A new report, Improving Outdoor Bike Parking and Policy in New York City, released by Transportation Alternatives highlights the need for the City of New York to install more outdoor bike racks, affirm New Yorkers’ right to lock their bicycles to public street signposts, lampposts and other public street fixtures and institute rational citywide policies on identifying, tagging, removing and, if need be, returning abandoned bicycles.

The full report is available at www.transalt.org/campaigns/bike/outdoor.html.

Fortunately, bicycle use is growing in New York City. Based on NYC DOT bike counts, Transportation Alternatives estimates that the number of people who ride a bike in New York City on an average weekday increased from 103,000 in 1996 to 112,000 in 2004, a 10% increase. Unfortunately, outdoor bicycle parking is not keeping pace with the increasing number of New Yorkers who bike. Since 1996, the NYC Department of Transportation’s CITYRACKS program has installed only 3,400 bike racks, and there is little indoor bike parking for buildings tenants.

By comparison, Chicago, population 3,000,000, boasting 42,000 daily bikers and claim to the most bike-friendly big city in the U.S., has 10,000 City-installed bike racks—one rack for every four cyclists. By this measure, New York City needs an immediate infusion of 28,000 bike racks. It took the City of New York eight years to install 3,400 racks, and at that rate, it'll take the City seventy years to install another 28,000.

Until the City installs 28,000 more racks, it must affirm New Yorker’s right to lock their bicycles to public street fixtures. With only one bicycle rack for every thirty-three bicycle riders, New Yorkers must use other objects to secure their bicycles, such as street signposts, lampposts, parking meters, fences, and, unfortunately, trees. There is no City or State law that prohibits or affirms people’s right to lock their bicycles to public street fixtures. According to New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law one may not alter, knock down, cover, remove, or interfere with the operation of public traffic signals and signs and other street fixtures. It is against New York City law to lock a bicycle to a tree because the bicycle and lock could harm and potentially kill the tree; people should never lock bikes to trees.

A bicycle resting on the sidewalk, locked to a traffic signal pole or signpost, lamppost, parking meter, bus stop poles and other public street fixtures does not interfere with the operation of these things and, thus is not against the law. Locking to non-bike rack fixtures is not ideal, but due to the lack of City-installed racks, it is often the only viable option.

The report also found that no City or State agency has a specific policy and procedure to manage the identification, tagging, removal and, if needed, return of abandoned bicycles. Based on anecdotal reports, each year government agencies unlawfully remove dozens of bicycles from public appurtenances. This occurs without warning or clear methods for owners to reclaim their bicycles.

This lack of policy causes agency confusion over how to respond to public complaints regarding parked bicycles blocking the sidewalk and causing dangerous conditions and what to do with abandoned bicycles. The lack of policy results in city agencies acting on an ad hoc basis, cutting bike locks and, essentially, stealing people’s bicycles. This is wrong. The City needs a straightforward outdoor bike parking policy to end the confusion. View this press release in PDF format