10/18/2021
New Bike Lanes on the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges
New York City is home to the largest bicycle network in North America, with over 1,375 miles of bike routes. To promote safe cycling, the NYC DOT is building bike routes that traverse and connect all five boroughs. In January 2021, during the State of the City address, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the new cycling plan for two East River crossing Bridges called “Bridges for the People.” The plan involved a car lane closure on both the Brooklyn and Queensboro Bridges to reserve them for bicyclists. On September 14, 2021, after nearly three months of construction, the Brooklyn Bridge bike lane opened to the public, bringing an end to the crowded mix of cyclist and pedestrian traffic that used to flood the bridge’s famous promenade.
The next few weeks will be a time of strict examination to see if this major shift is safe. Some cyclists are happy to not be sharing the wood-slatted promenade with tourists, but some cyclists fear getting side-swiped by motor vehicles. Caesar & Napoli lawyers urge cyclists to ride safely and keep in mind that bicycle accidents are particularly dangerous since cyclists lack physical protection to prevent injury in the event of a collision.
