If you are concerned about bicycle safety in your community and would like to advocate for a bike lane here is a simple step-by-step starter page outlining how to take action:

STEP 1: Do your research

Most likely, you are not the first to find fault with cycling safety in your neighborhood. We suggest building a file of posted concerns, safety statistics, and actions taken by other community members with shared interests. Remember, pedestrian and driver safety concerns also matter when thinking about how to win bicycle improvements. The bigger you can grow the tent of support for street redesign, the better.

Here are some sites where you can seek out like-minded community responses, as well as ideas about traffic calming solutions:

Good Blogs and Posts:

• streetsblog.org
• livablestreets.com/projects
• streetfilms.org

• crashstat.org

STEP 2: Strength in Numbers

Community support and backing is essential to drawing attention to your concern. Make sure to reach out to other community members whether they are your friends,neighbors, local businesses and your Community Board.

You can find out more about how Community Boards work here: https://www.transalt.org/files/newsroom/magazine/2008/spring/08-09.pdf

You can look up your Community Board contact information here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/cau/html/cb/directory.shtml

Hold an informal event where you can collect signatures, as well as community thoughts and planning strategies to help you formalize a plan for change. Contact bike@transalt.org for more information and ideas on event planning.

STEP 3: Communicate with City Officials

Identify what City Agencies have jurisdiction over the street you are concerned with:
transalt.org/resources/contacts

Contact your Elected Officials and ask for their support on this important street safety initiative to win bicycle lanes in your neighborhood. It is always a good idea to ask your elected officials to attend and speak at media and community events that you plan during the campaign. It is also important to ask they sign onto your petition, sign on letter or even send an individual letter to the City on your behalf.

You can find your City Council Member here.

You can find you State Assembly Member here.

STEP 4: Take Action!

The only way to see the change is to be the change! You have a city full of cyclists who will back you! Transportation Alternatives is also here to support your efforts to create local change on your streets. Send us an email so that we can guide you through the process: bike@transalt.org.

Thank you for helping to make NYC safer for cycling, one street at a time.