Sustainability In Business

Miles of Segregated Bicycle Lanes Will Be Paved by 2010

Published July 4, 2009 By New York Times
By Mede Sivrac

Miles of Segregated Bicycle Lanes Will Be Paved by 2010

NEW YORK — Officials from the Department of Transportation today opened the 9th Avenue bike lane, which now extends the entire length of Manhattan. The festivities were then moved to 2nd Avenue, where ground was broken on a similar path to extend the full length of the island.

Over the next two years, every other avenue will also receive a full bike lane, blocked off from traffic, while every fifth crosstown street will be opened exclusively to bicyclists and pedestrians beginning next month.

Mark Blair, a transit worker from Queens, was busy re-timing traffic lights for bicycle speed. “Riding your bike up or down the avenue, the traffic lights are going to change in sync,” explained Blair. “You ride 10-15 miles per hour, and you’ll be hitting all greens.”

“Now that our country is taking its rightful place among the world’s developed nations,” said Mayor Bloomberg, “it is time for our greatest city to take its place among the world’s great cities.”

Bloomberg recently visited Paris to examine its popular public bicycle rental program. Although he initially expressed doubts as to whether it could work, public pressure has helped convince him it can, and national legislation sealed the deal. (For more on the new transportation initiatives, also see “Crumbling Infrastructure Brings Opportunities” )

Blair, watching the dedication from a cherry picker above 9th Avenue commented, “From cesspool to world city, it’s just fantastic. I love this place.”

Read original article: http://www.nytimes-se.com/2009/07/04/new-york-bike-path-system-expanded-dramatically/