With bicycle trips citywide increasing 150% percent since 2006 in New York City and Brooklyn, the city yesterday released a multi-agency comprehensive study entitled Safer Cycling: Bicycle Ridership and Safety in New York City, providing key insights regarding cycling safety, including that the dramatic increase in daily cycling has accompanied a corresponding increase in cycling safety.
The Department of Transportation (DOT), the city’s police department (NYPD) and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) compiled the study, which looked at factors behind crashes, and provides a comprehensive action plan to further improve cycling safety in the years ahead.
Among other findings the study found that cycling safety has improved significantly in recent years. Since 2006, bicycle ridership has more than doubled while cyclist fatalities, while still too high, have remained relatively flat (since 2000, between 12 and 24 fatalities per year). Between 2011 and 2015, New York City experienced an average of 12.8 cyclist fatalities per 100 million bicycle trips compared to 44.2 cyclist fatalities per 100 million trips between 1996 and 2000, a decline of 71%.
“While we continue to make progress on Vision Zero this year, one cyclist fatality is still too many,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The conclusion of this excellent multi-agency study – that cycling has grown safer at the same time that its popularity has soared – means that our Vision Zero efforts, including redesigning streets to add protected bike lanes, are making a real difference. With detailed and specific plans to make further improvements that protect cyclists in neighborhoods around the City, this study will help us keep that momentum going for years to come.”
Other key findings in the study included:
Citi Bike — The launch of Citi Bike coincided with a drop in cyclists killed or severely injured within the bike share area. The number of cyclists killed or severely injured declined by 17% within the bike-share zone after one year of operation, despite a recorded 8.2 million bike share trips in the first year of operation. More than 40 million Citi Bike trips have been taken over four years.
Bicycle lanes — Between 2006 and 2016, the vast majority — 89% — of cyclist fatalities occurred on streets without a bicycle lane.
Intersections — A majority of cyclist fatalities and severe injuries occur at intersections. Study results reveal the majority of cyclist fatalities (65%) and those killed/severely injured (89%) happen at intersections.
Creating New “Priority Bicycle Districts” — A number of New York City neighborhoods have significant cyclist fatalities and severe injuries, but are underserved by the bicycle network. The study identifies 10 Priority Bicycle Districts, community boards with comparatively high numbers of cyclist fatalities and severe injuries and few bicycle lanes. These districts – seven in Brooklyn and three in Queens – represent 14% of the city’s bicycle network, but now have 23% of cyclist fatalities or severe injuries.
The study features a comprehensive plan to improve cyclist safety, including:
Engineering and Planning: DOT will implement at least 50 lane miles of bicycle lanes annually – including at least 10 lane miles of protected bicycle lanes; create or enhance 75 lane miles of bicycle lanes in newly designated Priority Bicycle Districts by 2022, and complete a study of best practices in intersection design for bicycle lanes in 2018.
Data and Research: DOT will expand bike count data collection to better understand where and when New Yorkers are cycling.
Enforcement: DOT will collaborate with NYPD to focus and deploy enforcement resources to intersections with high rates of cyclist fatalities and severe injuries.
Education: DOT will target data-driven outreach strategies to promote safe driving and cycling behavior, and will promote safe cycling for young New Yorkers.
Legislation: DOT will advocate for legislation requiring all companies that conduct business with the city to install truck side guards.
Among those supporting the study and its calling for further improvements for bike safety were several Brooklyn lawmakers.
“Safer streets for cyclists mean safer streets for all, including our motorists and pedestrians. Expanding the footprint of our bike-friendly infrastructure is an important mobility enhancement for our entire borough,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
“As more New Yorkers are biking around the City, we need a comprehensive plan to ensure the smart growth and safety of our community,” said City Council Member Stephen Levin (D-Williamsburg, Dumbo, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, Boerum Hill). “While we have made great progress in the past, this plan sets the bar even higher in terms of safety and commitments to biking infrastructure. With this vision in place I expect many more people to continue exploring the joy of biking in our City.”
“Bicycle riding in New York City is at an all-time high, but we still have too many preventable cycling-related injuries and fatalities,” said City Council Member Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park). “The City’s newly released study on cyclist safety proves we can do better. It documents the benefits of Vision Zero Street designs and practices. It also lists proven solutions and identifies dangerous locations where they will have the most impact. High risk intersections and zones without protected bike lanes should be prioritized for improvements that increase street safety for everyone.”
For more detailed information DOT bike safety programs, please see here. For more information about the de Blasio Administration’s Vision Zero initiative, please see www.nyc.gov/visionzero.
