After Hard-Fought Campaign, Bicycle Access Bill Set to Become Law

The front cover of TA’s 1993 Bicycle Blueprint. Image: Dave Perry.

The Bicycle Access Bill, Intro 871, is on track to clear the City Council this Wednesday, in what will be a major milestone for the livable streets movement in New York City. We just received an announcement from Council Member David Yassky’s office that passage of Intro 871 is a done deal. This time, there is no doubt that the full City Council will take up the bill during its next stated meeting. With 35 co-sponsors and mayoral support, its passage has been secured.

Bicycle advocates have called for citywide legislation like Intro 871 going back at least to 1993, when Transportation Alternatives released its Bicycle Blueprint and identified the lack of bike access to buildings as a major deterrent to commuting by bicycle.

We’ll have more about the significance of the bill after Wednesday’s vote. For now, I’ll just note that major credit belongs to bill sponsor David Yassky, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and her staff, TA, and all the cyclists who helped push this through.

If you’d like to witness the historic vote on Wednesday — and TA tells me they’re encouraging attendance — the stated meeting starts at 1:30 p.m., City Council Time.