Bikes Are Freight Too!

T.A. has joined with The Bronx's City Councilmember Adolfo Carrion to draft legislation that would amend the Administrative Code of the City of New York to require the owners of commercial buildings to allow their tenants to bring bicycles on freight elevators. According to a 1999 Department of City Planning survey, the lack of secure bicycle parking is the number one obstacle cited by those likely to cycle to work.

As a part of the bill-drafting process, Carrion surveyed the Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater New York and found that the majority agreed that better access for bikes was needed. But owners were concerned about their liability if anyone gets hurt by a bicycle, as well as potential damage to carpets, doors and floors. T.A. and Councilmember Carrion are working to address these concerns by pointing to the lack of incidents at buildings that already accommodate bikes on their freight elevators. Ultimately, concern over the bill seems rooted in a fear of the unknown and a social bias against bicycles as objects that don't belong in "professional" buildings - concerns that Carrion is confident can be overcome. The bill will be introduced for consideration by the City Council later this summer after more outreach to building owners and managers.

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