Comptroller Stringer Proposes First-of-its-Kind Bike-to-School Plan for New York City High School Students

(New York, NY) — Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer proposed a first-of-its-kind bike-to-school plan to encourage safe and sustainable biking options for New York City high school students on their commutes to and from school. Comptroller Stringer’s plan called on the City, in partnership with the philanthropic community, to build out one and a half miles each of protected bike lanes around 50 New York City high school buildings in the next year, and to provide free bicycles or Citi Bike memberships to every low-income public high school student. With reductions in bus and subway service, school buses operating at extremely limited capacity and the continued need for social distancing on public transit, the Comptroller’s bike-to-school proposal offers a safe and efficient transportation option for New York City’s young people.

“Reimagining our streets is not a job we can postpone until after the pandemic. Congestion is soaring, bus speeds are falling, and New Yorkers are concerned for the quality of life in their neighborhoods. We should rethink our transportation strategy and encourage sustainable alternatives both now and in the years ahead,” said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. “Building out bike lanes around New York City high schools and providing bikes to lower-income students would open the door to biking for hundreds of thousands of young people. By taking this action, we can allow New York City’s youth to get around their city, improve health and educational outcomes, and connect with their communities. We have a unique opportunity to make biking easier, safer, and more accessible and fundamentally shift how the next generation thinks about getting around our city.”

As of 2015, just 18 percent of high school students walked or biked to school according to the NYC Youth Risk Behavior Survey – down from 23 percent in 2009. Given that 40 percent of high school students attend a school within their home district, 83 percent within their home borough, and the average commute length is about 31 minutes for a ninth grader, Comptroller Stringer emphasized that the number of students biking to school can and should be much higher.

Increased bike commuting will help to stave off a rapid influx of cars and congestion in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs. In recent months, car purchases have surged and auto ridership and emissions have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, while transit ridership remains at a fraction of its previous peak. Prior to COVID-19, automobiles were responsible for 25 percent of GHG emissions in the city, car emissions caused over 300 premature deaths each year, over 200 New Yorkers were killed in a car crash in 2019, and car congestion had relegated city buses to an average speed of 7.6 miles per hour citywide. Allowing these conditions to worsen in the months and years ahead would be devastating to the city’s health, sustainability, economy, and quality-of-life.

A number of studies have shown that biking to school significantly improves concentration, cognitive skills, and school performance. This is primarily linked to the health benefits from daily exercise. In New York City, health disparities among public school students are striking. In 2017, 29.9 percent of New York City high schoolers were overweight or obese. Approximately 240,000 of the city’s 325,000 high school students are classified as in poverty by the New York City Department of Education (DOE). Providing free bicycles, Citi Bike memberships, and safe routes to schools for these students can improve mobility, health, and educational outcomes.

IntegrateNYC Director and Youth Coach Imxn Abdul said: “Every young person, regardless of social status, should have the resources and means to get to school and back safely. IntegrateNYC supports an equitable and accessible execution of NYC City Comptroller Scott Stringer‘s bike program. Safe and environmentally responsible transportation should always be a priority, and we stand with the Comptroller to support this solution.”

Pakistani American Youth Organization President Waqil Ahmed said: “PAYO welcomes NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer’s forward thinking vision for transportation justice in our City. Bike equity is not a matter of mere convenience for our youth of color. It’s an opportunity to live a life with better health and education outcomes.”

Guinea Action Network President A. Balde said: “Bikes would serve as a tool and resource for our youth and families and provide an easy, safe way for students to get to school and all around our city.”

Teens Take Charge Director of Strategy Muhammad Deen said:  “Teens Take Charge is excited to support the Comptroller’s proposal to make transportation equitable for all regardless of their zip code. The Comptroller’s plan is not limited to the Citibike footprint, but rather accessible to all students and extends to all neighborhoods.”

Transportation Alternatives Deputy Director Marco Conner DiAquoi said: “Our schools, including New York City kids’ daily commutes, should not just be relatively safe, they must be safe havens. Biking is a low-cost, healthy and sustainable transportation tool that more and more New Yorkers are choosing, especially during this pandemic. The more kids who ride bikes the better off they and our city will be. This plan is a bold solution rooted in common sense and it is precisely what we need at this moment. I want to thank Comptroller Stringer for advancing this excellent plan; Transportation Alternatives, together with our partners, looks forward to helping make it a reality.”

University Settlement Associate Executive Director Monique Flores said: “University Settlement applauds Comptroller Stringer’s comprehensive Bike-to-School plan for high school students. Making biking to school safer, subsidizing bike share memberships, and supporting bike ownership for young people would be a great idea even if we weren’t going through a pandemic – commuting by bike is healthy and sustainable. It’s also socially distant, which is icing on the cake.”

Strategy for Black Lives Political Director Jerrell Gray said: “Providing access to a bikeshare platform like CitiBike or a personal bicycle, serves as a flexible and clean alternative mode of transportation for NYC public school students to safely return to school. As we are nearing the beginning of the school year, granting students more options in a time where the pandemic has complicated transportation mechanisms and adversely affects students who may not have the resources at home to succeed in a remote learning situation is a step in the right direction. After witnessing the benefits of the Better Bikeshare Partnership led by the community organization Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation on the grounds of inclusion, health, economic mobility and access to another mode of transportation, I am excited to see this opportunity being extended to New York City students.”

CUNY University Student Senate Chairperson Timothy Hunter said: “Our most marginalized communities in New York City rely heavily on our public education system and our public transit system, both of which are facing looming budget cuts that will disproportionately impact low-income students. Our country is still in the midst of battling a global pandemic, and we as a city must unite and push for a cleaner and more cost efficient means of transportation for everyone especially as we are heading back to school, and as many parents question the safety of public transportation. USS has always been a staunch supporter of sustainability, in addition to being advocates for better public health in our communities, which is why we strongly support the Comptroller’s call for an investment in not only transportation but the future of our youth.”

Arab American Association of New York Executive Director Marwa Janini said: “Transportation options are a vital part of strategic pandemic recovery. As school opens, NYC Comptroller Stringer’s bike-to-school initiative will help address racial inequities in our City’s transportation infrastructure. A safe mode of transportation for our students should not depend on their zip code.”

Bike New York Advocacy Director Jon Orcutt said: “The pandemic-related boom in bike use needs stronger support. The city has been promoting bicycle use for years. But now that New Yorkers are taking up bikes in extraordinary numbers, we need a special effort by the city in response. Bike New York is grateful to Comptroller Stringer for spotlighting bike-to-school’s terrific potential for transportation, fun and improving community life across the city. As the Comptroller argues, it will take a network of safe, protected bike lanes to realize that potential.”

WoodyCrest Center for Human Development Executive Director Ade Rasul said: “Young people biking during this pandemic period is an excellent way to practice social distancing, increase a healthy immune system, release stress and be better prepared mentally and physically for learning. We 100% support the free biking effort.”

Court Square Civic Association President Frank Wu said: “A growing number of Long Island City families are concerned about education and street safety. While very young children cannot ride bicycles, studies have shown, separated bike lanes increase street safety with 44% fewer deaths for all users: pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers. As the School Construction Authority continues to build more schools in Long Island City, we support efforts to create separated bike lanes for older students, especially on existing routes in place such as on 44th Drive.”

Comptroller Stringer’s bike-to-school proposal called on the City and philanthropic partners to:

Build Out Protected Bike Lanes 

The City should build out one and a half miles of protected bike lanes around 50 New York City high school buildings within the next year, and at the remainder of high schools within the next five years, to safely connect residential areas and commercial corridors to local schools. These bike lanes should link to a larger network to improve mobility within and around New York City neighborhoods.

To achieve this ambitious rollout plan, the Department of Transportation will have to overhaul the design and implementation of new bike lanes. As an intermediate step, it should look to the rapid deployment of emergency bike lanes in Berlin and Paris during the COVID-19 pandemic. Berlin’s 10-Day deployment model — using temporary barriers and techniques borrowed from construction sites — offers a wise path forward.

Pedestrianize the Block in Front of 100 Public Schools to Allow for Easier Access, Pick-Up, and Drop-Offs for Students

Following the lead of Paris, the City should open up the block in front of 100 public schools in the next year. These open streets should connect to the larger bike lane network, making it easier for students to access, enter, and park in front of schools and to congregate before and after the school day.

Provide Free Citi Bike Membership for all Low-Income New York City High School Students 

The City and private philanthropy should work with Citi Bike to provide free membership for all high school students whose homes and schools are located within Citi Bike territory. Citi Bike currently offers reduced rates for NYCHA residents and SNAP recipients and should wave these monthly fees for all low-income students. In Paris, bike share is free to all 14-18 year olds (Citi Bike is currently restricted to 16 and up) and in New York City, the MTA provides free MetroCards for public school students.

As part of these efforts, the Department of Transportation and Citi Bike should accelerate their timetable for expansion into the south Bronx, central Brooklyn, and western Queens and begin to develop a full-scale, five-borough plan.

Provide a Free Bike to Every Lower-Income Public High School Student Living or Traveling to School Outside of Citi Bike Territory 

Private philanthropists and local foundations should step up and actively support the City’s Bike-to-School efforts. In conjunction with the Mayor’s Fund and bike manufacturers, they should provide a free bike to every low-income public high school student who commutes outside of Citi Bike territory.

Conduct an Annual Survey of Student Commutes

The DOE should conduct an annual survey of student commuting and work with schools to increase bike ridership and walking as safe, easier ways to get to school.

Dedicate Indoor and Outdoor School Space for Bike Parking and Maintenance 

With approximately 74 percent of New York City high schools below capacity in 2019, once the city emerges from the pandemic, under-capacity schools should dedicate available space for indoor (and outdoor) parking, bike maintenance, and courses on maintenance to help students care for their bicycles and to prepare some students for careers in a growing field.

Expand the Bike Safety Education Program 

The City should work with Bike New York to dramatically expand the Bike Safety Education Program — which currently includes just 21 of the city’s public schools. Classes teaching students how to ride a bike, how to safely navigate city streets, and other basics should be widely available.

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