Community Board Looks to Make Cycling Safer

More protected bike lanes installed

NYC- The westsiderag.com writes that Community Board 7 is looking to install more protected bike lanes in an effort to increase safety and mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was held virtually this week, and the committee discussed plans to create temporary bike lanes so that residents can more easily get out and ride around the city safely to perform essential errands or get to work.

The committee also suggested that more Citi Bikes should be added to the area. The resolution stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading through the city rapidly and creating risks for many residents. Officials are urging people to use bikes to get to and from their jobs. Biking is believed to be safer than public transportation, where the disease could spread much more quickly.

Although many workers are required to work remotely, there are large numbers of workers who are considered essential and who are still taking public transit to and from their jobs. When riding public transportation, these individuals are often failing to follow social distancing recommendations.

The Community Board is looking at biking and walking as ways to reduce the number of people who are cramming into trains and buses. In order to make these forms of transportation safer and more accessible, additional infrastructure is being recommended to protect pedestrians and cyclists. The city is also being urged to increase the number of available bikes so that people have access to this form of transit.

While more people are being urged to use bikes on the road, many in the city are reporting dangerous driving behaviors. Motorists have been spotted speeding and racing through the streets thanks to the greatly reduced levels of traffic in the city.