Cycling News

More Garage Bike Parking on the Way

T.A. has negotiated agreements with two local parking garage companies to provide bicycle parking in up to six new indoor garages. By the spring riding season, bike commuters can expect more spots in midtown, the Upper East Side, and the Wall Street area. Look in upcoming issues for an updated bike parking guide.

In-Line Skaters Join Cyclists and Cars as Vehicles

You may not have noticed, but on January 1, in-line skaters officially became vehicles. A bill, signed by Governor George Pataki in December, amended the state Vehicle and Traffic Law to include inline skaters. Under the amended code, skaters "...shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle.,.."

While skaters now enjoy the same rights to the road, as do motor vehicles, they can also be given a ticket for running a red light. The law also requires skaters under the age of 14 to wear approved helmets, as must young cyclists. A separate NYC bill, now before the City Council, would prohibit sidewalk skating in the five boroughs. Sidewalk cycling is already illegal for those over 14.

New Jersey Spotlight: Bayonne Bridge Reopens!

After being closed for nearly two years, the Bayonne Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path will re-open in early January. The bridge path-linking Bayonne, NJ to Staten lsland-was closed in March, 1994 for repairs. It was supposed to re-open last year, but workers found extensive deterioration on the bridge, forcing the delay. T.A. has also learned that the Goethals Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path will remain closed indefinitely as the Port Authority rebuilds that ailing structure.

DOT Bike Program Entangled In Red Tape

While the brass at the NYC Department of Transportation have articulated an ambitious bicycling agenda, the Department's grand bicycle scheme is being swallowed whole by the redtape-spinning tarantula of New York government bureaucracy.

Federally-funded bicycle racks. Directional signs to NYC bridges. New bicycle lanes. Safe access to the Queensboro Bridge. A fully-staffed bicycle program. On all of these projects, the City and DOT have faltered in the face of bureaucratic obstacles. Even the simple act of drilling eight bolts of a bicycle rack into the sidewalk has become a colossal undertaking, subjected to a level of scrutiny normally reserved for large-scale construction.

Other big US cities have successfully pushed ambitious cycling projects through to completion. Is New York up to the challenge?

Cyclists have eagerly awaited sidewalk racks for nearly two years. T.A. has held up its end of the bargain with the City by writing the original proposal. shepherding the project through DOT, and selecting sites for placement of the racks, The City must honor its commitment to the cycling community and cut through the red ape. The proof is in the pudding. Enough studies have been done. Now the time to put racks on the street. Send in the enclosed action card.

Read the latest news about this issue.