What does this have to do with E-bikes? Well, e-bikes make it a lot more feasible to commute around Westchester and Rockland Counties. Especially with the hills in the "River Towns" along the Hudson River. If only we can get across the Hudson...
I was at the Route 9 Active Transportation meeting last Thr night. There is currently no safe bicycle access to the TZB. Although large parts of Westchester are bikeable without bike lanes, both Route 9 and Route 119 are disasters. The meeting was predictable: planners presented their findings, and a few cranks dominated the discussion with "don't take away our parking." Then they posted comments on how "Route 9 is too dangerous for bike lanes" or "look at all the traffic now." Also "how will emergency vehicles get through;" well, a recent Bike Snob photo shows how that will work. Go figure. But the cranks all left early, leaving the rest of the event for everyone else to work constructively on a better Route 9. This meeting went far better than the Broadway/Van Cortlandt Park meeting this past Spring.
There was some discussion of upgrading (paving) the Old Croton Aqueduct trail to bike standards, mostly from people afraid of bike lanes on Route 9.. This would work well too; but it will never happen due to powerful interests that want to keep it unpaved. OCA is therefore a distraction, an excuse to study more but achieve nothing.
It turns out, the portions of Route 9 that are most critical to TZB access --- from Ardsley to the TZB --- also have plenty of space for a two-way protected bike lane, and no parking would need to be removed. The cranks spent most of their energy complaining about possible changes to parts of Route 9 that are NOT critical for TZB access.
Cycle clubs, and NYC recreational bikers in general, do not have a good reputation out here. People who have visited Nyack & Piermont complain about bad Fred behavior --- including riding many abreast and general lawlessness. They also believe (falsely) that they will always be held responsible if they hit a biker. Hah. In any case, this advocacy will go better if we focus on the numerous people who need to commute around and between Westchester and Rockland counties by bicycle --- rather than telling the locals they need to make space for bike lanes for the weekend enjoyment of Manhattanites.
http://www.route9active.org...
When the planners are done with Route 9, they'll go on to Route 119. Apparently, the money for both these projects comes from Cuomo's New Bridge project:
https://rt119complete.org/
I was at the Route 9 Active Transportation meeting last Thr night. There is currently no safe bicycle access to the TZB. Although large parts of Westchester are bikeable without bike lanes, both Route 9 and Route 119 are disasters. The meeting was predictable: planners presented their findings, and a few cranks dominated the discussion with "don't take away our parking." Then they posted comments on how "Route 9 is too dangerous for bike lanes" or "look at all the traffic now." Also "how will emergency vehicles get through;" well, a recent Bike Snob photo shows how that will work. Go figure. But the cranks all left early, leaving the rest of the event for everyone else to work constructively on a better Route 9. This meeting went far better than the Broadway/Van Cortlandt Park meeting this past Spring.
There was some discussion of upgrading (paving) the Old Croton Aqueduct trail to bike standards, mostly from people afraid of bike lanes on Route 9.. This would work well too; but it will never happen due to powerful interests that want to keep it unpaved. OCA is therefore a distraction, an excuse to study more but achieve nothing.
It turns out, the portions of Route 9 that are most critical to TZB access --- from Ardsley to the TZB --- also have plenty of space for a two-way protected bike lane, and no parking would need to be removed. The cranks spent most of their energy complaining about possible changes to parts of Route 9 that are NOT critical for TZB access.
Cycle clubs, and NYC recreational bikers in general, do not have a good reputation out here. People who have visited Nyack & Piermont complain about bad Fred behavior --- including riding many abreast and general lawlessness. They also believe (falsely) that they will always be held responsible if they hit a biker. Hah. In any case, this advocacy will go better if we focus on the numerous people who need to commute around and between Westchester and Rockland counties by bicycle --- rather than telling the locals they need to make space for bike lanes for the weekend enjoyment of Manhattanites.
http://www.route9active.org...
When the planners are done with Route 9, they'll go on to Route 119. Apparently, the money for both these projects comes from Cuomo's New Bridge project:
https://rt119complete.org/
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