Sunday, May 20, 2007

Bikes Rock and win fastest commute...


Transportation Alternatives put on a race to see who is the fastest commuter...

Battle for the Fastest Commute!

Cyclist Out-Commutes Straphanger and Car Service

Friday, May 18th 8:33am from Fix Cafe in Brooklyn to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan

This morning, Luci Olewinski, Nurse Practitioner at Bellevue Hospital, won Transportation Alternatives' Bike Month NYC 2007 6th Annual Commuter Race by making it from Fix Cafe on North 11th Street and Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan in 15 minutes, despite strong headwinds over the bridge. Olewinski beat subway rider Phillip Pond, by 4 minutes and Cab rider James Vincente, by 8 minutes.

Olewinski, a nurse practitioner who commutes daily to her night shifts in the Bellevue Hospital Emergency Room, reported that she was happy that her "victory proves to would-be bike commuters that getting to work by bike is fast and easy." She encouraged others to "take advantage of the good summer weather and give bike commuting a spin."

According to 2000 Census figures, New Yorkers have the longest average commute in the country, about 45 minutes. However, the average bicycle commute in New York City only takes 30 minutes.

Cycling is booming in New York City, and Mayor Bloomberg's PlaNYC long-term sustainability initiative commits to making cycling an everyday form of transportation and recreation for New Yorkers. Bicycle use is at record levels with over 120,000 daily cyclists in New York City, up from 75,000 just ten years ago. Mayor Bloomberg's goal of adding 200-miles of bike lanes by 2009 and 40-miles of greenway paths by 2010 will improve safety and encourage more New Yorkers to ride. More cycling will help achieve PlaNYC's goals of reducing global warming emissions by 30%, achieving the cleanest air of any big city in the U.S. and improving travel times -- all necessary to maintain livability now and in the coming years.

Bike Month NYC, presented by Transportation Alternatives, the NYC Department of Transportation and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene honors the bicycle as a healthy convenient, quick, quiet, clean and community-friendly form of transportation. This year's sixteenth annual celebration of cycling in New York City features over 175 events throughout all five boroughs between April 24 and June 3, culminating with the 3rd annual Tour de Brooklyn bike ride. The calendar of events is available at bike shops and online at bikemonthnyc.org.

1 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Transportation Alternatives’ Tour de Brooklyn!

When: Sunday June 3rd, Registration 8 am – Rain or Shine
Where: Start/ Finish Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park
What: Bicycle tour featuring historic Brooklyn neighborhoods, parks and waterfronts.
Who: cyclists of all ages and skill levels
Info: www.tourdebrooklyn.org, call 212-629-8080
Cost: Free but on-line registration required

Bike Brooklyn’s Best 3rd Annual Tour de Brooklyn

This year’s tour gets underway at Grand Army Plaza, a National Historic Landmark at Prospect Park. This year’s 18 mile tour will feature Brooklyn’s southern neighborhoods along the waterfront like Sunset, Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst and loops towards the heart of Brooklyn, Kensington and Prospect Park South to end at the Carousel.

If this is your first time to Brooklyn by bike don’t worry you can join our feeder ride, leaving from Cadman Plaza near Brooklyn Bridge. Ride will depart promptly at 7:45 am, arriving at Prospect Park 8:05 am. Safety Marshals will be provided to guide you to the GAP.

This is a family friendly ride at a leisurely pace, escorted by the police and safety marshals. There will be one rest stop along the way where you can take a break, stretch your legs and snack on some food.

Bicycling in New York City has grown by leaps and bounds, there are over 120,000 daily cyclists today, up just 75,000 1992. There are over 36,000 daily cyclists in Brooklyn alone, plus thousands more who bike for fun on the weekends. Transportation Alternatives has been instrumental in winning new bike lanes, improved bridge access, and safe parking for NYC cyclists.

Bicycling in New York City has grown by leaps and bounds, there are over 120,000 daily cyclists today, up just 75,000 1992. There are over 36,000 daily cyclists in Brooklyn alone, plus thousands more who bike for fun on the weekends. Transportation Alternatives has been instrumental in winning new bike lanes, improved bridge access, and safe parking for NYC cyclists.

Transportation Alternatives – 127 W. 26th Street, New York, NY 10001 – (212) 629-8080

11:00 AM  

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