Dogged by highly publicized lawsuits and complaints since their introduction six years ago, a new poll conducted by The New York Times shows widespread support for the city's new bike lanes.
It now seems clear that the voices raised in opposition to the construction of bicycle lanes throughout New York City belonged to a vocal minority of the city's residents. According to Michael M. Grynbaum and Marjorie Connelly, "When asked simply whether New York's bike lanes were a good idea or a bad idea, 66 percent of New Yorkers said they thought bike lanes were a good idea, according to the latest poll by The New York Times. A majority in all boroughs said they thought the lanes were a good idea, with support highest in Manhattan."
"Twenty-seven percent of residents called the lanes a bad idea, and 7 percent had no opinion or did not answer."
"New Yorkers who said they thought bike lanes were a good idea cited environmental, health and safety benefits, as well as the addition of more space for bicyclists to ride. Some respondents said they were simply happy that the lanes had encouraged bicyclists to stop riding on the sidewalk," write Grynbaum and Connelly.
"Among the quarter of New Yorkers who said they thought the lanes were a bad idea, the most commonly cited complaint was that the lanes hinder vehicular traffic. Some residents also described the lanes as creating dangerous street conditions."
FULL STORY: Most New Yorkers Say Bike Lanes Are a Good Idea
A Troubling Trend of Backlash to Bike Lanes
Some cities are going so far as to rip out protected bike infrastructure that took years of advocacy to build.
Austin Outlaws Blocking Bike Lanes
Drivers who park in bike lanes will receive citations of up to $300.
Proposed Pennsylvania Bill Encourages Parking-Protected Bike Lanes
Current state law prohibits cars from parking more than 12 inches away from a curb, but does not take into account bike lanes or pedestrian spaces placed between the curb and parking lanes.
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USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
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The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
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Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research