The year 2007 may prove to be one of the most important years in the storied history of New York City's development. In a future timeline of urban advances, it might be printed in as big a font and as bold a type as 1811--when the grid system was adopted--or 1904--when the I.R.T. subway opened. The text adjacent to 2007 could say something like "the start of livable streets," or "the bike boom begins," or "congestion pricing kicks off." It may turn out that all of those descriptions may suit 2007. The real question is, in hindsight, will they?

A few business executives have dreamed up a private-sector solution to the problem of secure bicycle parking in New York: the city's first bikes-only parking lot. They have a space on West 33rd Street. All they need is a corporation willing to pay as much as $200,000 a year to sponsor it.

"We're really looking for a big number to build something quite spectacular," said Daniel A. Biederman, president of the 34th Street Partnership. "We want this to be the premier bike parking facility in the country."

New York City has the worst (or best) bike thieves in the country. The New York City Police Department reports six to eight thousand bicycles are stolen each year.

The actual number may be up to ten times that amount, because the vast majority of bike thefts go unreported. On average, only 2% of stolen bikes are recovered each year.

"This year’s Give Us More Space Please Award goes to cycling and pedestrian advocates Paul Steely White, executive director, and Noah Budnick, projects director, of Transportation Alternatives, for their work encouraging businesses to provide bike access to their buildings."

Amanda Burden
Chair, NYC Planning Commission
22 Reade Street
New York, NY 10007-1216
VIA FACSIMILE (212) 720-3219

Dear Ms. Burden,

Today, councilmember Adolfo Carrion Jr. introduced legislation to the New York City Council Housing and Buildings committee requiring commercial buildings to make reasonable efforts to provide access to safe storage areas for tenants with bicycles. The goal of the bill is to ensure tenants of commercial buildings may bring their bicycles on freight elevators or are provided with secure bicycle parking.

New York, NY--Transportation Alternatives-New York City's advocates for cycling, walking and sensible transportation-and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC)-the metropolitan planning organization for the New York City region-have released Bicycle Parking Solutions: A Resource for Installing Indoor Bicycle Parking, a step-by-step guide on how to create secure, indoor bike parking for residential and commercial tenants and lessees. This free publication is available through Transportation Alternatives and NYMTC-organizations committed to mobility,

Thursday, May 1st, 1pm, City Hall

On Thursday afternoon, New York City Council Member David Yassky (Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Vinegar Hill, DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill and Park Slope) will announce his recently introduced bill (Intro 458-2003) that would allow New Yorkers to bring bicycles inside the buildings where they live and work. Transportation Alternatives-NYC's advocates for cyclists, pedestrians and sensible transportation-will join Mr. Yassky.

New York City's Transportation Alternatives and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation have been selected as the first recipients of REI/Bicycle Friendly Communities Grants of $15,000 each. This new grant fund, administered by the Bikes Belong Foundation and made possible by generous support from Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI), helps aspiring, committed Bicycle Friendly Communities become great places to ride.