By Carla Zanoni
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
UPPER MANHATTAN — A group of residents and bike advocates called on community representatives to solve the shortage of adequate bike lanes and limited cycling safety measures in Northern Manhattan during a community bike forum Thursday.
"My right to be safe is the same as that of a pedestrian, a driver, or a disabled individual in a wheelchair," said Washington Heights resident and cycling advocate Rita McKee, who also called for more law enforcment of existing bike lanes that are often blocked by vehicles.
The unanimous message from bike proponents was delivered to Community Board 12 during a forum hosted at the ARC XVI Ft. Washington Senior Center in Washington Heights. Residents called on the board to implement a range of safety measures like dedicated and protected bike lanes.
The area has some bike lanes, but those who use them say they're poorly enforced against double parking, fall into disrepair, and are otherwise unsafe.
McKee said bike lanes are as important to Uptown New Yorkers' safety as sidewalks, curb cuts and stoplights.
McKee, along with approximately 30 residents and biking advocates called for the community board to approve a resolution asking the Department of Transportation conduct a study of the neighborhood’s streets to determine how to improve existing and add new bike lanes.
The group asked for measures such as extending the city’s greenways to the northern tip of the island, connecting the greenways to major street hubs in the neighborhoods, adding protected bike lanes where possible and continuous marked lanes where not.
Residents also asked for improved roadway care and angled parking on wide streets in order to increase parking options and reduce the rampant double parking that poses a threat to riders who are forced out into traffic when riding.
Cycling advocacy group Bike Upper Manhattan has gathered at least 1,300 online and print petition signatures in support of its plan for biking safety in the area.
The forum, which had been postponed for months, included representatives from the Mayor’s office, Parks Department and Department of Transportation, as well as representatives from cycling advocacy groups like Bike Upper Manhattan (BikeUp) and Transportation Alternatives.
According to city officials, plans for bike lanes and other cycling safety measures — including improvements to a hazardous exit from the greenway in Hudson Heights reported by DNAinfo — are in the works, but no specifics have yet been hammered out.
The often contentious debate over the past several months between community residents and the board seemed to have defused in time for the forum, but flared slightly when advocates learned the board would not recommend a resolution before the board goes on summer recess until September.
"At this point I question whether you are serious as a board or is this meeting a bit of a show," said Brad Conover, a spokesman for BikeUp.
The board had scheduled the forum after the traffic and transportation committee’s general meeting earlier this month and the board’s executive meeting earlier this week.
Committee member Mitch Glenn called on residents to have patience with the process and assured them that they have the committee’s support when it comes to enhancing general safety in the area, just not specifics of how to go about doing that.
"We are not the villains here," he told the crowd.
