Anxious musings and dire predictions are surfacing among cyclists and advocates over the future of bike lanes in New York City, reported the NY Times today.
The expectation that the next mayor of the big Apple might not appreciate the two wheeled conveyances the way Michael Bloomberg has is justified.
For one, the bike share program in New York was already delayed by a whole year under Bloomberg’s benign leadership.
Despite committing to financing the program for 4 years, Citigroup was ostensibly brought in through the mere strength, financial reach and personality of Bloomberg himself. Contracts, we all know, are written to be broken.
Citi itself has suffered financially and laid off 11,000 workers under the efficiency regime of its new CEO Michael Corbat. Under those circumstances, it’s not clear that even a Bloomberg could convince Citi to continue funding the program.
But add to that the numerous bike lanes that have come under continued criticism by people wedded to old ideas and the old way of doing things, by motor vehicle. It may take entire generations to get these folks to see the issue differently, to get out of their cars and clean a few clogged arteries by jumping on a bicycle.
Still, even Bloomberg in our eyes hasn’t done enough. So if we do get a mayor who cares less then Bloomberg about reducing our carbon footprint, and making cycling safer in New York, we’re in a lot of trouble.
