Image credit: New York City Council.
On August 3, 2023, the City Council passed Int. 289-A, which requires the Department of Transportation to create a searchable map of the City’s bike lanes. The bill was sponsored by Council Member Carlina Rivera.
The map will show information about the different types of bike lanes and the location of open streets, bicycle parking infrastructure, and micromobility share stations. The map will also include details about obstructions due to street construction, repairs and maintenance, and where temporary bike lanes are located. There will also be information on how to report bike lane issues to 311.
The new law takes effect immediately. The city currently has over 1,375 miles of bike routes citywide, and continues to build out the city’s bicycle route network as micromobility use has continued to grow since the pandemic. Currently, the Department of Transportation offers a PDF map of the city’s bike lanes, but the map does not include any additional information about infrastructure or obstacles.
Council Member Carlina Rivera stated, “Daily biking rates over East River bridges have increased from under 5,000 trips a day in 2002 to over 24,000 a day in 2022. As more New Yorkers embrace cycling as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation City leadership must make the appropriate investments to support a seamless and safe bike lane network. Far too many bikers are put at risk unnecessarily each day, and we cannot continue to accept a status quo that prioritizes car drivers over everyone else. High-quality and comprehensive bike infrastructure, including online information on routes and detours, that protects cyclists from hazards is critical to improving public safety and quality of life for all New Yorkers.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)