NEW YORK (PIX11) — Cycling advocates are speaking out against the rise in cyclist casualties this year and calling on New York City Mayor Eric Adams to make the streets safer.
Hundreds of cyclists gathered in a show of unity Wednesday, rallying from Union Square to City Hall.
This year has now become the deadliest year for cyclists in the last decade, according to city data, with 26 people dying while riding bikes. That number is up from 15 just last year. Tanisha McLean says her father died a week ago in a bike collision.
“This has been an ongoing problem with our city for years, and they have done nothing to stop it,” McLean said.
She joined the rallying cries of cyclists who laid white bikes and helmets on the ground — representing cyclist fatalities — and demanded the city protect riders.
“I ride the streets of New York City every single day, and I want my people to be safe, and I want pedestrians to be safe, and I want safe streets,” said cyclist Henry Rinehart.
Ralliers call for the city to install more bike lanes and launch new street projects prioritizing their safety. A spokesperson for the mayor’s office says:
“The Adams administration is delivering safe bike infrastructure for all New Yorkers, and we are on track to install a record number of bike lane miles this year.”
The spokesperson also tells PIX11 that most fatalities this year have been from e-bike accidents and that while casualties skyrocketed in the first few months of the year, those numbers have stabilized since.
