Make way for the bureaucrat bike brigade.
In an effort to both “green up” their agency and make New York City safer for cyclists, bike-riding Department of Transportation road inspectors are strapping on reflective vests and hitting the streets to check for dangerous defects in bike lanes and roads.
The DOT launched the program in early July, sending up to four Highway Inspection Quality Assurance inspectors at a time around the five boroughs to survey streets and the city’s 270 miles of bike lanes.
“Cycling is booming in New York City,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “It’s an integral part of the PlaNYC program that the mayor has authored, so we are investing in our infrastructure . . . It’s part of our whole program to green up the agency and to make cycling safer for the entire city.”
Using city-owned bikes, the inspectors start at 6 a.m., surveying the ground for cracks, potholes, sinkholes, uneven concrete and missing lane markings – problems usually caused by contractors who rip up the ground and fail to make adequate repairs.
“We think it’s important to send inspectors out on bikes, because what might seem safe for a motorist could be really hazardous for the bicyclist,” said Amanda Cruz, executive director of the DOT Street Assessment Unit, which runs the program. “The cyclists have a different perspective.”
When the inspectors find problems, they pull out clipboards from a sack attached to the back of their bikes, documenting locations so repairs can be made. Emergency repairs are called in.
The city repairs any defects caused by lack of maintenance, but if contractors like Con Ed or KeySpan are responsible, they are sent notices requiring them to fix the problems in 30 days.
If it’s not done, contractors can be fined between $750 to $2,250.
The inspection team has already surveyed all DOT-controlled bike lanes in Manhattan and Staten Island, and are currently working in Brooklyn, Cruz said. Eventually the whole city will be inspected.
“We will keep going back to make sure the lanes are in good condition,” Cruz said. “The main goal is to encourage more cycling by making it as safe and enjoyable as possible.”