Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Release #09-22

DOT and T.A. kick off Bike Month, calling on New Yorkers to join friends and family for a bike ride

With hundreds of miles of new, world-class bike lanes and more than 200 eventsto attend, New Yorkers have more ways to celebrate Bike Month NYC 2009

With hundreds of miles of new, world-class bike lanes and more than 200 eventsto attend, New Yorkers have more ways to celebrate Bike Month NYC 2009

New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and Transportation Alternatives (T.A.) today announced that more than 200 organized rides, races and other events will take place throughout the five boroughs in May in honor of Bike Month NYC 2009, the 18th annual celebration of bicycling in New York City. Presented by DOT, T.A., the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Parks and Recreation, Bike Month NYC is a month-long celebration of the fun, convenience and ease of cycling for cyclists of all ages and abilities. Many of the wide-ranging activities are free and provide great opportunities to have fun with family members and friends on the City's expanding bike network-which has nearly doubled in the last three years alone, from 220 miles of on-street bike lanes to nearly 420.

"Bike Month is a great occasion for New Yorkers-whether out with friends or family or on their own-to strap on a helmet, hop on a bike, and see just how fun and welcoming the streets, bridges and parks have become," said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. "The exponential growth in cycling is a sign that New Yorkers see biking both as a real transportation option and as a great way to experience everything the City has to offer."

"The country is looking to New York City as the new capital for bicycling," said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives. "With more lanes and better designed streets than ever, Bike Month is the perfect time to take to two wheels and see why biking is the fastest-growing mode of transportation in New York City."

While the month of dedicated activities is intended to support and encourage cycling as a healthy, fun, convenient and greener way to travel, initiatives have been underway to make cycling in the City a more accessible and reliable transportation option year-round and safer for all cyclists. Under the goals outlined in Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's sustainability agenda, PlaNYC, and DOT's strategic plan, DOT aims to improve the connectivity of the city's bike network by increasing its inventory of bike lanes, paths and routes and investing in infrastructure to support this vital transportation mode.

By June, DOT will have installed 200 bicycle lane-miles in just three years-the culmination of an unprecedented initiative that has nearly doubled the number of lane miles within the City. DOT also installed 1,200 additional bike racks citywide in 2008-more than double what has been done in previous years-to make it easier for cyclists once they arrive at their destinations. A new NYC cycling map with 90 miles of new bike routes and bike parking shelters is available online and can be picked up at area bike shops, schools and recreation centers or ordered by calling 311.

A sampling of Bike Month NYC activities held across the five boroughs is below. For a complete list of events or a printed schedule, visit www.bikemonthnyc.org. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dot.

BIKE MONTH EVENT HIGHLIGHTS


DOT Staff-Lead Commuter Bike Rides: May 11 (East Midtown), May 12 (Midtown), May 13 (West Midtown), May 15 (Midtown)

Join DOT for a bike commute from Grand Army Plaza to locations in Manhattan.

Borough Presidents Celebrate Bike Month with T.A.: May 13(Staten Island), May 15 (Bronx), May 21 (Manhattan)

Grab a snack and meet your Borough President to talk about biking in your borough.

Kids Learn to Ride Classes - Free!: Throughout May

Take your kids to one of many free classes offered by Bike New York to learn the basics of biking in a safe and social setting.

National Bike to Work Day: May 15

Join T.A. at one of six bike commuter stops for breakfast, tips and support.

The Great NYC Commuter Race: May 21

T.A.'s 8th annual competition between the automobile, subway and bicycle.

NYC CYCLING FUN FACTS

  • The average bike commute takes 30 minutes. The average commute for all City residents is 45 minutes, almost double the national average of 25.5 minutes.
  • A roundtrip 30-minute bike commute will burn, on average, 440 calories.
  • The annual fixed costs of owning a car in New York City are $5,569 (according to the AAA), the annual fixed costs of owning a bike (including insurance) are $263.
  • There are 185,000 daily cyclists in New York City. Ridership is up from 113,000 daily riders in 2005 and 75,000 daily riders in 1992.
  • New York City currently has more than 620 lane miles of bicycle paths, lanes, routes and car-free greenways.

—30—