By Paul Berger 

Cycling advocates say Mayor Bill de Blasio is missing a chance to turn New York City's deserted streets into a bikers' paradise as people seek alternative ways to travel and exercise during the coronavirus pandemic.

While cities such as Paris are adding hundreds of miles of bike and pedestrian paths, New York City officials have warned they might not meet a pre-coronavirus target of installing 30 miles of protected bike lanes this year.

"You're missing the biggest opportunity for recovery in New York," said Danny Harris, executive director of advocacy group Transportation Alternatives. "Right now, I would be buying every single cone and barrier that I can get my hands on, and I would start taking sections of the street to build a connected network."

Biking could play an important role in New York's recovery as state and city officials gradually lift coronavirus-related restrictions over the coming months. Transportation officials world-wide are looking to bikes to help reduce crowding on mass transit and to serve as an alternative to cars.

Mr. de Blasio has pledged to temporarily open 100 miles of streets to pedestrians and cyclists during the pandemic. But advocates say they are unimpressed with progress so far, which has resulted in about 35 miles of pedestrianized streets and about 10 miles of temporary bike lanes sprinkled in short segments across the city.

The Paris region, in contrast, is preparing to invest up to EUR300 million ($330 million) to create a 400-mile bike-path network as an alternative to commuter rail.

"We don't yet have an answer in New York," said Jon Orcutt, a spokesman for advocacy group Bike New York.

City officials say they are doing the best they can amid pandemic-induced budget cuts and worker shortages.

"I was out moving barrels today," said Ted Wright, director of the New York City Transportation Department's bicycle and greenway program, which recently ordered 2,000 barrels for temporary bike lane construction.

Last year, as cycling deaths looked on course to reach record levels, Mr. de Blasio pledged to build 30 miles of protected bike lanes annually. Eric Beaton, a deputy commissioner for transportation planning and management, said that looks unlikely this year because it requires hiring additional planning and installation workers at a time when budgets are being cut.

The city's Independent Budget Office estimates that New York faces a $9.5 billion tax revenue shortfall this fiscal year and next.

New York's streets have emptied out since Mr. de Blasio and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo shut down schools and businesses and urged people to stay home. Traffic volumes fell about 60% in New York in late March and early April, according to transportation analytics firm Inrix. Since then, traffic has ticked back up to about 40% below its usual levels, the firm says, leaving plenty of room for walkers and cyclists.

Transit advocates say the city should seize street space ahead of a feared deluge of traffic after it eventually reopens and people might opt for cars instead of mass transit. Combined subway and bus ridership is still down more than 80% from pre-pandemic levels.

Bike ridership fell by about 60% in the initial weeks of the pandemic, according to city data. It rebounded quickly in May, which was drier but chillier than May 2019.

Average weekday cycle counts on the city's East River bridges are down 28% so far this month compared with last May. On the Pulaski Bridge, which links Brooklyn and Queens, average weekday cycle counts are down just 6% compared with last May. Weekend cycle counts at many bridges are higher than in May 2019.

Citi Bike, the country's largest bike-share system, is heavily dependent on commuter traffic. Yet Citi Bike ridership is at about 30% of pre-pandemic levels, according to data, even as schools and most businesses remain closed.

The system reported about 152,000 annual members at the end of April, roughly the same number as April 2019.

Citi Bike's membership was boosted this spring by the addition of 12,000 front-line workers, who were given free annual accounts. But other data suggest the system is thriving. On a recent Saturday, Citi Bike recorded 80,000 rides. The system's single-day ridership record, set in September, is just over 100,000 rides.

Citi Bike's general manager, Laura Fox, said that during the pandemic, the system is increasingly being used for recreation and exercise.

The company, which is owned by Lyft Inc., used to experience ridership peaks in the morning and evening. Now, Ms. Fox said, it sees a prolonged hump between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Average ride times have increased by about 50%, she said, while the number of rides that start and end at the same dock -- what is known as "joy rides" -- has tripled.

Ms. Fox said Citi Bike ridership grew about 20% in 2019 compared with the prior year. "As we come out of this, we would anticipate to grow even more," she said.

Joshua Robinson contributed to this article.

Write to Paul Berger at Paul.Berger@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 26, 2020 16:42 ET (20:42 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.