AM New York: More cyclists hit city streets, with New Yorkers’ approval
Though drivers may hate them, bike lanes are a resounding hit with cyclists, whose ranks have swelled 14 percent on city streets since last year, the city announced Thursday.
The announcement coincided with a new Quinnipiac Poll finding that 59 percent of city voters give Gotham’s biking initiatives a thumbs-up.
The Bloomberg administration has encouraged residents to pedal around town by blazing nearly 400 miles of bike lanes since 2002. Some 18,000 residents did just that this spring, the Department of Transportation said.
“More and more New Yorkers are choosing to get around town by bicycle, and by creating more bike lanes, we’re giving New Yorkers the option to safely choose to bike,” Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
The poll found that more than 60 percent of Manhattan residents said the specialized lanes were good because they’re greener and healthier.
Staten Island was the only borough whose residents voiced disapproval with bike lanes, with more than half saying they cause traffic.
“Anyone can see that bike lanes are good for all New Yorkers,” said Paul Steely White of Transportation Alternatives. “Separate spaces for pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers keep everyone out of each other’s way and out of harm’s way.”
