Bronx bike ride shines light on women riders, need for infrastructure improvements

Bronx residents and others from around the city rode their bikes Saturday to get the wheels turning on two things: encouraging more women to ride bicycles and improving cycling infrastructure in the Bronx.

News 12 Staff

Apr 2, 2022, 10:10 PM

Updated 919 days ago

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Bronx residents and others from around the city rode their bikes Saturday to get the wheels turning on two things: encouraging more women to ride bicycles and improving cycling infrastructure in the Bronx.
"You definitely, sometimes feel like you're a badass out there because you're one of few women riding,” says cyclist Lucia Deng. “The more women are out there and the more safe infrastructure we provide, the more women and girls will join in.”
That's why she, with other cyclists, came together at Joyce Kilmer Park for the bike ride to encourage other women cyclists and show they're not alone.
The ride was set up by Transportation Alternatives, an organization that pushes for cycling in New York City.  They say just one-third of cyclists in the city are female.
The other reason they rode is to shed light on the lack of cycling infrastructure.
Event organizer Shawn Garcia said, "The Bronx has the least amount of bicycle infrastructure investment in the whole city. Only 5% of infrastructure, citywide, is in the Bronx."
The city Department of Transportation is planning 26 bicycle improvement projects throughout the city with eight being in the Bronx.