TRANSIT STRIKE ACTION PLAN

December 12, 2002

TRANSIT STRIKE ACTION PLAN

  • Get Gov. Pataki directly involved in negotiations. He controls the MTA and can stop a strike from happening.
  • In the event of a strike:
    • Get one million New Yorkers on bicycles [volunteer to help].
      • Mayor Bloomberg pledged to ride to work and encourages others to cycle as well. City-owned buildings will allow employees to bring their bicycles inside, and the Mayor requests that all building owners and managers do the same and/or provide secure indoor bike parking for their tenants.
      • Set aside bike lanes on all East River Bridges and avenues.
      • Encourage cycling to transit: LIRR, Metro-North and ferries.
      • Allow bikes on all ferries.
    • Require all city workers to follow car-pool requirement.
      • 175,000 city employees drive to work everyday because they have permits for free parking. This contributes to traffic jams and is bad policy.

      Bicycling Tips to Weather a Transit Strike
      No subway? No bus? No problem!

      Commuter resources:

      Transportation Alternatives' media resources:

      1. Statistics - Number of cyclists in NYC over the last 20 years.
      2. Recommendations to make it through the transit strike.
      3. Facts - Miles of bike lanes and bike paths in NYC, number of bike racks, resources on where to find bike parking, buy bikes, get bike maps and info about the City government and bikes.
      4. Tips for new cyclists - Riding in traffic, your bike, winter clothing.
      5. Bike commuters - Interview real people who ride everyday.

      1. Statistics

      • On an average day, 105,000 New Yorkers ride their bikes. Biking to work, school, the store or for other transportation is a normal activity for New Yorkers. It's a fast, easy, healthful and fun way to get around. The City has free bike maps and 200 miles of bike lanes & paths to help people bike.
      • Over the last 20 years, the number of daily bike riders has more than doubled, from 42,697 in 1980 to an estimated 105,000 today.
      • In the event of a transit strike, there will be a two to three fold increase in the number of bike riders.
      • The average NYC bike commute takes 30 minutes vs. the city average of 45 min (the longest in the US).

      2. Recommendations to make it through the transit strike

      A transit strike will create unusual conditions and stresses for everyone in New York City. Walking and biking will relieve traffic congestion and help the city move more smoothly during a transit strike. Mayor Bloomberg is leading by example, by pledging to bicycle to work. We hope New Yorkers follow and pedal as well. Following are some specific tips for commuters who usually do not bicycle to work. But first, two general suggestions: be patient and use your head instead of your hormones. Riding a bicycle in the city is fun and safe if you pay attention.

      East River Bridge and Avenue Biking/Walking Lanes to Handle Throngs
      Transportation Alternatives urges the City to set aside lanes on each of the East River bridges-Queensboro, Williamsburg, Manhattan and Brooklyn-and one additional lane on major avenues south of 60th Street for cyclists and pedestrians. The City did this in 1980, and it helped considerably.

      Plea for Emergency Bike Parking in Commercial Buildings and Guarded Parking
      To accommodate the tremendous number of cyclists in the central business district, Transportation Alternatives is calling on building owners and managers to:

      • Allow bicycles on freight elevators and in workplaces if requested by tenants.
      • Create guarded bicycle parking areas in parking lots, garages or storage rooms to ensure security.

      3. Facts
      Bike Lanes & Greenways

      • There are 80 miles of bike lanes in NYC.
      • There are 120 miles of greenways-off-street bike paths-in NYC.

      Read the latest news about this issue.

      Bridges

      • All four East River bridges-Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro-have paths for cyclists and pedestrians.
      • All eight Harlem River bridges-Willis Ave, Third Ave, Madison Ave, 145th St, Macombs Dam, Washington Bridge, University Heights and Broadway-can be crossed by foot or bike.
      • The Tri-Boro Bridge and George Washington Bridge have paths for cyclists and pedestrians.

      Read the latest news about this issue.

      Bike Parking

      • According to the NYC Department of City Planning, lack of secure bike parking is the number one obstacle to people who want to commute by bike in NYC.
      • The easiest and safest solution is for building owners and managers to allow their tenants to bring their bicycles inside. The City should urge all buildings to allow tenants to bring their bicycles inside and/or provide secure indoor bike parking.
      • The City is leading by example and has opened 39 City-owned buildings-including City Hall, borough halls in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island (note: the Bronx and Manhattan do not have 'borough halls'), the Municipal Building (1 Centre Street) and the Bronx County Court-to employees who bike to work and provides bike racks at 12 Municipal Garages in all five boroughs.
      • There are 2,300 on-street bike racks in NYC.
      • More bike parking info at http://www.transalt.org/info/garages.html.

      Read the latest news about this issue.

      Cycling Info

      4. Tips for New Cyclists Go to http://www.transalt.org/info/cycling.html for more info.
      Rules of the Road

      • Bicycles are vehicles & must obey traffic laws. Ride with traffic-not against it. Obey red lights & other traffic rules.
      • Stay off of sidewalks and always yield to pedestrians. It is illegal to ride on the sidewalk. So don't. Pedestrians always have the right of way, so be respectful of their vulnerability.
      • Avoid car doors--Stay at least four feet from the nearest parked car. Getting "doored" is the number one cause of bicycle crashes in NYC.

      You

      • Wear a helmet. Adjust the straps so that the helmet is snug and does not slide.
      • Dress Smart. Wear light colored clothing for safety. For the cold weather, wear gloves, but don't overdress. You should feel a little cold at the start, but you'll warm up. Consider wearing a winter hat or bandanna under your helmet until you warm-up.

      Your Bike-A (Air), B (Brakes), C (Chain lock)

      • Check the brakes. Make sure they work or get them tightened. If they don't work, don't use the bike.
      • Pump up your tires (inner tubes) to the recommended pressure or until they feel very hard. This is the best way to avoid flats. You can use pumps at most gas stations and all bike shops.
      • Raise the seat so that your knee is slightly flexed when the pedal is at its lowest point.
      • Use front and rear lights during darkness. Flashing safety lights, red for rear & white for front, are available at bike shops and many hardware stores for $6-$10. They could save your life.
      • Lock your bike. Your best bet is parking inside your building. Ask your boss if you can bring your bike in your office or park it in a secure/guarded indoor area. If you park outside, use a heavy-duty chain and padlock or Kryptonite NYC U-lock. Lock through the back wheel and the frame to a secure object like a bike rack, signpost or parking meter and take the front wheel with you. Or, use two locks and lock the frame to a post, and the back wheel to the frame. If you can, take the seat, or chain it to your bike.

      More Cycling Tips

      5. Bike Commuters - Please call Noah Budnick at Transportation Alternatives, 212 629 8080, to arrange interviews. T.A.'s interviews with bike commuters are available at http://www.transalt.org/info/commuters.html.