New York City bike lane blocking program could be a life-saver

Drivers blocking the bike lanes with their vehicles are a serious problem, and in New York City there may soon be a bounty on such activity. 

At some point in the not-too-distant future, cyclists in NYC will be able to send photos of the offending vehicles to the Department of Transportation and if an infraction is deemed to have occurred and a $175 ticket is issued, those who reported the incident can earn a cool 25 per cent of the proceeds.

A similar bike lane blocking reporting program has been proposed in Austin, Texas. Austin’s Urban Transit Commission voted unanimously to recommend a new program that encourages people to send in photographic evidence of vehicles blocking bike lanes via the city’s 3-1-1 mobile application. The program is slated to head to city council for approval in the near future. 

The NYC bike lane blocking bill is sponsored by Brooklyn Council Member Lincoln Restler, who says not enough is being done to fight this ongoing issue. NYC has plenty of bike lanes, he adds, but it is not nearly safe enough. 

“We’ve seen an explosion of cycling across the city of New York. But unfortunately, people are putting their lives at risk,” Restler says. “Far too often the lack of safe infrastructure in our streets, and the overwhelming frequency of illegal and dangerous parking makes it far too dangerous. And far too perilous to ride a bike in New York City.”

Restler commutes by bicycle every day as he makes his way around his district in Brooklyn. So he knows firsthand just how dangerous it is to cycle around where there aren’t protected bike lanes or where the bike lanes are blocked forcing cyclists into live traffic.

“It is really scary to dart in and out of bike lanes that are filled with double-parked cars,” he says. “And walking around my district, I am constantly walking around vehicles that are parked on the sidewalk. I can manage it and maneuver but for the person in a wheelchair or for the parent with a stroller, it is dangerous.”

Restler describes it as a street safety issue, and a life-and-death issue. And Transportation Alternatives, which is a non-profit organization advocating for better walking, cycling and public transit, agrees

“Blocked bike lanes, crosswalks, bus lanes, and sidewalks make our streets more dangerous for all,” said Juan Restrepo, Senior Organizer for Transportation Alternatives. “Council Member Restler’s proposed legislation will save lives by keeping our streets clear of illegally parked cars.”

Although New York City is making good investments in bicycle infrastructure, separated bike lanes are often blocked. A quick look at social media shows separate lanes not only blocked, they are also often taken over by cars looking for a way out of traffic snarls.

In 2019, a study, “Bike Lanes or Blocked Lanes: An Observational Study of Obstructions of New York City’s Bike Lanes,” was published by sociology professors Peter Tuckel and Kate Pok-Carabalona of Hunter College.

Amongst many of its findings, the study found that there was an “average of 7.5 obstructions per 10 city blocks or approximately 11.5 obstructions per mile.” That’s a lot. 

“We need to start holding bad actors accountable so that there are repercussions if you insist on obstructing pedestrian and cycling space in dangerous ways,” Restler says. “The police department has failed to enforce it all. And in fact, they are, the 35,000 NYPD officers in New York City, some of the worst abusers when it comes to dangerous and illegal parking of their personal vehicles.”

Restler explains that the sponsored legislation is modeled after a successful citizen enforcement idling program that was developed in New York City sever years ago. 

“We are pushing to create a program where New Yorkers would capture evidence of dangerous and illegal parking and share it with the Department of Transportation, which would in turn, impose a violation and provide a portion of the revenue generated back to the complainant who submitted the violation in the first place,” Restler explains. “I think that this could make a transformative difference in street safety across our communities.”

The idling program has been effective, and was accompanied by a fun advertising campaign featuring the catchphrase “Billy Never Idols” where punk icon Billy Idol can to the steps of city hall to help raise public awareness. 

“The new enforcement mechanisms have been helpful in addressing idling in New York City. And deterring idling across the five boroughs,” Restler says. “And I think similarly, the bike lane proposal would both build public awareness and reduce dangerous activity.”

According to Restler, there are about two dozen council members who have signed on to the bike lane blocking bill, and a majority of members are within sight. The next step would be for the committee on transportation infrastructure to hold hearings, followed by the speaker to subsequently put the bill up for a vote. 

“I’m hopeful that we will make significant progress in the months ahead,” Restler adds. “We’ve had a groundswell of support from New Yorkers, across many diverse communities, and I hope that we will be able to, to get this to get the legislation passed. Swiftly.”

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