DOT Constructs 28.6 More Miles of Protected Bike Lanes

By Yehudit Garmaise   

An interesting positive development of the 2020 COVID pandemic is that New York City has been dramatically transforming its streetscapes and reimagining how to use its public spaces in innovative ways that benefit New Yorkers.

   Today the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that at 2020’s end, the agency has constructed 28.6 lane miles , across the city’s five boroughs, of new protected bike lanes, which feature physical barriers that protect bikers from traffic.

   Today’s announcement brings the city’s total bike lane network to 1,375 lane miles, 545 of which are protected miles.

  In addition, the DOT has created 16.3 new bus lanes, which create safer streets for pedestrians and drivers.

    “Our city has reimagined our streets as we’ve fought back the COVID-19 crisis. That means more space for restaurants and businesses, faster options for bus riders, and more ways than ever to accommodate the cycling boom with new protected bike lanes,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has said that walking, biking, and taking public transportation should replace cars in the city’s future. “Record numbers of bike lanes and bus lanes will change our urban landscape forever.”

   We have seen a tremendous shift towards cycling during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting DOT Commissioner Margaret Forgione, “and we predict the [cycling] trend will continue even after the city recovers, so it is imperative we continue growing our bike network and keep cyclists safe.”

    Another innovative use of the city’s public space is the 83 miles of car-free Open Streets, in which more than 10,800 restaurants serve diners on the city’s streets and sidewalk, while Open Storefronts allows small businesses to sell their wares outside, where people feel.