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

VIDEO: Reckless Driver Kills Cyclist, Injures Four Others in Harlem Crash That Shows Need For Speed Caps

The 8 p.m. crash comes just a few days after Mayor Mamdani was criticized by the pro-car right for announcing that speed-limit reductions in school zones would be in effect all day, not just during school hours.

March 20, 2026

Mamdani’s Regulatory War on Delivery Apps Under Threat Amid Budget Crunch

Mamdani's budget slashes funding for the agency responsible for enacting his plans to regulate delivery apps.

March 20, 2026

FLIP THE SWITCH: Brooklyn Panel Asks DOT To Take Over Parking Enforcement From NYPD

Remember, the Department of Transportation handed out parking tickets until a government reorganization by Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1996.

March 20, 2026

Fact Check: No, Mamdani Is Not Letting Bike Scofflaws ‘Off the Hook’

For the sake of the ill-informed, we break down the myths and facts surrounding Mamdani's new policy.

March 20, 2026

Friday’s Headlines: Nice on Ninth Edition

The city is doing the right thing on Ninth Avenue. Plus other news.

March 20, 2026

‘How Do You Do That to People?’ Crash Victims Speak Out Against Hochul’s Car Insurance Agenda

"Her supposition that, 'There’s a lot of fraud and people are faking these injuries in order to get million-dollar payouts' is preposterous," said one crash victim.

March 19, 2026
See all posts