Bicycle Lanes and Greenways

More and better lanes and greenways lead to increases in bicycling. Read here to learn about T.A.'s advocacy around bicycle street design.

Bridge Access

Thanks to three decades of unrelenting T.A. advocacy, the bicycle paths on the Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg and Queensboro Bridges have been open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day since the Spring of 2001--the first time in 50 years all the paths were open! To achieve this feat, four generations of T.A. members sent tens of thousands of letters and postcards and staged more than a hundred rallies and attended untold public meetings.

Indoor Bicycle Parking

Much as motorists carry jacks, flashlights and maps in their cars, commuting cyclists should be able to carry their essential gear--pump, tools, lights, pannierS---on their bikes without having to remove it one or more times a day. This requires secure indoor parking. Even cyclists who travel light need access to places where they can keep their bikes safe from theft and the weather. In most cases, this too means indoor parking.

Outdoor Bicycle Parking

Different types of bicyclists require different types of bicycle parking facilities. Those commuting to all-day workplaces generally require indoor parking or bicycle lockers, or at least supervised outdoor bicycle racks. Retail, entertainment and business destinations frequented by visitors, shoppers and messengers are best served by well-made, well-situated outdoor racks, located in busy public places where thieves cannot work unobserved.

Transit Access

Bicycling and mass transit are both antidotes to the congestion and pollution caused by automobile use. But for many travelers, neither form of transport alone can compete with the auto's combination of range, flexibility and convenience. However, if bikes and transit work as a team, they make a formidable alternative to the car--just as flexible and convenient; cheaper, more relaxing and often faster; and without the automobile's environmental damage.

Give Respect / Get Respect

Give/Get events happen several times a year. T.A. activists join with police officers to educate cyclists and motorists about proper conduct on the road. Activists hand out fake tickets to motorists for a number of activities that endanger cyclists, and pass out multi-lingual educational flyers to wayward cyclists. Meanwhile, the cops hand out real tickets to cars illegally blocking the bike lane.

Street Hazard Reduction

New York City streets, often a patchwork of potholes, ruts, grooves, metal plates, sewer grates, wooden beams and hummocks, make for an uncomfortable ride for motorists. But they can be dangerous, even life-threatening for cyclists. New York City bicyclists face an additional array of ground-level hazards that hardly faze drivers--seas of broken glass; pavement made slick and greasy from oil, rain and street cleaning; and berms of lumpy pavement left over from sloppy construction jobs.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Funding

Transportation Alternatives fights to make sure that bicycle and pedestrian projects receive their fair share of transportation funding.

Bicycle Blueprint

We protest the poor conditions that keep us second-class citizens and inhibit our fellow New Yorkers from cycling. New York's five boroughs offer ideal density and topography for cycling, but our streets are too dangerous for all but the most intrepid. Cycling should not require the degree of courage, compromise, and pluck now needed to get around safely and securely.

New York City Century Bike Tour

From New York City's beautiful parks to its breathtaking bridges, the NYC Century Bike Tour is the region's most unique, fun, and rewarding ride. You'll visit vibrant neighborhoods, enjoy waterfront vistas and pedal through lush parks. See famous landmarks up close and discover bike-friendly paths and streets. All routes guarantee your safety and enjoyment. The Century is your ride--as challenging or as relaxing as you want.

Bike Month

An annual celebration of bike culture presented by Transportation Alternatives.