After 17 Deaths in 2019, New York Has a New Bike Safety Plan

Vision Zero has tragically failed 17 people on bikes in New York City this year, and Mayor Bill de Blasio couldn't stick with the status quo any longer.

2 minute read

July 26, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


New York Bike Signage

William Perugini / Shutterstock

A spate of cyclist fatalities in New York City inspired city officials to announce a large new bike infrastructure and traffic safety program whit week, reports Willie Hu.

The tragedies leading up to the announcement need to be respected. Hu starts the story of thusly:

Things could not get much worse in early July after three cyclists were killed in just over a week on the streets of New York City.

But they did. Two more cyclists were hit and killed on Tuesday — one in Brooklyn and another on Staten Island — and another struck on Wednesday morning in Queens was reportedly in critical condition.

That brings the year's total to 17—already seven more deaths than 2018. In response to growing pressure from advocates, Mayor Bill de Blasio, also a candidate for president, announced a  $58.4 million bike safety plan, called the Green Wave [pdf]. The Green Wave plan "will try to make cycling safer by rapidly installing more protected bike lanes, redesigning intersections to make turns safer for cyclists and hiring 80 new city transportation workers dedicated to bike improvements," writes Hu.

"Under the new plan, the city will increasingly focus on creating a citywide network of protected bike lanes; currently the city has 1,243 miles of bike lanes, of which 480 miles are protected, meaning barriers physically separate cyclists from vehicles," adds Hu.

Earlier in the year, a single death by a cyclist on a rented bike in San Francisco inspired that city to remove on-street parking and create a protected bike lane on Howard Street. Perhaps every city has its limits. More coverage on New York's Green Wave plan is available in a separate article by Amanda Luz Henning Santiago.

Thursday, July 25, 2019 in The New York Times

Black and white Rideshare Pick-Up Zone sign

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing

From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

June 1, 2023 - Human Transit

Red on white 'Room for Rent, Inquire Inside' sign

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living

Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

May 24, 2023 - The Atlantic

Vancouver Chuck Wolfe

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown

In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

May 24, 2023 - GeekWire

Vacant storefront in historic building on Powell Street in San Francisco, California

Few Landlords Pay San Francisco Vacancy Tax

Less than 3 percent of properties potentially subject to a new vacancy tax were filed as vacant in the last year, but empty storefronts in the city persist.

June 4 - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of manufactured home being dropped off or moved by red truck in mobile home park

In Spite of Affordability Crisis, Richmond Rejects Manufactured Housing Plan

After declaring a housing crisis, the Virginia capital’s city council voted against a proposed manufactured home warehouse that would distribute replacements for aging manufactured housing stock.

June 4 - Greater Greater Washington

Graphic for '1000 Joys of Planning' with The Planning Commission Podcast

A Planning Commission Podcast Journey: The 1,000 Joys of Planning

The Commissioners explore the facets of the planning profession that fill their cups with joy.

June 4 - The Planning Commission Podcast

Project Manager III

San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

UDO Transportation Planner

City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.