T.A. Mounts Regional Campaign For Bike Pedestrian-Friendly MTA

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When combined, bikes and transit offer a fast, flexible, environmentally-friendly way to travel. Unfortunately, the region's transit agency the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, has ranged from disinterested to outright hostile when it comes to opening its trains, subways, buses and bridges to bicyclists. To change this, T.A. is seeking a resolution from the MTA board which spells out wide-ranging, but specific, new benefits for cyclists and pedestrians. Getting the resolution passed is sure to be resisted by MTA bureaucrats, so T.A. is seeking support from citizen groups and government leaders in NYC, Long Island, Mid-Hudson Valley and Connecticut areas served by the MTA. Supporters of the resolution will be asked to sign a letter and to contact their MTA board representative directly. The campaign was spurred by the MTA's attempt in August to eviscerate the bicycle/pedestrian portion of the region's long-range transportation plan The MTAs action in gutting the hard-won plan infuriated T.A. and bureaucratic allies, creating fertile ground for a whole new look at how the MTA deals with cyclists and pedestrians.

In addition to running the subways, buses and commuter rail the MTA also owns key bridges like the Triboro, Verrazano, Henry Hudson Marine Parkway, Throgsneck and Whitestone. None of which have good (if any) bicycle access. If our campaign succeeds, cyclists could see improvements on the Henry Hudson and Marine Parkway bridges possibly a new path on the Verrazano, and vastly more bike-aboard hours on the LIRR and Metro-North. Pedestrians also should see a new emphasis on walking access to both city and suburban stations.

A more positive MTA attitude towards bicyclists and station access would be a huge step towards creating a real integrated regional transportation system, one not centered around the automobile. Ironically, the MTA--by far the nation's largest transit provider--has an almost monomaniacal emphasis on building bigger parking lots for its customers, while failing to recognize that the vast majority of its customers walk to stations and buses. Thus, the MTA has failed to embrace traffic calming and pedestrian improvements as a vital part of serving its customer base. A central part of the T.A. campaign is to create a bicycle/pedestrian coordinator position at the MTA to advocate internal changes that will make the agency more receptive to citizen input and less secretive overall.

The proposed bike/ped policy includes specific recommendations for each MTA operating group.

MTA Planning

• A bicycle/pedestrian planning section in MTA Planning to coordinate relevant issues with other transportation agencies and with the public.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels

• Long-term plans for permanent bike/ped paths on the Verrazano Narrows, Bronx-Whitestone and Throgsneck Bridges. These paths would be built as the bridges are reconstructed in future decades.
• An immediate goal is to provide bike/ped access on these three bridges with bike-on-bus or bike shuttle-service.
• Widen existing paths or include new bike-only path on the Marine Parkway and Cross-Bay/Veterans Memorial Bridges.
• Reconstruct, re-open and connect to Manhattan, the upper-level (west side) path of the Henry Hudson Bridge.
• Change the policy on the Tri-Borough Bridge to allow bike riding. Clean the path of debris and glass, replace with ramp the stairs leading to paths during the next reconstruction and install emergency phones.

NYC Transit

• Consideration of bicyclists' needs when automating subway stations. (This is developing as a critical issue for cyclists and folks with baby carriages or packages.)
• Provide secure or semi-secure bike parking at outlying subway stations.
• Bike-on-bus on selected routes such as the Verrazano Bridge and other long distances lines.

Long Island Rail Road/Metro-North

• Provide bike-and-ride parking at all stations-including secure, covered parking.
• Create a station-access program to methodically install new sidewalks, improve pedestrian crossings and improve directional signage for cyclists and pedestrians.
• Liberalize current bike-aboard policy. Allow folding bikes on at all times and explore improved bicycle storage on board.

Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority

• Implement bike-on-bus programs.
• Provide secure bicycle parking at outlying stations.
• Provide pedestrian amenities (shelters, lights, sidewalks, etc.) at pick-
  up points.

Cyclists could see Improvements on the Henry Hudson and Marine Parkway bridges, a new path on the Verrazano, and more bike-aboard hours on the LIRR and Metro-North.