Biking Is Booming

We biked through an empty Midtown — and filmed it [View this email in your browser]( While Most Of Use Are PUASING, Many Are Also Biking Plus: "Subways are for essential travel only." A few streets are going car-free this weekend. And global stay-at-home orders could mean a massive drop in car crash fatalities. By [James Ramsay](mailto:james@wnyc.org?subject=We%20the%20Commuters) [people line up for service outside a bike shop in Chelsea] Stephen Nessen/Gothamist Under [Gov. Andrew Cuomo's PAUSE order]( bike shops have been deemed essential businesses. And business is booming. "We’ve been doing daily orders to have bikes in relatively quickly," Matt Bigler, the manager at Bicycle Habitat in Chelsea, [told Gothamist](. "We normally order once a week. I’ve ordered four times this week. So, yeah, it’s definitely unusual." Outside Bigler's shop recently, one employee had to work as a de facto bouncer, making sure no more than two people were in the store at once. And customers aren't just coming in to purchase new bikes; multiple shops said they're seeing an increase in people with older, out-of-use bikes looking for a tune-up. While the subways are still operating to move essential workers, and taxi drivers are risking close contact with strangers in order to make a living, biking has become an increasingly attractive option for those looking to either commute or just spend time outdoors while staying six feet away from other people. Last week, even before the PAUSE order went into effect, New York City saw a 36% increase in rush-hour traffic speeds because of the drop in cars on the road. A [recent ride through Midtown]( confirmed just how empty it is out there. This doesn't mean riders shouldn't be cautious — [reported cycling injuries]( are up 43% compared to the same period last year (March of 209, which was extremely cold, also saw far fewer cyclists on the road). But even presumably risk-averse New Yorkers see biking as the safest way to get around the city. One shop owner told Gothamist that he sold a bike last week to a woman who works in a dialysis center, who said people would die if she couldn't get to work. If you're new to cycling in the city, wear a (sanitized) helmet and stay in bike lanes. If you're a veteran cyclist, [don't bark at the newcomers](. And if you're hunkered down and have no intention of getting on two wheels right now, enjoy the zen of this 11-minute video of cycling through an empty Manhattan: [a screenshot from our video of biking through an empty midtown]( — Reporting by Stephen Nessen and Jake Offenhartz The MTA Wants You To Stay Home If Possible. It Also Wants More Than $4 Billion From The Feds. [a graphic announcing the mTA's reduced schedule]( MTA The Senate's latest [$2 trillion coronavirus relief package]( does include the $4 billion the MTA requested. But MTA Chair Pat Foye says the agency will likely need more. "We're only at the starting point of the crisis," [he said Wednesday](. "We will need substantially more than that to survive." Earlier this week, Foye wrote in [an op-ed for the New York Times]( that the agency needs billions of dollars to make up for lost revenue as ridership hits "never-before-seen lows." While New York City Transit is now officially telling people to stay home if they can, it [continues to operate normal rush-hour service]( so "essential" workers can get to their jobs. Additionally, the agency is increasing spending to disinfect trains, buses, and facilities. "Let’s be clear: The city, the state and the nation will overcome this," Foye wrote. "The M.T.A. will be here, but it’s crucial we are able to operate at a level that will help jump-start the New York economy. It’s imperative we pick up where we left off in improving the system — resuming growth once we move past this crisis." As of today, [at least 52 MTA workers]( have tested positive for the coronavirus. The agency has not said how many additional workers have been ordered to self-quarantine as a result of coming into contact with someone who tested positive. Four Roadways Are Going Car-Free This Weekend To Allow New Yorkers To Be Outside While Social Distancing [a cyclist rides down Park Avenue during the "Summer Streets" car-free time in August of 2019] Scott Lynch/Gothamist - Manhattan: Park Avenue, between 28th and 34th streets - Brooklyn: Bushwick Avenue, between Johnson and Flushing - Queens: 34th Avenue, between 73rd Street and 80th Street - The Bronx: Grand Concourse, between E. Burnside and 184th Street From 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., tomorrow through Monday, [these four stretches]( will be closed to cars, giving New Yorkers a total of 1.5 miles of extra space to go outside without getting run over. The city says NYPD officers will be present to enforce the six-foot rule. This comes after Gov. Cuomo admonished New Yorkers for gathering en masse in city parks. While the city hasn't closed parks or playgrounds, it has removed 80 basketball hoops from locations where too many people were bumping up against each other. (["There is no such thing as social distancing while playing basketball."]( Initially, Mayor de Blasio had proposed opening up 10 roadways ([two in each borough]( for cyclists and pedestrians. Some critics are concerned that by creating [only four]( car-free zones instead of ten (or more), the city is effectively creating ["destinations"]( and endangering people. The Department of Transportation said that "additional sites are being considered for this initial pilot and will be announced when details are finalized." Cross streets will remain open to traffic. Here's What Else Is Happening Taxi ridership has plummeted, and many drivers are struggling to stay afloat. "Every day one fare," one driver said. "Eight hours, nine hours, ten hours, one fare." The Metropolitan Taxicab Board of Trade said rides dropped over 90% last weekend, compared to three weekends earlier. The taxi drivers who are independent contractors (which includes most of them) don't qualify for traditional unemployment benefits. Several officials, including Gov. Cuomo and City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, have been trying to get assistance for those drivers — many of whom are torn between a need to work and a desire to protect themselves and their families from getting sick. ([The New York Times]( NJ Transit is altering bus boarding to make social distancing easier. Buses are still running on regular weekday schedules, but passengers now have to board through the rear door, in order to keep drivers safe. The agency is also encouraging people to pay their fare through the NJ Transit app, though cash will still be accepted at the front of buses. With ridership down 90%, the agency is cutting back service on two light rail lines. ([NJ.com]( The Long Island Rail Road has closed its ticket offices. While LIRR ridership is down 75%, the agency is still running normal rush-hour service (overall service is being cut 35% [starting tomorrow](. Passengers just won't be able to buy tickets from a person at a window, as a precaution against coronavirus spread. Tickets can still be purchased at vending machines, which accept cards and cash. They're also available the "contactless" way, through the MTAeTix app. ([ABC7 NY]( Will all this change how we decide to get around in the future? Some researchers fear that people will be too scared to use public transportation again, leading to even more cars on the roads. At the same time, we're already seeing life-saving decreases in air pollution because people around the world are being ordered to stay home. It's also possible that the number of deaths from car crashes — 1.35 million a year, worldwide — will drop significantly. How will this influence our approach to transit? ([CityLab]( Just because many of us aren't commuting doesn't mean we don't sorely need some transporting music at this moment. [Stream WQXR's latest playlist for free on Spotify](. Weekend Service Changes: Night of March 27th – Early Morning on March 30th This is a partial list of major service disruptions scheduled for the weekend. For a complete list of the MTA's Weekender updates, [check here](. Overnight, downtown trains will skip Astor Pl, Bleecker St, Spring St and Canal St in Manhattan. Bay Ridge-bound trains will run express from Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr to 59 St in Brooklyn. [Check here]( for complete details about the Long Island Rail Road. For NJ Transit, [check here]( for the latest service advisories. Upcoming Meetings and Events Monday, April 20th Joint Metro-North, Long Island Rail Road Commitee Meeting — 8:30 a.m. NYCT/MTA Bus Committee Meeting — 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 22nd MTA Board Meeting — 10:00 a.m. [From the MTA]( Meetings are held at MTA Board Room, 2 Broadway, 20th Floor. Meeting attendees are required to go through a security screening upon entering the building. Meetings may begin up to 30 minutes before scheduled start time. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early. [a portrait of James Ramsay] James Ramsay can dunk, if you were wondering. (Photo by Amy Pearl) Support WNYC + Gothamist Make a donation to support local, independent journalism. Your contributions are our largest source of funding and pays for essential transportation coverage and more. [Donate]( Copyright © 2020 New York Public Radio, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: New York Public Radio 160 Varick Street New York, NY 10013 [unsubscribe]( [update preferences]( [privacy policy](