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John Liu Backpedals On Bikes In Buildings Bill
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 6, 2009
Modified Jul 6, 2009
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 6, 2009
Modified Jul 6, 2009
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On July 1st, the New York City Council was expected to pass the Bicycle Access to Buildings bill, which would require commercial landlords to allow tenants to bring bikes inside office buildings with freight elevators. Many building managers refuse to let workers bring their bicycles inside, even if their employer lets them keep their bikes at their desks, and the new bill, Intro. 871, would allow landlords the flexibility to develop individual access plans that suit their buildings and their tenants. (Department of City Planning says the biggest barrier cited by potential bicycle commuters is the lack of safe places to store their bikes.) But Councilman John Liu, who chairs the Transportation Committee, refused to bring it up for a vote. After working on the bill for eight months with the DOT, DOB, Mayor's Office, landlords, and community advocates, Liu abruptly decided that transportation agency can't handle more responsibility. Cycling advocates are pissed, and Councilman David Yassky, who authored the legislation, says Liu pulled the plug so Yassky can't claim credit during the election. Yassky tells the Post, "All I know is the bill was slated to pass the council on Tuesday and it was derailed at the last minute. I sense politics is at work."
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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