Bicycle Blueprint - Current Ridership

Introduction

NYC Cycling
1. NYC Bike Policy

State of NYC Cycling
3. Cyclists & Streets
“A Bike and a Prayer”

Riding Infrastructure
4. Street Design
5. Bridges
6. Road Surfaces
7. Greenways
8. Parks
9. Bicycles and Transit
10. Reducing Traffic

Security
11. Bicycle Theft
12. On-Street Parking
13. Indoor Parking

On the Job Cycling
14. Bicycle Messengers
“Fifth, Park & Madison”
15. Freight Cycles
16. Gov't Cycling

Reducing Risks
17. Accidents
“Three Who Died”
18. Air Pollution

Bicycle Education
19. Schools
20. Public Education

Appendices

Chapter 2:
State of Cycling in New York City
a) State of Cycling in New York

Current Ridership
c) Would-Be Ridership
d) Public Perception of Cycling
e) Cyling's Untapped Potential
Table 2: Interest in Bike Commuting According to Trip Distance

Current Ridership

Nevertheless, an estimated 75,000 New Yorkers use bicycles for transportation on a typical day — fewer in bad weather, more in spring and summer (see Appendix B). Some cyclists are able to rely more or less completely on their bicycle for transportation; while this can take ingenuity, resilience and bravery, the rewards are great in terms of economy, mobility and independence. More adventurous cyclists also have access to utility or freight-hauling bikes and trailers, which further mitigate dependence on motorized transport.

Bicycle ridership grew significantly in the 1980s. The 11-day transit strike in 1980 induced thousands of New Yorkers to try bicycle transportation, and many of them have never looked back. According to the New York City DoT, daily cycling trips entering the Manhattan central business district (south of 60th Street) increased 30% from 1980 to 1985 and 60% from 1980 to 1990. [3] Bicycling here has also been spurred by frustration with auto congestion, by improvements in bicycle technology that make biking safer and more comfortable, and by an increased cultural emphasis on physical fitness and ecological awareness.

Approximately 5,000 of the daily cyclists are hired riders — bike messengers carrying parcels for rush delivery, or delivery cyclists with carry-out food or store purchases. [4] The remaining 70,000 bicyclists are “bicycle commuters” or “utilitarian” riders, cycling between home, work, school and/or errands. This group cuts across all barriers of race, socioeconomics and age.

Much of New York City's bicycle traffic is concentrated in Manhattan, especially south of 60th Street. A survey conducted by Transportation Alternatives in May 1992 of 8,000 vehicles in motion on midtown Manhattan avenues during midday found that 9.0% were bicycles. Similar surveys in May 1990, June 1989 and April 1988 indicated that 9.6%, 8.0% and 8.3%, respectively, of vehicles were bicycles. In all four surveys, bicycle volumes on midtown Manhattan avenues typically averaged between 125 and 200 per hour (see Appendix B).

NOTES:

3. New York City Bicycle Statistics, NYC Dept. of Transportation, annual, show the following daily cycling volumes entering the Manhattan Central Business District by crossing the 60th Street “screenline,” entering via the East River bridges, or debarking from the Staten Island Ferry: 1980, 6,829; 1985, 8,310; 1990, 10,930. See Chapter 1 for comment indicating that DoT screenline volumes undercount actual cycling levels.
4. The Mar/Apr 1991 City Cyclist and the March 19, 1991 New York Times both noted the shrinkage in the bicycle messenger industry resulting from the recession and the spread of telefax communication. However, the Times account cited no statistics and appeared to overstate the extent of the decline.

a) State of Cycling in New York

Current Ridership
c) Would-Be Ridership
d) Public Perception of Cycling
e) Cyling's Untapped Potential
Table 2: Interest in Bike Commuting According to Trip Distance