Bike Week NYC 2003

New Yorkers on two wheels turned out in record numbers to celebrate Bike Week NYC 2003, presented by Transportation Alternatives and the NYC Department of Transportation. Cyclists from all over the city were delighted to receive heaps of free NYC Cycling Maps, bells, lights and reflective straps from the DOT as well as food courtesy of their borough president.

Thanks to all five of the borough presidents for once again rewarding cyclists for choosing a healthy and socially beneficial form of transportation.

Manhattan
C. Virginia Fields
"I have been an advocate for a continuous bike lane all around Manhattan. We have run into roadblocks along the way, but will keep at it until the island bike lane is complete. I will not accept the never-ending delays and excuses offered by various agencies that treat bicycling like a second-class mode of transportation. 

Next Steps for Manhattan:

• Complete the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway.
• Make the Manhattan side of the Queensboro Bridge safe and convenient for cyclists and pedestrians.

Staten Island
James P. Molinaro
"Staten Island has long recognized the importance of bicycling for its residents. Bike riding is a great way to get to the ferry-parking is free and it's a healthy form of exercise. I would encourage everyone to take up this winning transportation alternative-not just during Bike Week, but all year long."

Next Steps for Staten Island:

• Allow universal bicycle access to the MTA's Staten Island Railway.
• Build the Staten Island Railroad Trail greenway and the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge/North and South Shore greenways.

The Bronx
Adolfo Carrión
"Thanks to a growing Bronx Greenway Path and an increasing number of bike lanes, bicycling is a great way to get around the Bronx year-round. I encourage everyone to consider biking to work to take advantage of the health and environmental benefits of bicycling around the Bronx and across the city."

Next Steps for The Bronx:

• Reinstate Car-Free Sundays on the Grand Concourse.
• Create "traffic calmed" residential streets-especially around schools-to improve safety for children bicycling and walking to school.

Queens
Helen Marshall
"Thousands of cyclists in Queens enjoy this healthy and environmentally friendly activity regularly. I am happy to support Bike Week and hope that it encourages more individuals to look to a bike as a clean and healthy alternative to other forms of transportation."

Next Steps for Queens:

• Create "traffic calmed" residential streets-especially
  around schools-to improve safety for children bicycling
  and walking to school.
• Install bike lanes and signs on safe and common sense cycling routes to and from the city greenways and the
  East River bridges.

Brooklyn
Marty Markowitz
"Pedal power is the perfect way for me to prepare for this year's Lighten Up Brooklyn campaign. Brooklyn is blessed to have so many great places to ride, and I can't wait to bike my way around the borough."

Next Steps for Brooklyn:

• Make the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge safe for cyclists & pedestrians.
• Install sturdy gates at the entrances to Prospect Park to
  better enforce car-free hours.
• Expand the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Project
  and create "traffic calmed" residential streets-especially around schools.

Visit the Bike Week Web site.

Clockwise from top right: Adolfo Carrión (BP) & Rich Gans, Tito Luna (BP Staff) & Annie Hart, Robert Perris (BP Staff) & Noah Budnick, Dan Jacobs (BP Staff) & Kit Hodge, C. Virginia Fields (BP) & Noah Budnick.

Visit the Bike Week Web site.