Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Cars

Streetfilms: Bike Count on Second Avenue Raises Question — Why So Much Space for Cars?

That’s a lot of space for cars. Photo: Google

It's time for some spacial equity.

Bike traffic on Second Avenue is soaring as we enter spring, with a random count taken on Tuesday afternoon revealing that there are roughly only two times the number of cars as two-wheelers, even though car drivers are allotted five lanes of space for the movement and storage of their vehicles, while cyclists get just half a lane.

Check out Clarence Eckerson's seminal video here:

Stick around to the end for the payoff of Eckerson's survey of three intersections:

There were 323 cars and 171 bikes — or 1.9 cars for every bike.

Yet, again, drivers have hegemony over roughly 12 times more space than cyclists.

We'll be asking elected officials if they plan to do anything about the inequity, which will only increase as efforts continue to promote cycling with new lanes and discourage driving with congestion pricing.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

DOT Boss Defends Adams’s ‘Vision Zero’ Record As Agency Fights A Bike Lane in Court

Traffic fatalities are down and the DOT is taking a victory lap — even as it argues against a protected bike lane in court.

July 2, 2025

Cyclist Arrested After Crash with Electric ‘One-wheel’-Style Unicycle

Carolyn Backus is charged with fleeing the scene of a crash causing serious injury, but the details are murky.

Wednesday’s Headlines: Return of Summer Streets Edition

Summer Streets is back and bigger than ever. Plus more news.

July 2, 2025

How Will Mamdani Govern? His Earlier MTA Advocacy Gives Some Hints

Mamdani spent his initial years as a state assemblyman cultivating relationships in and around the MTA while crafting his vision for "fast and free buses."

July 2, 2025

Brooklyn Judge Once Again Declines to Rip Up Bedford Ave. Protected Bike Lane… For Now

Well-connected lawyer Frank Seddio argued against the Bedford Avenue protected bike lane in court on Tuesday.

Money for Something: Funding OK’d, But Details Missing For ‘Dept. Of Sustainable Delivery’

The mayor got the Council to sign off on $6.1 million for the long-awaited “Department of Sustainable Delivery." But what's it mean? No one is talking.

July 1, 2025
See all posts