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It is important to provide a variety of safe and reliable modes
of transportation. Bicycling and walking are two modes that are
an important part of the overall transportation system. They are
useful for either an entire journey or for accessing another mode.
In both cases are offered the benefits of low cost and low environmental
impact. The 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey (NPTS)
indicates that walk/bicycle modes comprise 21 percent of all modes
for all trip purposes in the NYMTC region. The largest component
of this statistic is walking. Nationally, walking and bicycling
account for about 8 percent of all trips.In order to foster the
use of these modes it important to develop and provide facilities
that accommodate the user. In this regard NYMTC members and involved
agencies are pursuing the planning and construction of facilities
all across the region. Networks of on-street lanes and off-road
greenways are being built and connected to form a comprehensive
system to fulfill a variety of journey purposes. Existing facilities
are used for work, school and recreational trips. The usage potential
of walking and bicycling is large. The NPTS data shows 61 percent
of all personal trips for all trip purposes are under five miles
and 24 percent are under one mile. One benefit to the region of
shifting some of these trips to other modes such as bicycling
and walking would be to decrease traffic congestion.
NYMTC Regional Transportation Plan
The NYMTC Regional Transportation Plan's goal is to double current
usage of walking and bicycling. The RTP Bicycle and Pedestrian Element
of 1995 includes a variety of strategies to
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Increase
and make safe these modes: |
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Improve and increase
bridge access
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Improve access to activity centers |
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Increase access
to transit
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Preserve
valuable rights of way |
Data Collection
Monitoring and analyzing data is important in the development of
facilities. In this regard NYMTC staff, members and affiliated organizations
conduct data collection efforts. NYMTC conducts data collection
in support of a number of organizations. This activity provides
data in support of planning, design, construction and operation
of bike lanes, trails, and walkways. In addition, individual organizations
collect data internally for the same purposes. Typically, the data
that is collected focuses on number of users, the characteristics
of the users, as well specialized data. This data is generally updated on an
annual basis.
NYMTC Bicycle Data Collection Program
Comprehensive Planning
Comprehensive planning is taking place at the subregional level
at each of NYMTC's three Transportation Coordinating Committee (TCC)
geographic regions. Three counties within the Mid Hudson South TCC
have completed a comprehensive plan which examined the trip patterns
and users who walk and bicycle. Based on that information a plan
was devised which prioritizes the development of facilities to be
built. A similar effort is taking shape on Long Island which will
result in a staged implementation of routes and safety improvements
to address the issues of access and local high crash rates. New
York City has recently opened a 23 mile Manhattan Waterfront Greenway,
several bicycle lanes and has improved East River Bridge access.
Linking Greenways along the Hudson River
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Bicycling in New York City and environs has increasingly become more popular for both providing a means for recreation and an easy commute to others. However, traveling north-south along or near the Hudson River poses a hassle for bicyclist who must traverse confusing formal and informal bicycle routes that may be both puzzling and unsafe.
Greenways provide not only easy and accessible bicycle facilities to the public, but they also provide a landscape that is conducive to economic development and an improved quality of life. By providing an easier way for the public to use bicycle facilities, it allows them an opportunity to exercise, make use of open space and provides the increased likelihood of decreasing the use of the automobile use that contributes to poorer air quality levels.
NYMTC’s Hudson River Valley Greenway Link Study will provide the region with a comprehensive evaluation of existing bicycle facilities and recommendations to complete a continuous bicycle greenway along the Hudson River from the upper areas of Manhattan to the City of Yonkers. Click here to learn more about the project and how to get involved. For more information, contact Howie Mann at 212.383.2530 or at hmann@dot.state.ny.us
Raising Awareness-Walkable Communities
How our communities are designed and whether they contribute to
how we use them is the objective of NYMTC-sponsored Walkable Communities
Program. Through this program people are brought together to jointly
assess and redesign their communities to serve them better. Typically
an expert is brought in to guide each Walkable Community audit.
The result is a number of recommendations which are passed on
to agencies that can implement the recommendations.
Links
Mid-Hudson South Region
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Walkable Communities
Long Island Bikeway & Trailways Map
New
York City Bicycling and Walking
New York City Pedestrians and Sidewalks
National
Bicycle and Pedestrian Clearinghouse