Cycling On The Rise In New York City
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Over the past ten years, bicycle riding in New York City has quadrupled, according to DOT commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.
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Even with that, she says there has been a healthy gain from last year to this year.
"We've got an eight percent increase in bike riders at our commuter locations. So it's pretty impressive because it comes at a time of sustained growth. In fact, cycling has doubled over the last four years alone," she told WCBS 880 reporter Rich Lamb.
She says that in spite of the dramatic hike in the numbers of urban bike riders over the past decade, serious bike injuries and fatalities have remained unchanged.
She says DOT engineering improvements are one factor.
"When we put down protected bike lanes, they improve safety for everybody, for drivers, for pedestrians, for cyclists. Every time we put down a protected lane, injuries go down 40 percent," she said.
Sadik-Khan says the DOT also has plans to outfit 6,000 decommissioned curbside parking meter poles with hoop-shaped bicycle racks.
Have you taken up cycling in the city? What made you do it? Share your story in the comments section below.
