redesign safety program, a $115 million increased investment in street redesign and traffic-calming measures citywide. DOT has also improved the safety at a record number of dangerous intersections and thoroughfares and is installing a record number of leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) to give pedestrians a head start while crossing the street.

In 2016 the NYPD launched the Bicycle Safe Passage Initiative, which seeks to deter lawbreaking by motorists which endangers bicyclists. These initiatives have resulted in over 5,314 violations issued to motorists who park in bike lanes, 2,366 violations to speeding motorists, and 1,850 violations to motorists who do not yield to bicyclists or pedestrians.

For more information about the de Blasio Administration’s Vision Zero initiative, please see www.nyc.gov/visionzero