This Sunday! Don't Miss It!

NYC Century Bike Tour
15, 35, 55, 75 and 100 mile routes
Sept. 7, 2003
NYCcentury.org 

Forecast is Sunny, 0% chance of rain, High of 80°, Low of 62°

Register online today and save $10 off day-of-event rates. Pre-registration discounts end at 11:59 pm, Friday, September 5th.

Experience the world’s greatest city! Ride the 14th Annual NYC Century Bike Tour on September 7, 2003. 

Featuring a selection of distances (15, 35, 55, 75 or 100 miles) and magnificent views of New York's bridges, neighborhoods and parks.

NYCcentury.org

Volunteer at the NYC Century Bike Tour!

Help out at one of our five fabulous rest stops: Prospect Park, Canarsie Pier, Alley Pond Park, Astoria Park and Van Cortlandt Park. For more information or to confirm your attendance, please call Annie at 212-629-8080 or e-mail info@transalt.org.

Come to the Volunteer Mailing Party, Wednesday, September 24th at 6 pm at the T.A. Office (115 West 30th, #1207)! Free beer, soda, snacks and scintillating conversation. 

9/3 Speeders should get time in jail, Daily News

9/2 No scootin'? Darn tootin'! Motorized rides popular, but illegal, Daily News

8/25 A path of least resistance: Manhattan Bridge bikers, walkers seek safer merge, Daily News

8/20 No ferry tale ending: Low turnout cuts L.I.C.-to-
Manhattan route, Daily News

8/19 NY1 For You: Getting Cyclists Off The Sidewalks, NY1

8/13 344M may aid Gowanus despite its road to ruin,  Daily News

8/10 In Brooklyn, Gridlock About Gridlock Spells Anger, The New York Times

8/10 City's got light stuff, Daily News

8/8 Segway 'Outlaws' Roll On, New York Sun

8/7 Daisy Chain Is Almost Done: 40-mile bicycle trail will link Coney Island, Fort Totten, Newsday

8/7 Hills & Gardens: Car Alarms, Brooklyn Heights Press & Cobble Hill News

8/3 Fighting Words on a Bike Path: 'Go Slow', The New York Times

More Quotes...

Graphic Designers

Transportation Alternatives is seeking designers for a number of brochures and newsletters. Projects include making a template for a simple, double-sided b/w newsletter; designing a folded 8½” x 14” brochure with color cover; and designing other flyers and forms. Each of these publications will reach a wide audience ranging from 5,000 to 10,000 people. To apply, please send resume, cover letter, payment expectation and samples (or a link to samples) of your work to Annie Hart at info@transalt.org.

Time on your hands? Eager to make a difference? T.A. needs folks who are retired, work part-time or between jobs to help our top-notch advocacy staff make the city a better place for bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders.
Call 212-629-8080 or e-mail info@transalt.org.

Valet Bike Parking Volunteers Needed

Volunteer to provide valet bike parking at events throughout the year. Register online to express your interest in this opportunity.

T.A. still has two open internships: 

- Advocacy (work with T.A. program staff)
- Bicycle Advocacy

Please visit transalt.org/intern for more information.

Donations Wish List

Help cycling and walking and get a tax deduction. Donate to T.A. We need:

-Pentium II or better PCs
-Laptop computer (P 100+)
-Digital Camera
-Good chairs for conf. table or desks
-Computer Projector

Contact Matt: info@transalt.org

Do Your Part for Safer Streets!  Report:

Potholes and Hazards:
212-CALLDOT (hit 0 to speak with a human) or report them online at transalt.org/
hazard  

Sidewalk obstructions: Mayor’s Quality of Life Hotline at 888-677-LIFE/
5433

Read more about T.A.'s work to reduce street hazards at transalt.org/haz

Report Dangerous Cabs: 212-221-TAXI or report them online.

Read more about T.A.'s work to make cabs safer for pedestrians and cyclists at transalt.org/cabs

The T.A. Bulletin is a bi-weekly publication of Transportation Alternatives. The Bulletin has 24,000 subscribers.

Transportation Alternatives is a 5,000-member NYC-area non-profit citizens group working for better bicycling, walking and public transit, and fewer cars. We work for safer, calmer neighborhood streets and car-free parks. Join T.A. today!

September 4, 2003

Users of Manhattan Bridge Path Say Brooklyn Side Stinks 

As part of T.A.'s ongoing campaign to improve bicycle and pedestrian access to the East River bridges, on August 13, we released the results from our "Manhattan Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Survey." The study was featured in the August 25th edition of the Daily News.

Detail of DOT’s 1996 sign plan

T.A.'s current East River bridge advocacy is focused on the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge, because the Jay Street path entrance is the most dangerous and difficult of the eight path entrances. In the last six months, concerned cyclists and pedestrians have sent NYC Department of Transportation Commissioner Iris Weinshall 2,000 faxes asking the DOT to make the entrance safer by implementing its own 1996 signage and signal plan. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Councilmember David Yassky and State Senator Martin Connor have also written Weinshall asking her to make the entrance safer. However, at a June meeting, DOT officials told T.A. that the agency would not install a stop sign or crosswalk at the entrance because it might delay traffic. Instead, the DOT wants path users to take a quarter-mile detour to the entrance.

Manhattan Bridge Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Survey Findings:

• 1 in 20 path users have crashed as a result of motorist-bicyclist conflict on the Brooklyn side of the bridge.
• 53% of path users have had a "close call" with a motorist on the Brooklyn side of the bridge; 22% have had a "close call" on the Manhattan side.
• 80% of pedestrians and bicyclists use Jay Street to get to the Brooklyn side of the bridge path. None use the DOT's signed detour.

To improve safety, the DOT should implement its own sign plan. It calls for installing stop and pedestrian signs and a crosswalk where the Manhattan Bridge off-ramp merges with Jay Street, precisely where most pedestrians and bicyclists access the bridge path.

Read more about T.A.'s work on the Manhattan Bridge.

Business and Community Blast DOT Plans to Barricade Midtown Sidewalk

Despite substantial protest from local businesses, residents and elected officials, the Department of Transportation says it will barricade the sidewalks at 36th Street and 9th Avenue to improve pedestrian safety. 

The DOT’s announcement at an August 20th meeting of Community Board 4 outraged community leaders, who blasted the DOT for non-existent planning and arbitrary decision making. The agency was also taken to task for failing to document the extent of the pedestrian safety problem or seeking other, pro-pedestrian solutions. 

In an August 19th letter, T.A. urged the DOT and Port Authority not to barricade the sidewalk and suggested that "the goal should be to improve pedestrian access and safety in the Lincoln Tunnel area, not restrict it. The agencies should conduct a pedestrian safety and access study encompassing the areas around all of the entrances and exits to the Lincoln Tunnel. The goal of this proposed study is to comprehensively assess the pedestrian problems around the tunnel and to develop traffic engineering and enforcement solutions for those problems."

Please send an automatic fax telling the Manhattan Borough President to continue her opposition to the installation of more pedestrian barricades: 

George Washington Bridge Painting Opens North Path, Closes South Until Late September

George Washington Bridge painting will last until late 2005 or early 2006. Until then cyclists and pedestrians will continue to primarily use the south pathway of the bridge, though temporary closings, like this fall’s, require path users to detour to the north side. 

Read more about the George Washington Bridge, including T.A.'s proposal for a connector path to Palisades Interstate Park.

Congress Threatens Bike/Ped Funding 
Big Vote Sept. 4 

Some readers may have recently received alerts from national cycling organizations asking them to write and tell their elected officials to protect Federal Transportation Enhancement funding. The program was expected to receive $600 million in 2004, less than 2% of the $33.3 billion in federal transportation funding. www.americabikes.org/saveenhancements.asp

"Enhancements" are an important source of funding for bike/ped funding, and are under attack from Congressional Republicans led by Texas Representative Tom DeLay. He would like to see Enhancement dollars freed up for highway building. All of New York City’s 14 congresspersons support keeping Enhancement funding, as do the mayor and governor.

Read more about bicycle/pedestrian transportation funding and highways.

AAA Disassociates from Highway Lobby 

The national American Automobile Association has left the American Highway Users Alliance (AHUA). AHUA, which works against public transit and funding for bicycle and walking on a national level, boasts the big three automakers, highway builders and oil companies as members. Some regional AAAs continue as members of AHUA, though not the New York and New Jersey chapters, which have never been part of it. Some observers believe AAA left because of criticism from the Better World Club, a new motoring service which has actively publicized AAA's aggressive political advocacy. Read more at www.newdream.org/sbs/sbs28state.html.

London Businesses Still Back Congestion Charging 

According to an independent survey of 500 London businesses conducted for the business group London First, London businesses support congestion pricing: 49% said that they believe congestion charging is working, 35% remain undecided and 16% think it is not. Almost three-quarters of companies--71%--say that congestion charging has had no discernible impact on their bottom line. Nine percent say that it has had a very positive impact and nine percent a very negative impact upon their business. 

London businesses' general acceptance of congestion charging is underlined by the fact that only 2% of companies say that they would consider relocating to a site outside the zone as a result of congestion charging.

On February 17, London Mayor Ken Livingstone began charging $8 to motorists entering the center city using high-tech computerized cameras that recognize license plates. The pricing has vastly sped up bus service and reduced traffic by 40%.

www.london-first.co.uk/improving_london/
newsreleasedetail.asp?L2=123&NewsReleaseId
=2093 

Read T.A.'s press release, issued jointly with the Straphangers Campaign: London Businesses Still Back Congestion Charging, September 4, 2003.

Council Calls for Police Crackdown on Errant Trucks

City Council is calling on the police department to take advantage of tough new penalties for truckers straying from truck routes. The Council wants the police department to authorize more civilian enforcement agents to ticket trucks. Currently, only 84 of the 1,800 enforcement agents can ticket truckers for driving off designed truck routes. The Council has funded 300 new enforcement officers and wants half authorized to ticket wayward trucks.

Read more about trucks.

Motor Vehicles Cause 54% of NYC Air Pollution 

A recent report by the Surface Transportation Policy Project shows that New York City had 69 days of unhealthy air quality between 2000 and 2002 and unhealthy air days have increased 19% over the past 10 years. Transportation sources are responsible for 53.9% of the measured pollutants in NYC, compared to 57% in Los Angeles. In 1999, motor vehicles released 1,265,905 tons of pollutants into the air of New York City.

According to the report, Clearing the Air, Public Health Threats from Cars and Heavy Duty Vehicles--Why We Need to Protect Federal Clean Air Laws, nearly half of all Americans are breathing unhealthy air, and air quality in dozens of metropolitan areas has actually gotten worse. The study names transportation as a major contributor to air pollution nationwide, and calls on Congress to protect and strengthen clean air laws and funding. Lawmakers will soon vote on legislation that could undermine clean air protections and slash funding for transportation alternatives that reduce traffic and air pollution including rail, buses and bikeways.
http://www.transact.org/report.asp?id=227 

Read more about clean air issues.

Letters

A small sampling of the e-mail T.A. receives

Bicycle Parking at Subway Stations

Hello! As a long time bicyclist and frequent subway traveler, I have always wondered why the enormous amount of space inside the Seventh Avenue station in Park Slope has not been utilized in a bike-friendly way. It seems to me that at least some of that space could be used as a bike "parking lot" with meters so folks could leave their bikes in the am and pick them up at night. I have often found myself wishing I could leave my bike in a secure place and just hop on the train, pick my bike up later, and maybe hop back on train and go somewhere else. Now, if I lock my bike up outside the station and decide to go somewhere else, I need to exit the station, get my bike, pay another fare and get on the train. (I have yet to actually do this). Anyway, I just hate to see all that great space go to waste. Any ideas about suggesting this? 

Sincerely, 
Anne P.

T.A. Response: We’ve had our eye on the space in subway stations for some time. T.A. worked for a number of years with Transit Authority planners to get bike parking installed next to the token booth at the Bedford Avenue stop of the L train: www.transalt.org/press/magazine/991JanFeb/
04bedford.html . But after much discussion, station managers at the Transit Authority adamantly rejected the idea, saying they need the space next to booths and elsewhere in the subways to help pedestrians evacuate during a fire or other major emergency. This said, there is a bike rack is in the subway station under Transit Authority headquarters on Jay Street in Brooklyn.

Bicycling the Wrong Way in Bike Lanes 

Give us a break. Biking the wrong way is a non-issue. I take 2nd Ave up from Houston to 6th. Cars get in the lane and can cause trouble, but find me a safer route to my house and I'll take it. Cycling should be allowed both directions on avenue bike lanes. Or put bike lanes on every avenue. Until then cyclists should pay close attention to one another and not get on each others back about which way someone is headed. No matter which direction we travel, we should just be happy to not be in a car and remember pedestrians have the right of way. I am not into righteous cyclists that feel the need to subject other cyclists concerning arbitrary rules. Now talking on a cell phone going the wrong way is another story. 26% wrong-way travel is fine with me. I'm lucky if I see 5 bikes to and from each day. NO BIG DEAL.

Eric

T.A. Response: In the eyes of many cyclists, the general public, elected officials, community boards and police, biking the wrong way, along with riding on sidewalks and not yielding to pedestrians, is a major issue; it is also more dangerous than bicycling with traffic and puts other bicyclists and pedestrians in danger. Riding with traffic is not an "arbitrary rule." It's the law. Please see NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law Article 34, Section 1231, which states that bicyclists must follow the same rules and regulations as motorists.

There are two reasons to ride with traffic: 1) your safety and the safety of other bicyclists and 2) respect from pedestrians, motorists and the general public.

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, "Bicycling against traffic is a leading cause of bicycle accidents" (www.dot.state.ny.us/pubtrans/share.html). Riding with traffic makes bicyclists more visible and their movements more predictable to motorists. Riding with traffic not only reduces your risk of crashing but will also reduce the severity of your injury if you do crash.

If the general public, elected officials and community boards see cyclists as dangerous lawbreakers, then they will not respect us and not support bicycle improvements, like more and safer bike lanes. In order to win proposed bicycling improvements, the public and their representatives must support them. Bicyclists should do their best to garner the respect of the public. It is no easy feat.

In some cases, such as near bridges, it is necessary to ride against traffic for a block or two. And, because of community support the City has installed "contra-flow" bike lanes--physically separated lanes that allow cyclists to safely ride against traffic. Two examples are the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path and along the FDR service road near Waterside Plaza, as part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.

Locking to a Public Sign

Can a security guard legally prevent me from locking my bike to a public sign in front of the building I work in? Please respond quickly. He has told me that he will have the police remove it this morning. 

Glenn F.

T.A. Response: Signposts, lampposts and sidewalks are the property of New York City, so you can lock your bicycle to any of those objects. You cannot lock your bicycle to a fire hydrant or lock it to a sign or lamppost in such a way that it blocks a sidewalk curb-cut because it would be a public safety hazard. Likewise, it is advisable not to lock your bike to a sign so that it blocks pedestrian flow on a sidewalk (this is more of a courtesy, but bikes blocking sidewalks is a major complaint in some neighborhoods).

Fences, awning posts and lampposts on private property are private property (they usually belong to a building). Likewise, lamp and signposts in business improvement districts (BIDs) often have signs that specifically say, "Do not lock bicycles to post." BIDs can do this because these lamp and sign posts are their property, not the City's. Fortunately, most BIDs also provide bike racks as an alternative to locking your bike to their lamp or sign posts.

Building owners and managers cannot clip bikes that are locked to City signs and lampposts. It they do, call the cops, say your bike was stolen and tell the cops you know who did it.

Building owners and managers can clip bikes that are locked to fences and awnings, but unless there is a sign that says "don't lock your bike here," then they have no legal grounds to do so. If there is no sign and a building clips a bike, then report a bike theft to the local police precinct.

Bicycle Vandalism at Hoboken Ferry Terminal 

I had the parts of bike stolen that weren't locked up and some of the cables cut while parked outside the Hoboken Ferry terminal tonight and would like to know if you can recommend who I can write/complain to. I had wheels stolen off the same bike in the spring from the same spot and reported it to the police, but I'm not sure if they are in a position to make the bike racks safer, or an attractive alternative to driving into Hoboken. Thanks for your help.

Jack L.

T.A. Response: Sorry to hear about your stolen bike parts. NJ Transit owns the Hoboken Ferry Terminal and leases it to the Port Authority of NY/NJ. We suggest writing to both agencies and asking that they add bike lockers or other secure bike parking to the terminal, which is undergoing a massive renovation.

Joseph Seymour 
ATTN: Hoboken Ferry Terminal
Executive Director, Port Authority of New York/New Jersey 
260 Kellogg Street Port 
Newark, NJ 07114 

George Warrington 
Executive Director, NJ Transit 
NJ TRANSIT Headquarters 
1 Penn Plaza East 
Newark NJ 07105

Please cc T.A. on your letter: 
115 West 30th Street, Suite 1207
New York, NY  10001
or
info@transalt.org 

The two agencies are putting a combined $125 million into renovating the ferry terminal (you probably know this since you go there every day). This is a great opportunity to push them to build secure bike parking. NJ Transit provides bike lockers at many of its train stations, and the Port Authority is a relatively bicycle-friendly agency.

Here's a good article on the terminal's renovation: www.wirednewyork.com/forum/topic.cgi?
forum=6&topic=46 

Parking Inside Office Buildings

After being forced to walk home all the way to Queens from Manhattan, I want to take my bike to work. Bikes aren't allowed up on elevators in many office buildings. Can we get a campaign going to change this or have you tried? I'd rather have my bike when the inevitable next emergency/black out/terrorist attack arrives.

P. D.

T.A. Response: Our Web site has some pointers for encouraging your landlord to provide indoor bike parking.

For general information see: www.transalt.org/campaigns/bike/indoor.html. 

Our guide to creating indoor bike parking can be downloaded at www.transalt.org/features/bikeparking.html. 

The best way to win bike access to your work place is to draft a letter from the head of your company to the building management stating that there are a number of employees in the office that would like to ride to work and, that as a tenant, your company has no problem with the bicycles being stored in a safe and out of the way part of your office. State that bicycles do not pose a safety threat to other tenants, are not combustible, are not fire hazards, do not affect liability or insurance, and do not cause excessive wear and tear on the building. In fact, bicycle access is a level of service that NYC tenants expect from their buildings. Keep it positive.

In 1999, then Councilmember, now Bronx Borough President, Adolfo Carrión, introduced legislation that defined bicycles as freight and would thus mandate all buildings to allow bicycles on their freight elevators. That bill died in committee due to opposition from real estate interests.

More recently, Councilmember David Yassky introduced similar legislation. See: www.transalt.org/press/magazine/032Spring/
17building2.html 

T.A. is also working with the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services to allow City employees who work in City-owned buildings to bring their bicycles inside. This follows the logic that the City should lead by example. See:
www.transalt.org/press/magazine/032Spring/
17building.html 

www.transalt.org/press/askta/030414.html#p2

www.transalt.org/press/magazine/024Fall/
05fivethingsforbikes.html#p 

We're also working with the Department of City Planning to include indoor bike parking in zoning regulations. See:
www.transalt.org/press/magazine/032Spring/
16indoor.html 

Join T.A. today to start receiving Transportation Alternatives Magazine, our members-only in-depth quarterly magazine—
just one of the many personal benefits of T.A. membership!

Request a sample copy!

City Provides Guarded Bike Parking

NYC Bike Rack Program Lagging

DOT to T.A.: No Safety Improvements for Manhattan Bridge  

Bridge Bumps Need to Go!  

DOT Wants to Color in Curbside Bike Lanes  

Needed: Direction Arrows for Bike Lanes  

NYPD Keeps Hudson Greenway Open During Fleet Week  

T.A. Sues State DOT To Remove Greenway Stop Signs

Support Grows in NJ for GW Bridge to "River Road" Connector Path

TAKE THE TOUR!
NYC Century Bike Tour

MAD AS HELL?  DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Call the Mayor's Quality of Life Action Line (real people 24 hrs a day): 888-677-5433 or 888-677-LIFE.

POTHOLES, STREET HAZARDS GOT YOU IN A RUT?

Call DOT at 212-225-5368 and hit 0 to skip the message and speak with a human. You can also report them online at transalt.org/
hazard.

STAY SMART & INFORMED

Savvy transit riders get their lowdown on the subways here:

straphangers
.org
The ultimate source for bus and subway service changes, rider comments and complaints that produce action. Help yourself and T.A.’s favorite transit advocates. Check it out.

Sensible Transport Junkies:

Subscribe to the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s e-weekly, Mobilizing the Region.  tstc.org

The daily Gotham Gazette

Bikes in Bogota? Car-Free Cartagena? Tel-Aviv by Train?

Go global at itdp.org!

Give on-line at transalt.org/join 

Check our maps page for links to NYC-area bicycle and transit maps.

RIDES AND WALKS

Friday, September 5, 6 pm. Prospect Park Traffic Calming Ride. Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn. Time's Up!

Friday, September 5, 10 pm. Central Park Moonlight Ride. Columbus Circle. Time's Up!

Saturday, September 6, 8:15 am. Staten Island Hill Ride. South Ferry in Manhattan, main entrance. 5BBC.

Saturday, September 6, 8:45 am. Heckscher State Park--Great South Bay. Great River RR station. Shorewalkers.

Saturday, September 6, 9:30 am. Greenway Inspection. HI-AYH Hostel (103rd St & Amsterdam Ave). 5BBC.

Sunday, September 7, 6-8 am starting times. New York City Century Bike Tour. Central Park Loop at Adam C. Powell Boulevard. Transportation Alternatives.

Sunday, September 7, 8:30 am. The Great Swamp! Special K Part One. PATH train entrance at Sixth Ave and W. 33rd Street, Manhattan. 5BBC.

Sunday, September 7, 9:06 am. Scenic Fire Island Tour. Penn Station, 9:06 am train to Sayville. Shorewalkers.

Sunday, September 7, 10 am. Liberty Park Hike. Grove Street Path Station. Shorewalkers.

Tuesday, September 9, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

Thursday, September 11, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

Friday, September 12th – Sunday, September 14th. Face of America 2003 A three-day cycling ride starting from Lower Manhattan and concluding in Washington, DC on the second anniversary of 9/11. worldteamsports
.org.

Saturday, September 13, 10 pm. History, Mystery, Murder & Money Tour. Manhattan entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge (southwest corner of Chambers and Centre Street/Park Row). Time's Up!

Sunday, September 14, 8 am and 8:30 am. Ice Cream in Pawling, NY. Boathouse in Central Park and Tarrytown Train Station. Fast & Fabulous.

Sunday, September 14, 9 am. Walk to Cure Diabetes. Van Cortlandt Park. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Sunday, September 14, 9 am. Walk to Cure Diabetes. Flushing Meadow/Corona Park. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Sunday, September 14, 9 am. Walk to Cure Diabetes. The College of Staten Island. Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International.

Sunday, September 14. MS Bike Tour NYC. National MS Society, NYC Chapter.

Tuesday, September 16, 10 am. TBA. Loeb Boathouse. The Weekday Cyclists in NYC.

More Rides and Walks...