Just like automobiles, bicyclists need to cross valleys, canyons and rivers and ravines.Bicyclists simply need bridges. Without the proper infrastructure and legislation in place, the access and safety for bicyclists to use vital transportation crossings continues to serve as a major obstacle for both recreational and commuting use. NYBC is involved in two key campaigns to advance cyclist right to safe access on bridges:
The Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge Coalition: Centered in the Capital Region of New York State connecting the cities of Albany and Renssalear, the Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge has been in service for over a century and is slated for reconstruction in 2017. The Livingston Avenue Railroad Bridge Coalition was formed to advocate for the inclusion of a bike and pedestrian walkway on the new bridge, which as an infrastructure element of the original bridge. The current bridge provided a walkway for nearly 80 years, but was closed in the early 1990s due to lack of maintenance and deterioration of walkway surface. NYBC has partnered with LARBC to push for the inclusion of a bike path on the new bridge, which will serve as a major transportation connection for the region. The campaign has the potential to set precedent across the state that cyclists need bridges.
- Follow the Campaign at NYBC’s LARBC Page by Clicking Here
- Also, Check out Park and Trail’s New York’s Page for more information
The Tappan Zee Bridge Reconstruction:
NYBC has been supporting the addition of a multi–use path along the newly designed Tappan Zee Bridge crossing the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland Counties since the project was first discussed. We served on advisory committees and continue to provide advice today. Our clear support was for this strategic route for non-motorized travel across the River within a thirty-two mile span of dense population centers that now lack of any such bike connectivity. However we also supported a cost effective and practical project that’s in keeping with the anticipated uses and the design standards that should guide such projects.
The 16,013 foot, roughly 3-mile long Tappan Zee Bridge has taken structural abuse from constant automobile traffic and has outlived its projected 50-year lifespan since opening in 1955. The bridge, which is a vital commuter connection to New York City and within the Hudson Valley, has been under review for reconstruction by the New York State DOT. In a recent letter to Governor Cuomo, a bipartisan group of eleven elected officials and sixteen labor, environmental, equity, good government and transportation organizations voiced their concern about the possibility that the new TZB could be built without transit:
” A Transit-less Tappan Zee Bridge would be obsolete from day one.’ The crucial transportation connection across the river must include mass-transit considerations to help reduce congestion and prompt people to take healthier, more environmentally friendly modes to work including bus, train, carpooling and biking.”
For more information on the Tappan Zee Bridge Campaign, Click Here
For updates on the progress of the TZB project, Click Here