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Balancing protected bike lanes with emergency response times
1:52:56
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Council Member Lincoln Restler emphasizes the importance of achieving a network of protected bike lanes to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety while also considering emergency response times. He suggests that the McGinnis Boulevard design could be a potential model for future street redesigns.
- Restler advocates for collaborative design processes that prioritize both safety and emergency response capabilities.
- He acknowledges the FDNY's preference to keep emergency vehicles out of bike lanes when possible but suggests considering wider bike lanes that could accommodate emergency vehicles when necessary.
- The council member expresses interest in closely monitoring data on the effectiveness of the new design approach.
Lincoln Restler
1:52:56
Okay.
1:52:58
For what it's worth, I wanna make sure that we achieve a network of protected bike lanes around the city so it's safe for cyclists and we reduce unnecessary deaths and serious injuries for people riding a bicycle, and protected bike lanes are a proven way to improve pedestrian safety as well.
1:53:16
But we don't want to do it at the expense of emergency response times.
1:53:18
So we just want to be very mindful of every design that we're doing, that it's in a collaborative way.
1:53:22
I know that's been a priority of Chair Areola.
1:53:24
And I'm intrigued by the design on McGinness Boulevard as we achieved a road diet there that has significantly already improved pedestrian safety in the neighborhood, that it could be an alternative approach for ensuring expeditious response times.
1:53:36
And so we'll be looking carefully at the data.
1:53:39
I understand we don't want ambulances and fire trucks and bike lanes when they don't absolutely need to be.
1:53:43
I appreciate that being your response commissioner.
1:53:46
But I do think it's worth looking at if we can afford the space for somewhat wider bike lanes that can allow for that when there is congestion in a given area, that it's a worthy approach.
1:53:56
Last thing I'd like to ask if I may is around congestion pricing, for which I'm a big advocate.
1:54:04
Can you speak to improved emergency response times in Lower Manhattan south of 50 Ninth Street for both FDNY and EMS over the first two and a half months of this year?
Robert Tucker
1:54:13
We don't have the data on