Spring Biking Around NYC

Summary

All Of It: Spring Biking Around NYC – Detailed Summary

Episode Release Date: May 2, 2025
Host: Alison Stewart
Production: WNYC

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1. Introduction to National Bike Month

Alison Stewart kicks off the episode by highlighting the significance of May as National Bike Month in New York City. She emphasizes the city's vibrant biking culture and introduces various segments planned for the show. The episode focuses primarily on biking, celebrating the season with discussions on popular routes, safety tips, and community events.

Key Points:

• Five Borough Bike Tour: Launching on Sunday, featuring a blessing of bikes at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine to inaugurate the biking season.
• Protected Bike Lanes Expansion: NYC's Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented 87.5 miles of protected bike lanes, with an additional 20 miles upgraded over the past three years, covering areas like Central Park, East River, Brooklyn Waterfront, Prospect Park, and Jersey Waterfront.

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2. The Bike Boom in NYC

The conversation delves into the recent surge in biking popularity across the city. Alison cites the DOT commissioner's remark predicting a "bike boom," attributing this trend to improved infrastructure and increased accessibility.

Notable Quote:

• "New York is expected to experience a bike boom." – NYC DOT Commissioner ([00:28])

Key Points:

• Demographic Growth: Increased ridership among women and people of color, with approximately 60% of NYC bikers identifying as people of color.
• Infrastructure Improvements: Expansion of protected and separated bike lanes has made biking a more viable and attractive option for a diverse population.

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3. Transportation Alternatives’ Role and Bike Month Celebrations

Representatives from Transportation Alternatives, a nonprofit advocating for bike-friendly travel, join the discussion to outline their contributions and Bike Month activities.

Key Participants:

• Emily Jacoby: Manhattan Organizer
• May Franke: Queens Organizer
• Anna Berlanga: Uptown/Bronx Organizer

Key Points:

• Bike Anywhere Day (May 15): Featuring a community duathlon in the South Bronx, in partnership with PS18 and Equity Design, allowing children to walk and bike on closed streets around 149th Street.
• Community Engagement: Encouraging city-wide participation through diverse events that cater to all demographics and promote bike commuting.

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4. Listener Calls: Favorite Routes and Personal Tips

The episode features multiple listener calls sharing their favorite biking routes across New York City's boroughs, offering practical tips and personal anecdotes.

Notable Contributions:

• Cooper from Brooklyn ([05:27]):

  • Route Highlight: Sunset Park to Owl’s Head Park, extending along New York Harbor to Coney Island, with options to continue to the Rockaways or down Bedford Avenue.

• Matt from Bergen County ([06:40]):

  • Route Highlight: Century Ride along the Hudson River to Bear Mountain Park, traversing Harriman Park into New Jersey via the George Washington Bridge or the new Cuomo Bridge.

• Rita from Jackson Heights ([07:57]):

  • Route Highlight: Jackson Heights to Sunnyside Bike Boulevard, connecting to Long Island City and Flushing Meadow Park, facilitating easy access to Mets games.

• Charlie from Lower East Side ([13:49]):

  • Route Highlight: Columbus Circle to George Washington Bridge and Piermont, including scenic rides along the Jersey side of the river.

• Karen from Brooklyn ([14:14]):

  • Route Highlight: Greenpoint to Socrates Sculpture Park via Pulaski Bridge, with alternative routes looping around Queensborough Bridge and Central Park.

• Daniel from Midtown ([15:46]):

  • Route Highlight: Social rides with Social Cycling NYC, emphasizing community and exploring various city parts beyond greenways.

Key Insights:

• Diverse Experiences: Bikers utilize a mix of scenic waterfronts, protected lanes, and community-driven routes.
• Accessibility: Routes cater to different skill levels and preferences, from leisurely rides to utilitarian commutes.

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5. Biking 101: Tips for New Cyclists

Anna Berlanga provides essential advice for those new to biking in NYC, covering everything from selecting the right bike to understanding road etiquette.

Notable Quotes:

• "If they don't have a bike, get one from Blue City Bike and go on the Hudson River Greenway." – Anna Berlanga ([09:01])
• "The basic rules of the road for bikers are to have an ethics of care and follow the rules of the road." – Anna Berlanga ([09:25])

Key Points:

• Choosing a Bike:

  • Ensure the bike fits your height, particularly the seat height, to prevent discomfort during long rides.
  • Women and non-binary individuals should consult bike fitters to accommodate different body proportions.

• Essential Gear:

  • Visibility: Equip your bike with lights and wear reflective gear.
  • Safety: Always wear a helmet, especially for beginners.
  • Practicality: Utilize fanny packs for belongings and secure water bottles.

• Road Etiquette:

  • Use hand signals for turns and stopping.
  • Slow down in crowded areas to ensure safety for all road users.
  • Carry a bell to alert pedestrians and other cyclists, as required by NYC law.

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6. Addressing Challenges: NYPD Traffic Stings

Madeline from Bushwick raises concerns about NYPD's cycling traffic stings targeting cyclists who run red lights, which can be particularly discouraging for new riders.

Notable Quote:

• "These are stings set up all over the city to catch cyclists running red lights. It can be pretty devastating to folks who are new at cycling." – Madeline ([26:39])

Key Points:

• Legal Rights:

  • Cyclists have the right to proceed during pedestrian signal phases.
  • Anna Berlanga advises cyclists to contest unfair tickets based on these rights.

• Safety Recommendations:

  • Adhere strictly to traffic signals to avoid unnecessary fines.
  • Stay informed about cycling laws to protect yourself from undue penalties.

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7. Learning to Ride and Community Support

The discussion shifts to resources and communities that support new cyclists in learning and integrating into NYC's biking culture.

Key Recommendations:

• Governor’s Island ([29:00]):

  • Accessible via a $5 ferry for adults, free for kids, students, and seniors.
  • Offers three miles of car-free biking paths ideal for beginners.

• 34th Avenue Open Street ([29:44]):

  • Provides learning classes in both English and Spanish.
  • Features bike fitters and licensed marshals to assist beginners.

• Social Cycling Groups:

  • Social Cycling NYC: Facilitates community rides every Thursday night, fostering social connections and exploring various city areas.
  • Inclusive Rides: Organizations like Cute Queer Joyride and NB Bike Club offer rides tailored for women, non-binary, and queer cyclists, promoting an inclusive environment.

Notable Quote:

• "Cycling brings people together. It brings community." – Anna Berlanga ([04:57])

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8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by thanking Transportation Alternatives and the callers for their contributions. She reiterates the importance of community in biking and encourages listeners to explore the discussed routes while practicing safe biking habits.

Closing Remarks:

• Transcript Availability: Full transcripts will be available on the WNYC website.
• Community Engagement: Encourages listeners to join bike rides and participate in Bike Month events to enhance their biking experience in NYC.

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Summary: This episode of "All Of It" serves as a comprehensive guide to biking in New York City during National Bike Month. From celebrating the bike boom and exploring diverse routes across all five boroughs to offering practical tips for new cyclists and addressing policing challenges, the show fosters a sense of community and promotes safe, inclusive biking practices. Transportation Alternatives plays a pivotal role in organizing events and advocating for better biking infrastructure, ensuring that biking remains an accessible and enjoyable mode of transportation for all New Yorkers.

Transcript

[Alison Stewart]

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[Anna Berlanga]

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[Alison Stewart]

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[Anna Berlanga]

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[Alison Stewart]

State law not available in all states.

[Emily Jacoby]

This is all of it. I'm Alison Stewart live from the WNYC Studio studios in soho. Thank you for sharing part of your day with us. I'm really grateful you are here. On today's show, Karen Russell will be here to talk about her new novel the Antidote. We'll hear a live performance from student musicians from the Celia Cruz Bronx High School of Music and we'll learn about the Peabody Award winning documentary Daughters. That's our plan. So let's get this started by exploring the city on two wheels. May is National Bike Month. The Five Borough Bike Tour kicks off this Sunday and tomorrow at the cathedral Church at St. John the Divine. There will be a blessing of the bikes to get the season off on the right foot or pedal. According to New York City's Department of Transportation, the commissioner says that New York is expected experiencing, quote, a bike boom. According to the DOT, there are 87.5 miles of protected bike lanes. In addition, over the past three years an upgrade an additional 20 miles with more to come. We are talking locations like Central park, the east river, the Brooklyn Water Greenway, Prospect park and the Jersey Waterfront to help you explore new places and to plan out your route for this weekend. We have a few representatives from the Transportation Alternatives, a non profit organization encouraging city friendly travel options that decrease automobile uses. Joining us today, the Manhattan organizer for the Transportation Alternatives, Emily Jacoby. Hi Emily.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi.

[Anna Berlanga]

Thanks for having me.

[Emily Jacoby]

Also joining us is the Queens Organizer. I'm going to get this right. May Franke hi. Hello. Hi May. And last but not least, Transportation Alternatives Uptown Organizer. Let me see if I can get this.

[Anna Berlanga]

Anna Berlanga Yes, Uptown and the Bronx. Let's not forget the bs.

[Emily Jacoby]

Love that. Thank you so much for telling me. Listeners, we want to hear your suggestions for biking routes. Where do you usually go? Do you go around your neighborhood, maybe through the park? Do you map out your route ahead of time or just hop on your bike and see where the road takes you? What do you like about riding your bike around the city? Our Phone lines are open. 2124-3396-9221-2433 wnyc. And dear listeners, come a little closer to the radio. This is not the Time to call to say that you don't like bikers. Okay. There are good bikers and there are bad bikers. We're talking to the good bikers here and how they can maintain good biking skills. Okay, you can back away from the radio now. 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC. Anna, how has participation in National Bike Month evolved or changed over the years?

[Anna Berlanga]

I think it's just grown and grown and grown, and it's grown across all demographics. So we see with the implementation of protected bike lanes, ridership among women has grown. Ridership among people of color have grown. So in New York City, about 60% of bikers are people of color. So I don't know, it's just a big. A big boom.

[Emily Jacoby]

How do you expect that Transportation Alternatives will be celebrating Bike Month this year?

[Anna Berlanga]

We have activations across all five boroughs. The one I'm doing, which I'm super excited about, is on May 15. We have bike Anywhere Day, and I was asked to partner with PS18 and Equity Design. They're doing a community duathlon in the South Bronx. So the kids are walking and biking on closed streets around 149th street ish May.

[Emily Jacoby]

The new York City Department commissioner said that he reported a spike in people riding bikes in the city. What are the factors that are contributing to people, to this trend of people just getting on their bikes and riding?

[Anna Berlanga]

I think people are realizing more and more that it is an actual option. And as we implement more infrastructural changes around the city that make that much easier and more accessible, just not infrastructure wise, but also money wise and accessibility.

[Emily Jacoby]

Wise, that makes people say, oh, I.

[Anna Berlanga]

Can actually do this. And it's not just for the hardcore bikers, you know.

[Emily Jacoby]

Emily, why do you think there's been such a boom in biking?

[Anna Berlanga]

I think we're seeing that when people have the infrastructure they need, but also the options through City bike, through trying something out with their friends, through exploring the city in new ways. Biking brings people together. It brings community. It's something you can do to get to work, which we advocate for during Bike Month, but it's also something that just gives you freedom to explore the city on your own.

[Emily Jacoby]

As you can imagine, our phone lines are getting full. Let's talk to Cooper. Hey, Cooper, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi there. I've never been on WNYC before. This is wild.

[Anna Berlanga]

That's great.

[Alison Stewart]

I just wanted to share some of my bike riding path suggestions, for example, I mean, for myself, it gets A little hectic out there when you're in the middle of Brooklyn and delivery guys and all kinds of, like, bike traffic that, you know, you kind of want to stay away from. So what I like to do is focus on different rides that go maybe along the rivers or near harbor. There's one specifically great ride. I love to do that. Once you get to Sunset park, there's a beautiful pier called Owl's Head park. And you can follow that all around all along New York harbor, all the way basically out to Coney island if you want to. And from there there are pretty intuitive, like, bike trails where you can go like out to the Rockaways, for example, or right all the way down Bedford Avenue, which is Brooklyn's longest street.

[Emily Jacoby]

All right, Cooper, thanks for the tips. Let's talk to Matt, who's calling in from Bergen County. Hi, Matt, thanks for calling, all of it. You're on the air.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, hey, thank you so much for taking my call. I appreciate it. A big shout out to all the biking I see going on in Manhattan in the city. I love it. I'm in New Jersey, but I take the train in and I'm on the city bikes and cautiously. A great ride that I love to do that I'd love to tell you guys about is the century up the Hudson River. Just take it all the way up, all the way up. Put into the gps. You go to the Bear Mountain Bridge, which I'm sure everybody knows about, but then cross over the bridge to the eastern side. Excuse me, the western side of the Hudson. Cross over the Bear Mountain Bridge to Bear Mountain Park. You could follow that to, I believe it's. It's a parkway, about a half a mile of it, and then through Harriman park, about 20 miles downhill all the way through Herriman park into New Jersey. You follow that back over the GW Bridge or over the new Cuomo Bridge. Beautiful bike lane, which I'm sure your listeners know about. And it's just a great century. Just put it into the Google Maps for the biking route. But it's beautiful. I love it and love what you guys are doing at TransAlt. Thank you so much.

[Emily Jacoby]

Let's talk to Rita from Jackson Heights. Hi, Rita, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, yeah, thanks. Yeah, I just wanted to say I'm a six year old woman who never rode a bike or did not ride a bike in New York City before the pandemic. And I started to do it during the pandemic. And Now Jackson Heights, 34th Avenue, open streets is A great bike path. It goes from 69th to basically 95th street here in Jackson Heights, but it also links up with Sunnyside and the bike boulevard there, and then into Long Island City. And if you like to go to the Mets game, you can now go by bike from Jackson Heights and Sunnyside right into Flushing Meadow park to watch the Mets and enjoy the park. It's been great. I really appreciate all the work that's been done for bikes.

[Emily Jacoby]

Rita, thanks for calling in. I'm going to start with Biking 101 for someone who hasn't been on a bike recently in New York City. Let's start with you, Anna. For someone who hasn't biked in years, what's the best way to start?

[Anna Berlanga]

I would probably say if they don't have a bike, get one blue city bike and go on the Hudson River Greenway. There's a lot of people there, but it's completely separated and protected. And you've got the water on one side, you've got people parks. You can stop whenever you want and just enjoy a summer day.

[Emily Jacoby]

And this may sound really obvious, Emily, but what are the basic rules of the road for bikers?

[Anna Berlanga]

So the basic rules of the road for bikers are first, which we say, just have an ethics of care. Look around you, make sure you're being conscientious of more vulnerable riders around you than you might be conscientious of pedestrians. We encourage helmet wearing, especially for those newcomers onto bikes. It makes you feel more secure. If anything happens, you'll be safe and basically follow, follow the rules of the road. You are, as a cyclist, legally allowed to go with the pedestrian signal. So if you see that pedestrian walk sign on a signal time, you are free to go with that. But we encourage being cognizant and careful in intersections and making sure you and others around you are safe.

[Emily Jacoby]

All right, you've done this a couple of times. Like, I'm going to get a bike. I'm going to go get myself a bike. What should you look for when you choose your first bike?

[Anna Berlanga]

I would say the right seat.

[Emily Jacoby]

And I know it sounds a little.

[Anna Berlanga]

Obvious, but really, it's one of those.

[Emily Jacoby]

Things that if you're riding for a.

[Anna Berlanga]

Long time, it can really be a little hard on the body. So make sure that the bike is the right height for your height, especially if you're like a little taller or a little shorter. The seat should be at the height of your hips, and you should try to make that seat as comfortable as.

[Emily Jacoby]

Possible because you're going to be Sitting there for like a couple of hours.

[Anna Berlanga]

So you want to be really comfortable. Can I add a little to that, please? Especially for the women out there, like everything, bikes are generally designed for men's proportions. So something I recently discovered is that women tend to have longer legs and shorter torsos, and men is the reverse. So bikes are generally measured for men's sizes. So if you go just by height, you might be getting a bike that is too big for you. So just consult your local bike shop. Most of them have what they call bike fitters. And look at how far your reach is.

[Emily Jacoby]

Emily, what kind of gear do you recommend that someone starting out should have?

[Anna Berlanga]

I'd say the most important gear for a beginner are things to keep you visible and things to keep your hands clear. So that would be having a little fanny pack to keep your stuff in. Make sure you have really great lights. There are lots of light options that you can take on and off very easily. And bring. Bring your water bottle, get your. Get your water cup linked onto your bike. And then the last thing I'll say is with that helmet, I love when a helmet comes with the light attachments. It just makes me feel extra safe and visible.

[Emily Jacoby]

May the streets can get really busy. How should bikers communicate with pedestrians in crowded intersections?

[Anna Berlanga]

So we really encourage hand signaling and the way that we used to do.

[Emily Jacoby]

It with cars, like the old fashioned way.

[Anna Berlanga]

So you, like, lift your hand or your arm up when you're going to do a turn and do like, a lot of hand signaling is good, but also, like, the basic rule of thumb is slow down. You don't have to be going as fast as you might feel you want to go. And that just generally keeps everyone safer.

[Emily Jacoby]

So slow down.

[Anna Berlanga]

Like, we're not in any rush.

[Emily Jacoby]

Anybody else have any ways of communicating with people in cars or who are pedestrians?

[Anna Berlanga]

Well, the best thing, you're not in a car. So people can hear your voice.

[Emily Jacoby]

Oh, yeah, of course.

[Anna Berlanga]

So you can say, excuse me. Coming through. Ring, ring with your little bell. You always have to have a bell. That's part of. That's actually part of New York City law.

[Emily Jacoby]

What else is part of New York City law?

[Anna Berlanga]

The lights, the bell, and pedals, I think.

[Emily Jacoby]

Pedals. All right.

[Anna Berlanga]

Weird.

[Emily Jacoby]

We are talking about National Bike Month. We've got folks from the transportation alternatives here. Emily, Jake, Kobe, Mai, Frank A. And Anna. I'm gonna mess this up. Berlagna.

[Anna Berlanga]

Yeah.

[Emily Jacoby]

Oh, I did it again. Please. We want to hear your suggestions for bike routes. What do you like about biking around the city 2124-339692-22433. WNYC. Folks, if you're driving and calling us, don't do that. You have to pull over and then you can call us. No driving and calling, please. Let's talk to Charlie from the Lower east side. Hi, Charlie. Thanks for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[Alison Stewart]

Hey, guys, My name's Charlie from the Lower east side. I started the Transportation Alternative Tour Club in the early 90s when the rides were published in the City Cyclists. Rides would start at Columbus Circle, go up to the George Washington Bridge, and usually to Piermont, sometimes all the way up to Bear Mountain. There's places you can ride along the river on the Jersey side. It's really beautiful.

[Emily Jacoby]

Thank you so much for calling in. Let's talk to Karen from Brooklyn. I know her. This is Karen. Is this Karen from New Sounds?

[Alison Stewart]

It is.

[Anna Berlanga]

Hi, Allison.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks for talking with me. I'm a biker, and I, during the pandemic, found a number of really beautiful rides that came to. Came to me for no good reason other than, hey, I've got time. Let's go explore the waterfront like the other caller was saying. And so I found one that takes you through Brooklyn, all the way through Greenpoint and then over the Pulaski Bridge. And then if you just hug the waterfront, you'll eventually get to Socrates Sculpture Park. Hey, it's free. Hey, it's outdoors. And you can amble around and admire different pieces of art once you're done with your ride. I actually took that with a colleague from here with Alethea during the pandemic. It was really fun. And there's another one of my favorite ones. It's a Triborough bike tour that I made up that similar route, except instead of going all the way up to Socrates Sculpture park, you would go over the Queensborough Bridge and then into Manhattan and finally maybe make a loop around Central Park. Or not. And then call it. Good. And go back the way you came or go down through the Lower east side and back over the Manhattan Bridge. So you get all of your bridges. Well, almost all. Not the Brooklyn Bridge, although I do have to say the Brooklyn Bridge cycle lane is great now, the way they've changed it.

[Emily Jacoby]

Karen, thank you for calling in. I don't have to talk to you like 50ft away. You're right there. Let's talk to Daniel from Midtown. Hi, Daniel. Daniel, are you.

[Alison Stewart]

Hello, can you hear me?

[Emily Jacoby]

Oh, I hear you. You're on the air.

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, man. This is the first time for me calling in radio. I didn't know people still did this. Hi Anna, this is Dan.

[Anna Berlanga]

Hi Dan.

[Alison Stewart]

Hi, my name is Dan.

[Anna Berlanga]

Plays the best music on bike rides.

[Emily Jacoby]

Okay, good. Let's hear about you, Dan.

[Alison Stewart]

Yes, my name is Daniel. I love the social and community aspect of cycling. I used to ride alone until I found out about a little group who rides in Columbus Circle on Thursday nights called Social Cycling nyc. They ride every Thursday night, meet at Columbus Circle at 7, roll out at 7:30, riding all around the city. I started out biking to up and down the Hudson just like Anna mentioned as a way to just get the views in. It was great and eventually wanted to venture a little bit more in terms of biking to work since it was the same time as taking the train and I love it. Definitely got to be careful. Definitely wear your helmets, make sure you have your bell. I love playing music on my bike because just love sharing the tunes. Don't wear headphones, you can't hear any cars beeping at you. So definitely encourage playing your music out loud so this can see you and you can just enjoy the vibes and share them with everyone else. But definitely the community vibes. Like groups like Social Cycling NYC on Instagram. Thursday night social ride from Columbus circle, meetin at 7, rollout at 7:30. They ride all over the place all year, which is amazing. So even in the winter, for those who are crazy enough to do so, they do ride in the winter. Be careful to watch out for rain and snow sometimes. We do have cancellations. I've known about social cycling for now almost six years. They've been around since 2012. I believe there is a ride leader by the name of Enrique who may be in close connection with Anna in some way, shape or form. Maybe she can talk about that. But again, I really very much love the community aspect of social cycling. It's a great way to keep bodies moving for folks to meet people for you to also see different parts of the city. So it's not just the greenways. And yeah, definitely love what TransAlt is doing. Encouraging some more bike lanes. The trains are getting really packed. I know people hate congestion pricing, but it really does help to make sure there are less cars on the road. There are a lot of.

[Emily Jacoby]

Daniel, I'm gonna dive in here because you. We got it. You like biking. Thanks so much for calling in. I'm gonna find out what that's about during the break. Anna. And when we come back, our folks from Transportation Alternatives will tell you a few of their favorite routes. To ride and we'll get to more of your calls. This is all of it. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. It is Nationals Bike Month. So we're talking about where to go biking this weekend and weekends after with a few members from transportation Alternatives. And we're taking your calls on your favorite biking routes. All right, I told each of you to get your routes ready. We'll start with you, Mai, where you're representing Queens. What route are you going to suggest that people take?

[Anna Berlanga]

Okay, so, okay, okay. So this one takes you through the heart of Queens. So you start at Flushing Meadows Park. You can start the Unisphere and see the, the World's Fair, the glow, which is awesome. You can ride around the park, which is fantastic. Then you connect to 34th Ave on the north side of the of the park. Then you ride 34th Ave through Corona, you reach Jackson Heights and you ride it all the way through the open street, which is amazing. It is the best open street in the city. I'm sorry, you have kids playing, you have people playing chess, you have suma ladies. It's amazing. Once you bike through like you, you'll never be the same. Then you bike all the way through and you connect to Sunny to Woodside on the other end. You bike through, you stop for some legendary queen's food, then you bike it.

[Emily Jacoby]

All the way through into Astoria.

[Anna Berlanga]

You explore the amazing network of bike lanes that you have in Astoria and then you can take Crescent street all the way down to Queensborough Bridge and ride over the East River. Or for my overachievers, you can take 36th Avenue instead and bike across to Roosevelt island and then bike Roosevelt island too. That's like for the hardcore super riders.

[Emily Jacoby]

We got you. All right, let's hear your trip that you're going to plan, Anna. For someone who wants to go riding.

[Anna Berlanga]

So similar to my, I would start in a park, Randall's island, one of the most the gems of New York City. Randall's island has several city bike stations. So you can grab a city bike, go on the protected separated bike lanes around Randall's and Ward's island, cross the Wards Island Bridge and then go through the Bronx Connector, which was opened I think like 10ish years ago, into the Bronx. There's like one gap in the bike lane right there for two blocks where you're legally allowed to ride on the sidewalk. And then that will take you to the brand new Bruckner Boulevard bike lane which runs under the Bruckner Expressway. Again, totally separated and protected. You are under a highway. So. But it is the Bronx where there are unfortunately a lot of highways. And then it will connect to the Bronx River Greenway, which is a separated and protected park greenway along the Bronx river, the only fresh water river in New York City. And you can take the Bronx River Greenway as far as you want to go. It goes 23 miles up to the Kensacoa Dam in Valhalla. You can take the Metro north back or you can just stop whenever you want to stop.

[Emily Jacoby]

All right, your turn, Emily.

[Anna Berlanga]

All right, well, I'm going to take our attention to the east side of Manhattan. We know Lord did her foray near the waterfront last week, but I just want to highlight how much cycling in Manhattan has changed over the years. I don't think people 15 years ago would have thought you could calmly bike up some of the avenues that used to be just car clogged, that are now lovely beginner friendly amenity, rich bike path. So I would get started also at a Park at St. Barton Park, 34th street and First Avenue. They have some great programming through the summer. They're fighting for an open street on 36th street, so give them a check out. Heading up First Avenue and First Avenue is a lovely bike lane. It's safe for all ages and abilities. And the real gem is last year DOT completed a tunnel near the UN So you have a moment of going underground in this super wide bike lane and you can scream at the top of your lungs or sing or blast your music and it's absolutely awesome. But you have to see the tunnel and then you can head up first and veer over on East 53rd street to get to the East Midtown Greenway. And that is a gorgeous new portion of Greenway on the east river waterfront that is spacious. You can get some good views in, you can hang out for a picnic. And when you're done with that, you can head up on 61st street where it ends and hit 3rd Avenue. And 3rd Avenue is a very special stretch of 40 blocks of new protected bike lane installed in 2023 with double wide bike lanes and DOT's first green wave in Manhattan, which actually times cyclists to hit every green light as they go. So if you want a leisurely and calm bike path where you don't have to think about running any lights, you're just going to be swept up in the green wave. And it's absolutely beautiful. From there you can head on to Central park at 93rd street, which is relatively calm it's not a protected bike lane, but it's pretty decent up there. And then finish your ride in Central Park.

[Emily Jacoby]

Three great rides. Thank you so much for that. Let's talk to our listeners. We've got Peter calling from Crown Heights. Hey, Peter, thank you so much for making the time to call all of it.

[Alison Stewart]

Hey, sure thing. So I like to mostly bike alone, but one good thing to do is to go to cemeteries. So I like going out in Queens. There's a few. There's Calvary, and around Forest Hills, there's Evergreen. You can usually get in and bike around. I know Greenwood does not allow biking, but those are active. But then I also like to go down along the Brooklyn waterfront, where they've done all that great work putting in protected and raised bike lanes on Kent and Flushing. There's the somewhat hidden Naval cemetery in the Navy Yard, and it's probably most accessible by bike. It changes with the seasons. It's got bike racks in front, and it's also got a hidden public diary in the park you can find. So the Naval cemetery and then some of the more active ones in Queens are always nice to ride around.

[Emily Jacoby]

Thanks so much for calling in. Let's talk to Noah. Hey, Noah, thanks for calling, all of it. You're on the air.

[Alison Stewart]

Hello. Thank you for taking the call and for having such a forum.

[Emily Jacoby]

What do you want to tell us?

[Alison Stewart]

Oh, okay. Well, my interest is longtime cyclist since the 70s, former parks employee and Citibike employee. It's been delightful to see biking explode like it has. I'm proud to say that I was part of a project once, very small in the big picture, that later became a part of the bike pass in Riverside Park. And I, by the way, my five favorite bike rides are utilitarian bike rides, sort of like a jog, part of Central park, some city streets, and then the Riverside bike paths. But the ones you guys described sound fantastic as, well, the reason that I think biking has become so prevalent so quickly and there's lots of them. But there was the emergence of the bike paths, especially up by Columbus and Amsterdam, where I am also, Citibike made bikes instantly prevalent. And I actually think that local bike stores and people owning bikes is good as well. But that really put bikes everywhere. And the pandemic gave us a prevalence of E bikes and bike riders now that can cause problems with bike congestion. But that's all part of a greater biking ethos. And it's just been great to see and thank you again for having this conversation.

[Emily Jacoby]

Appreciate it, Noah. Let's talk to Madeline from Bushwick. Hey, Madeline, thanks for calling all of it. You're on the air.

[Alison Stewart]

Hey there. Thanks so much for this conversation and big respect to all the other cyclists out there. I'm an avid cyclist myself, and I just wanted to bring attention something that I notice happens just about every spring, and that's the NYPD cycling traffic stings. So these are stings that are set up all over the city to catch cyclists running red lights. It can be pretty devastating to folks who are new at cycling. Pretty discouraging. And a lot of times folks actually even get tickets for going when the crossing, pedestrian crossing sign turns to go before the red light. So I myself have gotten a ticket for that where the light is green or the light is red actually, but the crosswalk is go. And so I just want to bring that to the attention of other cyclists. It feels like unfair targeting, to be honest, when there's so many cars causing more dangerous infractions out there. But it's just something to be aware of if you're a cyclist, that there are cops giving tickets for things like this and just want everybody out there to be aware and to enjoy their ride without getting a ticket.

[Emily Jacoby]

Emily, thank you. Thank you for calling. Emily, you were nodding. Can you tell people what their rights are?

[Anna Berlanga]

You're right. You have the right to go with the pedestrian signal. So a police officer ticketing you for entering the intersection when the LPI is on, when that leading pedestrian interval is on, is in the wrong. And you should be contesting that ticket. And I'm so sorry to anyone that has happened to. It's not allowed.

[Emily Jacoby]

Let's talk to Katie from Brooklyn. Hey, Kayta, thanks for calling, all of it.

[Anna Berlanga]

Thanks so much for having me.

[Alison Stewart]

I just wanted to mention. So I ride with social cycling a lot as well, but I also just.

[Anna Berlanga]

Wanted to shout out some other groups.

[Alison Stewart]

That maybe if you're a woman or.

[Anna Berlanga]

Non binary person and you want to.

[Alison Stewart]

Ride in a group that's maybe like.

[Anna Berlanga]

A little bit more focused on those.

[Alison Stewart]

Groups, maybe not as masculine.

[Anna Berlanga]

I just really wanted to shout out.

[Alison Stewart]

A couple other rides in the city that are awesome to try out. Cute Queer Joyride, NB Bike Club, Both of those are open to people of any gender. Just, you know, be chill. Ridgewood Rides, which is on Thursday. Bergen Bike Bus on Wednesday.

[Anna Berlanga]

Especially if you are someone with a.

[Alison Stewart]

Kid who goes to school along the route. There's a couple other bike buses in the city. I don't want to imply that, like women can, you know, only ride with Other women or it's, you know, women are like always intimidated. But if you are in that position.

[Anna Berlanga]

And you want a group to try.

[Alison Stewart]

Out, I can strongly recommend those. The other one that I would shout out for people who are maybe new but want to try cycling is going.

[Anna Berlanga]

To see races at the track at.

[Alison Stewart]

Cassino Village are some wtfnb as we would call women, trans femme non binary.

[Anna Berlanga]

Groups that have WTF and B only races there. And there are also quite a few.

[Alison Stewart]

WTFNB alley caps around the city for.

[Anna Berlanga]

Anybody who wants to try that out. Thanks everybody for organizing the call and.

[Alison Stewart]

Yeah, welcome everybody who wants to ride in the city.

[Emily Jacoby]

Thanks Katie. We are just getting so many texts with so many different variations on this theme and it is where can I learn to ride a bike? Where can I go in the city? What advice would you give them?

[Anna Berlanga]

So my, my recommendation for an amazing place to learn is another island and it's Governor's Island. And you can get there via Ferry for $5 if you're an adult. It's free for kids and students and seniors. You get to Governors island, you've got city bike docks there. You can bring your bike on the ferry with you, but you have three miles of car free oasis. It is totally calm. It doesn't get too congested with pedestrians and cyclists and you have space to learn and practice and ride around and build your skills. So. And you have the best views in the city. And if you want something more formal, well, I know Mai was about to say 34th Avenue, but if you want something more formal, bike New York does learn to ride classes for children and adults and they've got their, they've got their shtick like down pat. So they know how to do that. Can I also jump in to say that 34th also has classes? So open streets are a great place to learn because you don't have to.

[Emily Jacoby]

Interact with cars too.

[Anna Berlanga]

And the folks at 34th Ave. Open street in Jackson Heights also have learned to ride classes in Spanish and in English. They can provide bikes too. So it's a great way to also do it with a trainer and a licensed marshal.

[Emily Jacoby]

Transportation alternatives. Emily Jacoby, Mai Frankie and Anna Berlagna, thank you so much for joining us and sharing your bike rides and all of your information for people who weren't riding fast enough. The transcripts for this conversation will be up on our website when we post the audio so you can get all the information on our transcripts. Thank you so much for joining us.

[Anna Berlanga]

Hope to see you guys out there. Thank you have fun.

[Alison Stewart]

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