Huge news! NYC's master bike plan

Today is very exciting for NYC cyclists. New York City today announced a new three-year plan to "complete the backbone of the City's planned bicycle network," promising to introduce bicycle safety programs and to install 200 miles of new on-street striped bike lanes, car-free bike paths, and signed routes.

The DOT also released the results of a study (see link above) that examined citywide cycling deaths and injuries in the past ten years. Ninety-seven percent of the 225 riders killed weren't wearing crash-helmets, so the City plans to supply bikers with free lids as well.

There is even more good news- the Parks & Recreation department announced plans to create mountain bike trails in Staten Island and Queens.
Of course, you might say it is too late- Similar plans have been in the works for years and hundreds of cyclists have since died. But big cities can take a long time to get moving, but I'm certainly glad NYC finally is.

One potentially important note is that the plan calls for cyclists to follow traffic laws (see below). I'm ashamed to say I'd rather have the right to run traffic lights than a ton of bike lanes.

Increase enforcement of laws against motorists who park or drive in a bicycle lane, and enforce traffic control obedience among motorists and bicyclists.