Bike Safety Improves On UES Amid Deadly Year For City, Pols Say
The number of cyclist deaths in New York City rose sharply in 2019, but safety improvements on the Upper East Side are working.
By Brendan Krisel, Patch Staff
Jan 3, 2020 3:32 pm ET
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Bike safety on the Upper East Side has improved in recent years due to new bike lanes and education programs. (David Allen/Patch)
UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Bike safety measures taken on the Upper East Side in recent years have reduced the number of cyclists hurt and killed in collisions in the neighborhood despite an uptick in cyclist deaths in 2019, local elected officials announced this week.
Additional protected bike lanes, increased enforcement against cyclists violating traffic rules and new bike safety education programs have shows success in keeping both cyclists and pedestrians safe in the neighborhood, City Councilmembers Ben Kallos and Keith Powers said in a joint statement.
"Our first priority is to keep pedestrians and cyclists safe from cars, and we've made great strides doing so on the Upper East Side," said Council Member Ben Kallos. "Particularly older residents are also afraid of getting hurt in a collision with bikes that disobey the rules every day. Whether it is 'near misses' from a failure to yield to pedestrians, or reports of cyclists who run red lights, go the wrong way, or ride on sidewalks, everyone must know the rules of the road in order to share it safely.