Res 0574-2024

Whereas, Over the past two decades, New York City (NYC) has seen a rapid increase in bicycle use; and Whereas, According to the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Community Health Survey, 28 percent of adult New Yorkers, which equates to about 1.8 million people, ride a bike, with more than 762,000 riding a bike regularly; and Whereas, As of 2025, 1,550 lane miles of bike lanes and 555 total protected bike lanes were installed in NYC, according to the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT); and Whereas, Although the number of bike lane miles and protected bike lanes have increased in the past decade, NYC recorded the most overall cyclist deaths in the United States during the decade from 2011 to 2020, with 138 deaths, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data; and Whereas, According to NYC's Vision Zero View, in 2022, 263 people were killed in traffic fatalities in NYC, of which included 19 cyclists; in 2023, 267 people were killed in traffic fatalities in NYC, of which included 31 cyclists; and in 2024, 252 people were killed in traffic fatalities, of which included 23 cyclists who were killed; and Whereas, As the number of cyclists in NYC has dramatically increased in the past two decades, while traffic fatalities among all road users continues to trend upwards, cyclists have been and remain a vulnerable population utilizing the road and require additional enforcement efforts to ensure their safety; and Whereas, Installing cameras along bike lanes and penalizing drivers of motor vehicles for violations may provide cyclists with additional protection and would allow for them to ride more safely and confidently in bike lanes throughout NYC; and Whereas, S.5008A, sponsored by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal, and A.803A, sponsored by State Assemblymember Zohran K. Mamdani, would authorize and empower NYC to establish a bike lane safety program that protects cyclists and holds encroaching motorists accountable through bike lane cameras and monetary penalties; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the New York State Governor to sign, S.5008A/A.803A, which would establish a bicycle lane safety program in the city of New York to enforce certain restrictions on the use of bicycle lanes and protected bicycle lanes by means of bicycle lane photo devices. Session 13 KK LS 14308 5/1/25 Session 12 KK LS 14308 11/8/23