New York City is rolling out a new plan to more safely accommodate e-bikes, e-scooters, and other micromobility users on park drives and greenways. NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa on Thursday announced that the agency plans to propose rule amendments that would permanently allow e-bikes and stand-up e-scooters—already permitted in bike lanes—to operate on park drives and greenways. Mopeds and other heavy motorized vehicles would remain prohibited in public parks.
The initiative builds on insights from a two-year pilot program launched by NYC Parks in 2023, which allowed these vehicles to operate on park roadways such as the loops in Central Park and Prospect Park. The city plans to use the findings to develop new strategies for safely managing electric micromobility in parks while still prohibiting heavier vehicles like mopeds.
Parks and the Mayor’s Interagency Task Force on Electric Micromobility continue collecting public feedback via a map-based tool to identify hotspots needing improvements.
“Our greenways and park drives connect New Yorkers to our citywide network of parks and greenspaces. It’s critically important that our public realm can safely accommodate the diverse ways that New Yorkers get around and enjoy our city’s public spaces,” Rodriguez-Rosa said.
“We are focused on improving safety in our parks, and allowing the same e-bikes and e-scooters that are allowed in city bike lanes on our park drives and greenways would make our city safer and more accommodating for pedestrians, cyclists, and e-mobility users alike.”
Critics have called for an end to the pilot program, arguing it compromises safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Council Member Robert Holden, representing Queens neighborhoods including Middle Village, Glendale, and Maspeth, sponsors Intro 0060, which proposes banning e-scooters and e-bikes from city parks, according to AMNY.
Proponents of the proposal argue that allowing micromobility users in city parks will help the city adapt to evolving transportation trends. Ligia Guallpa, executive director of Worker’s Justice Project and co-founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos, praised NYC Parks for its efforts, saying the changes would benefit working-class New Yorkers.
“Opening up greenways and park drives to e-bikes and e-scooters is a critical step forward in adapting our city to transportation alternatives that allow more working-class New Yorkers to stay safely on the move,” Guallpa said. “When our infrastructure supports safe, dignified work for those powering our economy, it benefits everyone—creating a more accessible, sustainable, and worker-friendly city.”
The project complements the city Department of Transportation’s (DOT) efforts to improve safety on Central Park drives by creating designated spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. In March, DOT began milling and paving work on the redesign of the park’s six-mile loop, starting with the middle and southern sections from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street along the East River. Repaving of the northern section is planned for next year.
“E-bikes are a safe, environmentally friendly, and essential transportation and recreational options for thousands of New Yorkers, including families and older New Yorkers,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said.
“We are proud to work closely with Parks on plans to safely accommodate all visitors to the city’s cherished parks and greenways—including through our redesign of Central Parks’ drives, where we are prioritizing pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options.”
Parks and DOT will monitor the impact of the new Central Park drives to develop best practices for other parks, incorporating feedback from the pilot program and the online mapping tool.
RELATED:
Interested in similar content?
Source link
