NYC Bike Week, May 14-20, 2001

Transportation Alternatives organizes NYC Bike Week each spring to encourage more people to ride bicycles. It is a great opportunity for T.A. to combine efforts with city agencies and community groups to give cycling a boost. This encouragement reminds people to pull their bikes out of winter storage and start riding again. Each year, the number of bicyclists on the streets sharply increases at the onset of NYC Bike Week, and continues to increase through the spring and summer months. T.A. is proud to present such a fun and rewarding event.

This year was extra special as NYC Bike Week had over 30 events that not only expressed how the bicycle is a great means of transportation and recreation, but also highlighted it as a cultural catalyst. Events like Taliah Lempert's bicycle paintings display, indoor bicycle messenger racing, Queens Deputy BP Peter Magnani's ride to the Queensborough Bridge breakfast, and a five-day film festival at the Anthology Film Archives, brought forth the breadth and beauty of bicycling. The ever-popular free Bike Week breakfasts were again sponsored by each of the Borough Presidents and were bolstered by efforts of the Department from Transportation's Bicycle and Pedestrian Division. The DOT contributed bells and reflective material, and excited DOT staff distributed them to thousands of NYC cyclists. DOT's contribution made these breakfasts even better than they have been in the past.

In cities throughout North America, including Chicago, Portland, and Toronto, the local DOT works hard on Bike Week - often hiring full-time bicycle promotion staff to organize it. In Chicago, the city fully funds over 80 bicycle-related events spread over 30 days. Toronto similarly packs a two-week schedule with 50 Bike Week events. In these cities, the bicycle is promoted as the best way to move around. More support from the New York City government for Bike Week, and cycling in general, would go far in promoting cycling as a legitimate mode of transportation in NYC. T.A. hopes that the DOT will continue (and expand) the kind of support it gave to NYC Bike Week 2001.

Special Thanks: NYC DOT, Bronx BP Fernando Ferrer, Brooklyn BP Howard Golden, Manhattan BP C. Virginia Fields, Queens BP Claire Shulman, Staten Island BP Guy Molinari, NYPD, Ben and Jerry's, Specialized Bicycles, Kryptonite, Krispy Kreme, Fresh Samantha, Pick-A-Bagel, Boulder Bar, Bike Shops, Glen Goldstein, Taliah Lempert, Gary Lingard, Five Borough Bike Club, Sierra Club, Recycle-A-Bicycle, Time's Up!, Bike Works, NYC bicycle messengers, Rock Star Bar, New York Cycle Club, Persis Luke, Trees New York, Anthology Film Archives, Brendt Barbur and his crew, Weekday Cyclists, Bicycle Habitat, Battery Parks City Parks Conservancy, Cherry Tree Association, T.A. volunteers (we couldn't do it without you!), and NYC cyclists.

Visit the Bike Week Web site.