Cycling advocates want ‘Bike Mayor’ for New York City
Transportation Alternatives, the well-known advocacy organization for bicycling, walking and mass transit, is asking Mayor Bill de Blasio to appoint the city’s first-ever “bike mayor,” who would serve as a liaison between city government and the growing number of bicyclists in the five boroughs.
According to Transportation Alternatives, “the protected bike lane network is not growing fast enough to keep up with demand” and “an influx of people on two wheels is coming with the expansion of Citi Bike and the impending legislation of e-bikes and scooters.”
Safety concerns are also high on the list of bicyclists’ complaints. Just one week into the new year, TA says, two people have been killed while biking on city streets. Also, late last year, two cyclists were killed while riding on New York City streets. While the number of bike lanes has increased, many of these lanes are not adequately protected against incursions by motorists.