The mayor’s office is out with new statistics on bike ridership in New York City. According to the Department of Transportation, biking was up this past spring 14%, compared to the spring of 2010.
The statistics are based on observations made at six commuter locations on four days in April, May and June. Here’s a look at the average weekly counts at downtown bridge crossings:
- 4450 bicyclists rode over the Williamsburg Bridge (up from 3941 last year)
- 3790 bicyclists rode over the Manhattan Bridge (up from 2798 last year)
- 2477 bicyclists rode over the Brooklyn Bridge (up from 2029 lasy year)
In a news release, Mayor Bloomberg 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 chose to bike… It’s the City’s responsibility to adjust to trends in commuting and ensure our streets are safe for everyone on the road, and by improving our street network and strengthening enforcement of traffic laws, we’ve made our streets safer than ever – for everyone.”
As we reported last month, Community Board 3 and the 7th Precinct are increasingly concerned about the safety of both bicyclists and pedestrians at the entrance of the Williamsburg Bridge, on Delancey Street.
Transportation Nation has more on the city’s new numbers.
As a lifelong LES cyclist, I can absolutely confirm this. Cycling has hit an inflection point this year. It’s never been as hard to find a pole to lock up on in the LES. You actually have to look around for parking like a driver.
While we continue to be in a adjustment period, this is good news for quality of life, safety and health of LESers.
Inspiring for other North American big cities! If New York can do it, so can most metropolises around the world!