By Carol Tannenhauser
The battle for space on the street has reached the sidewalk — or it might if a rule proposed by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) passes, authorizing the use of “larger pedal-assist cargo bikes” for what is called the “last mile delivery mode.”
“Greater use of cargo bikes will bring incredible environmental and safety benefits for New York City by reducing the number of large, high-polluting trucks on our streets,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez in a press release. “Just two cargo bikes can replace one box truck, increasing safety and reducing CO2 emission by 14 tons per year — equivalent to 30,872 passenger car miles traveled.”
But some Upper West Siders are objecting to the proposed rule because of the size it allows these newly deemed “commercial cargo bicycles” to be — up to 10-feet long and 4-feet wide — and the fact that they are permitted to park on the sidewalk, albeit, “temporarily for the purpose of and while actually engaged commercially in loading and unloading property,” reads the rule, which can be viewed in its entirety here.
If you have an opinion on this proposed rule, you can express it at a virtual public hearing to be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 13. To join the hearing via your browser either click on the following URL link or copy and paste it into your browser’s address bar. https://zoom.us/j/94953887092?pwd=V2xNelV6Vm9FTTAxbzZxYmNXbU9jQT09 Connect to Zoom. Meeting ID: 949 5388 7092 Password: 658250 Then follow the prompts. If you have low bandwidth or inconsistent Internet connection, we suggest you use the phone option below for the hearing.
Join via phone only: To join the meeting only by phone, use the following information to connect: Phone: 1-646-518-9805 Meeting ID: 949 5388 7092 Password: 658250
In lieu of attending, you have until September 13 to submit a written comment regarding the proposed rule. Here’s how:
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- Website. You can submit comments to NYC DOT through the NYC rules website at http://rules.cityofnewyork.us.
- Email. You can email comments to rules@dot.nyc.gov.
- Mail. You can mail comments to Diniece Mendes, New York City Department of Transportation, 55 Water Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10041
- Fax. You can fax comments to 212-839-7777.
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we should just give the sidewalks to e bikes, motor bikes and now this. taxpayers who used to use the sidewalks can now walk in the street until they’re hit or run over by the uninsured, and the unlicensed. ups can be free to roam the sidewalks delivering walkers, canes, prstethic devices and coffins.
To think once upon a time not so long ago
our streets were governed by Safety First
Now delivery workers own our streets
and residents snd tax payers be dammed
Yes. only bicyclists – especially Citibike and spandex – and restaurants with restaurant sheds count.
Clearly Transportation Alternative folks are entitled to having Manhattan as their nirvana.
These actually make tons of sense. The fact that pedal assist delivery bikes were legalized before cargo bikes has never made sense to me.
Does anyone have sidewalk facts and figures? How wide is the narrowest sidewalk? Will these cargo bikes have to park directly next to the curb (because where there are cutouts for trees and plants the sidewalk is much snaller). If they do park directly next to the curb will parked cars be able to open their doors? How wide are wheelchairs and how much room in each side do unrealistically need to comfortably move between a building or stairway and a cargo bike?
The reality is that as long as they are permitted to park on sidewalks, they will do as they damn well please. I actually do think cargo bikes are a great idea but I’m definitely not in favor of allowing them to park on the sidewalks because once we open that door, they’ll definitely be riding all the way up and down sidewalks (Otherwise how will they get in between parked cars?) and the cops will know that they can park there so they won’t bother enforcing specifics.
Check out Columbus Ave on the weekends. Already there is no space. Couples, families, baby carriages, dogs, shopping carts. There’s no space with the restaurants with outdoor and street dining. Oh! Maybe dig tunnels for pedestrians? Guess we’ll have to think outside the box.
Other than the fact that this delivery person is on a bike, how is it any different than what Amazon has been doing for the past 2-3 years? When I come home in the afternoon the sidewalks are saturated with Amazon pushcarts. The motorized food delivery bikes will now have to learn to navigate around the cargo bikes. Sometimes I can’t believe what I’m reading here.
Well, two big things. One, the giant box on the back that creates huge blind spots for the rider who probably isn’t checking the mirrors if there are any. Two, the mass is much greater than a cart couple that with the potential for much higher speeds and you have exponentially higher energy transfer in a collision.
It’s just math and physics.
And do we need to have our visual space assaulted by yet more giant logos?
You make an excellent point. looking at that photo I don’t see any rear view mirrors or any way that he can see cars or bikers that would be behind the cargo bike. Would the biker be changing lanes and making turns without a full view of what is around and in back?
This is a horrible idea. We already have a big problem with electric delivery bikes speeding down the sidewalks. I was almost run over twice coming out my apt at 5:30 am walking my dog. And when I said bikes belong streets, I was flipped off. It’s like our elected officials don’t live in the same city we do. Or even the same planet
You’re undoubtedly aware that it’s against the law for bicycles (or any vehicle operated by anyone over 16 years of age) to be used on the sidewalk. Thar law was passed by our elected officials (not the ones currently in office of course, but you get the point). They did their job. It’s the job of the NYPD to enforce the law, and that’s what’s not happening. Why not place the blame where it truly lies?
The blame is on the riders, not the NYPD. A cop cannot stand in front of a vehicle moving 40 miles per hour and they can’t (says the courts) go on a high speed chase to issue a ticket. The ONLY solution is for ALL electric vehicles to be licensed, registered, carry a plate, and insurance. That way the cameras can do the automatic work, issue fines, etc. Riders have to learn like puppies.
Keep calling these people out. They have no right to be riding on the sidewalk. By not standing up for yourself you are condoning their behavior. I am almost hit every day coming out of my building while someone is whizzing by on our scaffolding covered sidewalk.
No vehicles on the sidewalk! ‘Walk’ is even part of the name. the city will be left with only rich people getting deliveries and the people who deliver to them. sidewalks are sacred!
Is this a joke?
Thanks to WSR for publishing this! It’s not enough that New Yorkers are dodging e-bikes and e-scooters as it is. Now the DOT, which one seriously has to consider that the current commissioner is way out of his depth, is going to cede our sidewalks to commercial bikes and cargo vans!?! What sort of madness has run amok in this city? If they succeed I predict an exodus from NY. Who would stay when they are like a moving target in a shooting gallery one step away from the emergency room. This is the last straw! This city is being destroyed and it’s not by the migrant crisis. It’s by really poor governance.
I think this idea actually came from the 11-month term of the previous commissioner, whose background was in [checks notes] intellectual property law. He promoted this to keep trucks off the BQE, because [checks notes again] he lives in a luxury condo next to it.
Not that I have any better ideas.
Comment? What’s the point. Does anyone get the feeling that we are the only big city in which we have total incompetence governing? I am.
I did a double take to make sure I was on the WESTSIDERAG and not the Onion when I saw the photo. Could be the best idea since the indoor lawnmower. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up. Undoubtedly, some genius locked in an office who has never been to NYC.
People want to buy things while sitting at home, but don’t want it delivered via drone (Orwellian), by truck (creates traffic and pollution), and now by big.
How EXACTLY do you want the million packages a day delivered to you?
By the same method it has always been delivered — IN THE STREET. I don’t believe horses came up to your door, either. The way it has always been delivered, since the Wells Fargo Wagon and the Stagecoach.
I haven’t ordered from Amazon since Jan 1 2020. First New Year’s resolution I ever kept. It’s easy. Now my goal is to not order anything online. Please join me! And, yes, you know it’s not the cheapest option, but it’s worth it to me because if we all stopped delivery for nonessential stuff, we’d be better off on so many levels.
Another terrible idea that favors commerce at the expense of the safety of residents. I can’t wait to get out of here.
What you call “commerce” is also the delivery of food and needed household items to people, especially elderly people, who otherwise might have a difficult time getting to a store.
Let’s ask the elderly if they’d prefer feeling like they’re going to be constantly run over by things with wheels on the sidewalk…not to mention the irony of “having a difficult time getting to a store” while the things with wheels are potentially outnumbering them on their sidewalk space!
NYYGirl, Thanks for asking, I am 88, pushing 89, so I believe that this qualifies as being elderly. (My wife is elderly as well.) You simply have no idea of the difficulty in moving around the neighborhood for shopping . We are disgusted and sometimes terrified by all sorts of motorized vehicles moving around on the sidewalk and coming within inches of us. But these are driven by unidentified people who care nothing for other people. Contrast that with identified , licensced vehicles and trained drivers who deliver essential items to people who often have difficulty maneuvering around the streets. I have the advantage here. You are presumably young and have no idea of being old, while I have been both young AND old. So, please do not preach to me.
It is absolutely important to take into account the elderly, as well as people with disabilities. If every UWS resident I speak with, young and old alike, finds increasing danger on the sidewalks and streets from unlicensed, law-defying vehicles—what do you think is best step to make the sidewalks and streets more accessible? Add new, giant e-vehicles into the mix? Really? To benefit the elderly???
So basically the City is enabling, supporting, and giving advantage to Amazon/E-Commerce.
And the City continued to do nothing to help small retail which is hurt by high rent, e-commerce competition and shoplifting,
There needs to be a way for citizens to take pictures of these vehicles parked helter skelter in the sidewalk, upload them somewhere, and have UPS pay a hefty fine for each instance of blocking people trying to walk down the sidewalk. UPS should not be able to say the delivery people are subcontractors or that they don’t know which delivery person was responsible. It doesn’t matter. UPS needs to be fined. It is the only way to keep any order.
So Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez thinks these 10 foot cargo bikes on the sidewalk will bring “safety benefits?!!” They may be fine in places with real parking lots as shown in the picture (Example of a “pedal-assist commercial bicycle.” Courtesy of UPS.) but in most NYC neighborhoods these things are going to be riding and parking on sidewalks.
Looks like the only solution is for pedestrians to form a PAC and raise more money for politicians than Fedex & UPS.
This is coming from the lobby Trans Alt. They are backed by a hedge fund investing in and profiting from delivery app companies, Citibike owned by Lyft, e-vehicle companies-this is all about money. Taking over public sidewalks and public streets for private profit-so that you can’t even walk safely anymore in your neighborhoods. Clearly the Mayor wasn’t truthful when he said he would reign in e-vehicles. If this goes through I predict a mass exodus out of NY.
This is a bicycle lobby initiative.
Doubt that FedEx or UPS are really interested
One more thing.. The city has no PLAN for the post Covid environment . There’s no plan for pedestrian safety and management amidst e bikes, motor bikes etc… none… There’s no plan or legislation to prevent motor bike distributors from hiring migrants as unlicensed couriers, which is happening… Again, maybe its a good way for the disenfranchised who want to work to earn a living.. fine.. but public safety is cast aside … and pedestrians are left with the wild west. Commercial vehicles, who clog the streets making store deliveries should be given set hours, in the very early morning and evenings… but of course, there’s no plan.. Years back, a traffic genius, Henry Barns, invented one way avenues, snow emergency streets, alternate side parking etc…. We need some guru to figure out the post pandemic landscape that insures safety and commerce… otherwise we’re left with bozo ideas like this and sense that knucklehead ideas and politically correct head in the sand non solutions, are the plan
You nailed it Bruce.
There is a proposal to license all e-vehicles. Vote YES for registration, license plates, and insurance.
Many thanks to my fellow UWS neighbors who vote for any one running as a Democrat instead of learning about what they stand for. Leadership in this city is horrible. We tax and tax and tax and then spend and spend and spend without dealing with underlying issues or studying them. This is just another prime example. I find all of these new laws or covid related policies completely unacceptable . We are smarter than this.
These cargo bikes better not be allowed in bike lanes, it will be hazardous for other bikers . Not all sidewalks are wide, these cargo bikes should not be allowed on sidewalks.
I have seen many cargo bikes like these in bike lanes. Better in bike lanes than on the sidewalk.
This makes sense to me as it takes cars off the road. Amazon also has used these but they don’t go on the sidewalk.
I think it’ll be fine because it’s big companies like Amazon and UPS and they have stringent rules and from what I have seen they follow them unlike the guys delivering restaurant food on e bike and mopeds.
Cars cause a LOT more death and injury than bikes. So if u replace a truck w two bikes you are decreasing the risk of injury to pedestrians not increasing it.
And from what I’ve seen the Amazon delivery guys on the bikes w the trailers are NOT doing crazy stuff like the restaurant delivery guys.
All the fomments against are just knee jerk opposition to more bikes, but these are mostly on the road already they just can’t park on the sidewalk so we see the hand trucks and those big boxes they drag.
These are bigger than what Amazon current uses. Th e issue being discussed is if they will be allowed to park on the sidewalk. How do you think the driver will get these on the sidewalk? I fear they will use the curb cutouts at the corners. This means they will be riding on the sidewalk from the corner to the building they wish to park in front of. How many pedestrians will need to jump out of their way at the corner and on the sidewalk for that to hapoen? And, as has been commented on previously, what about those wheelchairs or with walkers. There doesn’t seem to be enough space o n many sidewalks for this.
It’s not the large cargo bikes that are the problem, it’s the hundreds of food delivery guys who practically run us over on the sidewalk – they have no business being on the sidewalk and they flaunt all legal rules, not to mention common etiquette – it’s offensive and dangerous.
This is true . The large cargo bikes are not a problem because they haven’t been allowed until now.
I wrote this:
To whom it may concern:
The word walk in sidewalk means that it is theoretically a space in which pedestrians, ie, people with legs, are free to move without risk. This is increasingly not the case, with bicycles and motorized bicycles, not to mention scooters, “sharing” the sidewalk with us.
Your proposed rule might prevent pollution by large delivery trucks, but it will make walking around the neighborhood (mine is the Upper West Side) even more dangerous.
Do you have any idea at all, Department of Transportation, of how difficult it is for pedestrians–especially older pedestrians, or people with babies and younger kids, or anybody physically challenged–to get around this city? Why is our comfort and safety your lowest priority?
This is an absolute disaster and am in disbelief that it was approved . So exactly where will it be safe for people to walk and feel moderately safe anymore?
Notice how the picture is of a delivery vehicle in the parking lot of a suburban apartment complex. Not on the streets or sidewalks of New York city. This is a ridiculous idea, and shows the willful blindness of our city officials. And no rules and laws governing the operation of these vehicles matter, if there is no enforcement of the laws.
How will they get on to the sidewalk? They are quite large and heavy. Will they be able to mount a curb without a substantial head start? That moment of power-assisted curb-mounting sounds a little dangerous to me. Or will they enter sidewalks using handicap ramps at the corners, which means they’ll be driving on the sidewalk until reaching their destination on the block.
Even if they were able to mount a curb they’d need to find a spot with no parked car, no fenced in planting area, no dining shed. Seems unlikely. Of course they will use the corner ramps. We need to ask for the meeting to include video of how this will all work.
How do these heavy things get on the sidewalk to park? They will have to come up on the corner where there is a ramp cutout.
Then the operator is supposed to walk down the street?
they can’t be allowed without liability coverage.
also, right now it is illegal to ride any bike on the sidewalks, unless one is 12 or under.
parking is allowed though.
obviously delivery guys already break the law all the time, a week ago one nearly smashed into me on a dark sidewalk. so for that reason these can’t be allowed, and if they are pedestrians will discover ways of disabling them. It’s easy to very quickly either temporarily or permanently immobilize these machines.
another reason to not allow them, ever notice how Amazon delivery people mostly have no idea h ow to park their carts on the sidewalks?
This would ONLY make sense if they were required stay on the street like cars. But I doubt that that will be the case.
And, let’s face it, these new bike-things are not going to reduce the number of trucks double parking, even if they replace a couple of UPS or Amazon trucks. There will just be other trucks to take their places.
If they operate like Fresh Direct, with big trucks unloading orders which are then wheeled by cart to individual buildings, I don’t see how the cargo bikes will reduce the number of trucks on the streets– unless they travel the whole way from distant UPS depots, which seems unlikely. I don’t mind the F.D. carts on the sidewalks. They are not much wider than the person pulling them and they travel at the speed of feet, without motors so they’re no more hazard than those triple-wide baby carriages that have become so popular.
Not even India lets vehicles like this on the sidewalk. All are in the road. Cars adjust, and it helps slow vehicle traffic, which make it safer for pedestrians, who are the only ones who are supposed to on the sidewalk. It’s literally in the name sideWALK. For walking not for driving or biking.
Is this a solution or a joke????
Seems like another way to make the city uninhabitable.
Seems like the powerful & wealthy bike lobby (StreetsPAC-Transportation Alternatives-Open Streets-Streetsblog) continues to run things.
Bicycle lobby also strongly backing Congestion Pricing – thus fewer vehicles and more space for bike lanes/bike infrastructure expansion.
The bike lobby is not interested in pedestrians or bus/subway mass transit
This is ridiculous. Instead of making sidewalks and narrow streets safer we are encouraging these so called “mobility vehicles” that should have no place in New York. Need to have there micro mobility vehicle speeds set to max 25 mph for any approval or registration,
And enforcement
No way these should be allowed on the sidewalk. As noted by others, there are already enough machines aiming for pedestrians. But if these are seriously being considered, they should be licensed and carry license plates front and back so the crazy ones can be readily identified.
I would not like to see Amazon go all in at once. A trial period with a few bikes is warranted to see how this proposed system actually functions. For those who are complaining without being willing to give it a trial period, note that large Amazon trucks now park in central locations and these unload onto wagons that Amazon employees pull to individual locations for deliveries. We need to see if this proposed new system is any better than the current one. Let us be realistic – Amazon local deliveries to buildings are already in use and are not going to go away. A trial is needed.
I found this interactive map of sidewalk widths someone created to show is social distancing was possible. The sidewalk on 70th St bettwen CPW and Columbus is 4.8 feet wide. If a 4 foot wide cargo container parks there there will be no room for perestrians. They need to rethonk this.
https://www.sidewalkwidths.nyc/#14.71/40.77644/-73.97834/27.1
Most of these comments confuse me. These are better tan large delivery trucks for many reasons (noise, blocking streets, safety, emissions). If not on sidewalks or in bike lanes, where are they supposed to drive? In the streets and block them up? What if they can only move at brisk walking speeds?
I have never had a near miss with a large delivery truck operating on the sidewalk in NYC. I have also never had a near miss with a large delivery truck going the wrong way on a one way street or on the wrong half of a divided street with two way traffic. In contrast, hardly a day goes by, as an UWS pedestrian, without at least one such a near miss with a law breaking, unlicensed e-vehicle. Adding giant e-vehicles will make every sidewalk and every street even less safe. That common sense assessment is what is behind the numerous comments on this article which you find confusing.
“Just two cargo bikes can replace one box truck.”
The illustration shows a contraption maybe 5-feet long, at best. A typical UPS “box” truck is 26-feet long.
How does this guy’s math work?
Never mind the struggle of pedaling a completely wind-drag magnet of a hulking cube behind you lol…
These electric or other motorized bikes or scooters are able to travel at significant speeds. Has anyone proposed that any such vehicles that come in such close proximity to pedestrians be manditorially required to be equipped with governors that will insure that such potentially dangerous vehicles can only travel at a safer maximum speed such as twenty miles an hour? If not, then I propose that safety experts be engaged to determine the appropriate speed for these vehicles and thst the law be written to include such a mandatory speed governing unit on them such that they can not be circumvented.
The solution is staring us in the face: eliminate on street parking on one side of every street. This has been done on 13th street and 12 street and the streets are amazing and well functioning without many of the conflicts we see here. I walk down those on many mornings and afternoons on my way from the subway to work. Check it out.
How will eliminating street parking help the issue of these new cargo eBikes being parked on the siedwalks? Or are you suggesting removing street parking and having a bike lane instead? I’m leas concerned with these cargo bikes on the riad than I am with them on the sidewalks.
I agree with all comments made in opposition to this. It’s simply too dangerous !! I myself, while walking my dog, have had near misses with e bikes, motor bikes and electric scooters on the sidewalks. It’s the Wild West out there !! I would, however, like to point out one thing that no one has mentioned in their comments so far. The UPS drivers are going to be put at risk for heat stroke, while in this contraption, during the heat waves…..and we’ve had some pretty bad ones of late. I certainly wouldn’t want to be in their shoes…… Just saying….
This is a fine idea. Less big trucks means less noise and less fumes. My only objection is that i think they should have their own lane in the street, not the bike lanes.
Not mentioned yet is that so many streets have scaffolding already limiting the width and accessibility. I assume these vehicles would not be able to traverse many of the streets anyway. Between the sidewalk cafés, tree wells and scaffolding, the side streets would be virtually impossible. These things might work on the avenues, especially if they got a dedicated lane. But not the sidewalks!
Please do not allow them in the bicycle lanes
Similar vehicles (cargo trikes) are already using the bike lanes, because they’re bicycles. It seems to work fine.
This might work in a suburban area but it doesn’t make sense to me. First of all the amount of UPS packages being delivered is monumental. How many of these cargo bikes would be needed to deliver the volume of packages. At least UPS doesn’t keep their trucks idling when they deliver. I just can’t imagine any more delivery vehicles on the street, as it is walking across the street with the light is a harrowing experience with all the bikes/delivery people. I understand you want to find a cleaner solution but this doesn’t make sense in an urban setting like Manhattan.
Going to work this morning, just one corner:
stand-up scooter (not in bike lane) – went through red light.
food delivery e-bike (in bike lane) – stopped at red light.
moped – went through red light
“regular” bicyclist (not in bike lane) – went through red light.
Citibiker – went through red light then rode onto the sidewalk.
BTW when I nodded “no” to him, the Citibiker cursed at me.
Exactly. We need to put our collective foot down on expanding ANY bike usage until we can enforce the laws being broken by cyclists right now, every day.
we are walking in the streets here with our arms held up to stop getting hit
city is no longer safe, there are so many fast dangerous mopeds and scooters all over
my friend just got hit by a scooter on the sidewalk broke her pelvis
how much longer truly no longer the nyc that we all loved and no longer the
safety and respect that our previous generation built for us w blood sweat and tears
may the new year bring safety and peace and the power to those running the city to
truly stop the destruction