Members of Queens Bike Initiative
Aug. 12, 2015 By Michael Florio
A group of bicyclists calling for more bike lanes in western Queens is launching a monthly bike ride to take advantage of the culture and arts on offer in the district.
This month’s bike ride will focus on food—and is being called the Queens Bike Food Tour—where participants will ride to Astoria and try several Astoria eateries.
Future rides are likely to go into different neighborhoods and focus on art or other subjects of interest.
The food tour is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am on August 29, starting at the Northwest corner of Travers Park, on 77th Street.
The ride will go to Astoria Park, where participants will have a short picnic. Riders will stop at several bakeries and restaurants along the way, according to Queens Bike member and event-organizer Yi-Ling Tan.
“We will make at least three or four stops so people can buy food for the picnic,” Tan said.
Tan said she is still reaching out to the vendors and restaurants to ensure the group can stop by. She hopes to have a route finalized next week that includes a number of stops.
Participants will go around Astoria Park and are expected to return to Travers Park at 1 pm.
Tan said she decided to organize the ride to help emphasize the need for bike lanes to connect the neighborhoods in western Queens. The ride also provides the Queens Bike Initiative with insight as to where the bike lanes are most needed.
“We wanted a fun and safe way to bring people together,” Tan said. “It helps us get to know the neighborhood and spread awareness of the need for bike lanes.”
Tan is expecting more than 20 riders to show up.
The group held a ride through the district last month and had 15 people participate. However, she expects the turnout to be larger now that they are using social media to spread the word.
Tan plans to hold a ride monthly, with a different theme each month.
“Next month it may be art focused,” she said. “This allows us to explore different aspects of the neighborhoods and go on different routes.”
She plans on hosting these events throughout the fall and winter- depending on the weather.
The Queens Bike Initiative, which is calling for bike lanes that connect the parks of western Queens together, met with Councilman Daniel Dromm this month.
The group plans to meet with the Council members who represent Astoria, Sunnyside and Elmhurst in the coming weeks.
Members plan to present their proposal to Community Boards 1, 2 and 3 next month.
The group has collected more than 1,200 signatures in support of the proposal to date and is still looking to add more.
Queens Bike Initiative Member
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8 Comments
When is the next meet up date/itinerary? Thanks/JMcH.
To me, nothing wrong with walking or driving. (I like to drive when it’s cold.)
A few facts: Protected bike lanes typically reduce crashes for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists by 40 percent. The bike lane on 9th Avenue led to a 58 percent reduction in injuries to all street users there.
Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2012-10-measuring-the-street.pdf
Travel time in New York City roads where bike lanes were installed has either improved or remained the same, but never worsened, according to an analysis from New York City’s Department of Transportation.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/2014-09-03-bicycle-path-data-analysis.pdf
So one thing doesn’t exclude the other. Biking could be good for everyone.
Stats from another neighborhood don’t guarantee same results. Maybe it isn’t that dangerous… but I agree with the first part of comment- streets are narrow enough as is. There is no room for them. If these people were from here they would know that.
People calling for bike lanes in a community they don’t live in…
maria,
We all live in Queens who are organizing this bike lane initiative. There is a huge number of cyclists throughout Queens and beyond. This is great for the community. Have a great day
What’s wrong with walking?
The streets are narrow enough as in, adding bike lanes would be dangerous for everyone.
Another bike lane proposal post? Give it a rest. This is a benefit that will be enjoyed by a very small group of people. Conversely, anyone who drives between Roosevelt and Northern knows how congested the streets are already. Biking is great and a worthwhile activity, but the desires of a few should not outweigh the needs of many.