Getting around just got a little easier for Brooklyn's cyclists.
On Thursday, legislation passed in the City Council requiring the New York City Department of Transportation to create a searchable map of every bike lane across the city, further solidifying the city’s commitment to its growing population of cyclists.
The bill, Introduction 289, was introduced by City Council Member Carlina Rivera, who held a rally at City Hall to support the bill on Aug. 3. The map will include information on obstructions, Open Streets locations, bicycle parking infrastructure and information on how to report bicycle lane issues.
“New York City’s bike network is a transportation system like any other and cyclists deserve access to real-time information that prevents a morning commute from becoming a treacherous journey,” said Rivera at the rally, where she was joined by Brooklyn Council Members Lincoln Restler, Alexa Aviles and Shahana Hanif.
“Bicycling is taking off in New York City; we need to do more to make it safe,” said Restler. “This legislation will make it safer for every single person who relies on a bicycle to get around.”
The popularity of cycling in the city continues to grow, with a 104% increase in daily cycling between 2011 and 2021, and a 20% increase in daily cycling between 2016 and 2021, and there are more than 550,000 daily cycling trips in New York City, according to the DOT.
Biking advocates from local groups like Transportation Alternatives and Bike NYC also spoke at Thursday’s rally, emphasizing the importance of safe biking in communities of color.
“We’re trying to help people understand that cycling is for everyone,” said Shawn Garcia, a Transportation Alternatives organizer. “We want a city where everyone can bike, everyone can enjoy [biking], regardless of your zip code.”
Advocates noted the importance of bike safety for the city’s thousands of delivery drivers. April Herms, deputy director of the Brooklyn-based Workers Justice Project, spoke at the event, saying the map will “Empower delivery workers with the information they need to navigate the city’s streets and bike lanes safely."
From January 2023 to July 2023, eight bike riders were killed in traffic collisions in Brooklyn, according to CrashMapper.org. In 2022, two bike riders were killed in roadway crashes from January to July.
“Traffic fatalities and injuries are still too common, despite efforts by government and communities to make streets safer. Given record fatalities in the first and second quarters of this year, we must dramatically speed up street redesigns and use all of the tools at our disposal,” said Rivera.
“If the MTA can issue service alerts and updates due to construction on the train tracks, why should our bike infrastructure be any different?” said Aviles.
It is not yet clear when the map will be released.
