Cykling i New York

Streetsblog: Bloomberg, Sadik-Khan Commit to a World-Class, 21st Century Broadway

Gågatorna vid Times Square och Herald Square blir nu permanenta.

"In a rather extraordinary Q&A session that followed the announcement, Bloomberg fended off several questions from reporters who expressed skepticism that overall traffic speeds had improved. ... At one point, the prevalence of reporters’ questions about traffic prompted Times Square Alliance president Tim Tompkins to step up to the microphone. "I just want to say that the overwhelming majority of people who come to Times Square are not driving,” he said.

Streetsblog: Envisioning a New York Where Cycling Isn’t Just for Cyclists

56 procent av alla bilresor i New York City är kortare än tre miles (4,8 km).

New York City begär in anbud på 10 000 lånecyklar 

Streetsblog: Some Hints of What to Expect From NYC Bike-Sharing
Streetsblog jämför med Paris där lånecyklarnas införande för fem år sen sammanföll med en sjuttioprocentig ökning av cyklingen i stan. NYC befinner sig på många sätt på samma ställe som Paris för fem år sen: snabb utbyggnad av cykelbanor, gågator och bussfiler.

Se även inlägg i tråden Lånecyklar förbättrar vädret och plattar till uppförsbackar

NYC Bike Count Continues Upward Trend in 2010 With 13 Percent Growth - Streetsblog

Cyklingen i New York har fördubblats sedan 2006. Sedan år 2000 har cyklingen ökat 300%.

What do you think was behind the backlash? How much of it was the projects themselves and how much of it was your leadership style?

"I think it was change on the streets, which hadn't really happened in decades. You know, people get used to doing things the same way, so when you come out your front door and see things are different, it can be jarring. And it takes a little while to get used to change. I think what you've seen now over the last couple of years is that it [the backlash] has largely died down. I think some of the initial media coverage was overblown. And it sells newspapers. Consensus doesn't sell newspapers.

Also, now that the tabloid ink has dried and some of the screaming has died down, you're seeing that, actually, public opinion is strongly behind this investment strategy because people understand that if we're going to continue to grow and thrive we have to do things differently. And bike lanes actually make the city safer; and pedestrian plazas are important quality of life improvements in communities. They're good for business. It's hard to argue with getting on a bus that cleaner, faster and more convenient. These are really basic enhancements to a transportation network that was long overdue for an overhaul."

With the release by NYC DOT this week of a report showing the economic impact of their street projects, Bloomberg wove the economic case into his speech. "Talk to merchants everywhere we've put protected bicycle lanes [and pedestrian plazas]... They will tell you that business is dramatically better than it was before."

Bloomberg called New York City's legacy of mega-highway building by former DOT Commissioner Robert Moses a "mistake" because "we bulldozed neighborhoods."

With the mistakes of the past fading from view, Bloomberg seems to understand the direct link between how streets are used and whether or not a city succeeds. "We're using the streets in ways they had not been used in a long time," he said, "Cyclists and pedestrians and bus riders are as important — if not, I would argue more important — than automobile riders."