John Liu

We've got two more citywide elections to review on the eve of tomorrow's primary vote -- the contests for comptroller and public advocate.

Outgoing Council Member John Liu has been a fickle legislator when it comes to livable streets. While the transportation committee chair might endorse congestion pricing, he was also a staunch defender of the mythical put-upon working stiff whose very survival depended on free bridge crossings. And we can't forget his fidgeting when it came time to act on the all-important issue of bike access, his skepticism of landmark street reclamations (while scolding DOT on pedestrian safety), or his repeatedly debunked "two sets of books" claim -- if for no other reason than Liu himself has made it a cornerstone of his current campaign for city comptroller.

The New York City Council voted 46-1 this afternoon in favor of Intro 871, the Bicycle Access Bill, opening the door to significant gains in commuter cycling. Cyclists who do not commute by bike have long cited the lack of a secure place to lock up as the most important factor holding them back. Intro 871 will give thousands of them a new legal framework to petition for bicycle access at their places of work, but stops short of guaranteeing access to all buildings. All told, its passage marks the biggest legislative victory ever achieved by bicycle advocates in New York City.

A new version of the Bicycle Access Bill has been placed on legislators' desks at City Hall, indicating that votes in the Transportation Committee and the full City Council are likely later this month, according to multiple sources tracking the bill's progress.

We've got an update about the petition drive urging Council member John Liu to hold a vote on the Bicycle Access Bill in his committee: It's got people fired up. From Crain's Insider:

An important heads up for our New York readers: Before you start grilling this weekend, make sure you sign on to TA's campaign urging John Liu to support the Bicycle Access Bill. Pretty much everyone from Mayor Bloomberg on down expected the bill to clear Liu's transportation committee this week and gain passage in the City Council. Didn't happen.

After months of negotiations and fine-tuning, the Bicycle Access Bill was expected to come up for a vote in the City Council this afternoon. Despite the support of Mayor Bloomberg and 29 co-sponsors, that's not going to happen. For many thousands of cyclists, riding to work will remain an unappealing option due to the lack of a secure place to lock up.

This email alert from Transportation Alternatives just hit our inbox. The Bicycle Access Bill (Intro 871, sponsored by David Yassky), is scheduled for a City Council committee hearing tomorrow and possibly a floor vote if it can get that far. Despite the support of the mayor and 29 co-sponsors, we're hearing rumblings that the City Council might snatch defeat from the jaws of victory on this historic piece of legislation: