Overview:
This research aims to conduct a thorough exploratory analysis of bicycle traffic, infrastructure, and collision data in Manhattan using datasets from the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) covering the period from 2013 to 2024. The primary goal is to offer insights into cycling patterns, infrastructure challenges, and safety concerns for bikers. Special attention is given to inconsistencies in data collection, which are addressed to ensure accurate interpretation and recommendations for urban transportation policy and infrastructure improvements.
A. Data Sources:
- Bike Count Data:
- Source: NYC Department of Transportation
- Description: This data represents bicycle counts from various locations across New York City, offering a historical view of bike traffic between 2013 and 2024. Key locations include the Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, and Prospect Park West, among others.
- Limitations: Data is inconsistent, with certain locations only having partial data for some years (e.g., data for the Pulaski Bridge starts in 2017). While this limits longitudinal analyses, effective strategies can still provide meaningful insights.
- Link: Bike Counts Data
| Location | Years of Data | Data Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prospect Park West | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available from November and December |
| Manhattan Bridge Ped Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December. |
| Pulaski Bridge | 2017 – 2024 | Data for 2017 is only available for seven months. |
| Staten Island Ferry | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available for ten months. |
| Kent Ave btw North 8th St and North 9th St | 2016 – 2024 | Data for 2016 is only available for 2 months. |
| 8th Ave at 50th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December, and data for 2022 is available for eight months. |
| Broadway at 50th St | 2019 – 2020 | Includes data from 2019 and only three months of data from 2020. |
| Amsterdam Ave at 86th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December. |
| Columbus Ave at 86th St | 2019 – 2024 | Data for 2019 is only available for December. |
| Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive | 2012 – 2024 | Data from 2012 is only available for 5 months. |
| Brooklyn Bridge Bike Path Roadway | 2021 – 2024 | Data from 2021 is only available 4 months. |
| Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter | 2013 – 2024 | Data for 2013 is only available for December |
| Fountain Ave | 2022 – 2024 | Data for 2022 is only available for 5 months. |
| Willis Ave Bikes | 2022 – 2024 | Data for 2022 is only available for December |
| Pelham Pkwy | 2023 – 2024 | 2023 data is only available for November and December |
| Ocean Pkwy at Avenue J | 2023 – 2024 | Only contains 4 months of 2023 data and a full year of 2024 data |
B. Bicycle Counter Locations:
- Source: NYC Open Data
- Description: This dataset contains bicycle counts conducted at key locations across New York City, with geographic coordinates (longitude and latitude) useful for mapping and geospatial analysis.
Data Limitations:
The primary challenge in working with the ‘Bicycle Counter Locations’ dataset lies in the inconsistencies of the collected data. Various locations began collecting bicycle count data at different times, and some years are incomplete. These gaps require careful consideration during analysis to avoid drawing false conclusions. Advanced statistical techniques, such as data imputation and temporal interpolation, may help address these gaps and offer accurate trends over time.
See full dashboard here: Bike Study Dashboard
What can we learn from this data?
The bike count data from 2012 to 2024 shows a significant increase in bike usage across key locations in New York City, particularly on major bridges and bike paths. The Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path consistently saw high usage, reaching over 2 million users in 2020 and 2023. Similarly, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path and the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive saw substantial growth, with user counts frequently surpassing 1 million annually, peaking at nearly 2 million on the Queensboro Bridge in 2023. The Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter also showed increasing numbers, with over 1 million users recorded in both 2022 and 2023. These trends reflect a growing reliance on cycling infrastructure across the city, particularly on major bridge connections, as more people turn to bikes for commuting and recreation. The overall bike count reached a grand total of nearly 99 million users by 2024, underscoring the expanding role of cycling in New York City’s transportation network.
The bike count data also reveals that different locations began counting bikes in various years, which creates inconsistencies when comparing trends across all locations. For instance, locations like the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive and the Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path started tracking users as early as 2012, while others, such as 8th Ave at 50th St and Amsterdam Ave at 86th St, only started counting in 2019. This staggered start complicates the analysis of long-term trends, as earlier data is not available for many locations. The absence of data in earlier years for some locations may distort the overall growth picture, especially when comparing locations that have longer histories of counting to those that are relatively new. Additionally, without consistent start times, it’s difficult to assess whether the growth in bike usage at newer locations reflects a genuine trend or simply the introduction of new monitoring infrastructure. As a result, making direct year-over-year comparisons across all locations presents challenges in assessing the complete impact of New York City’s cycling infrastructure improvements over time.
Bike counts for major bridge pathways
The bike count data from 2012 to 2024 shows a significant increase in bike usage across key locations in New York City, particularly on major bridges and bike paths. The Williamsburg Bridge Bike Path consistently saw high usage, reaching over 2 million users in 2020 and 2023. Similarly, the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Shared Path and the Manhattan Bridge Bike Comprehensive saw substantial growth, with user counts frequently surpassing 1 million annually, peaking at nearly 2 million on the Queensboro Bridge in 2023. The Comprehensive Brooklyn Bridge Counter also showed increasing numbers, with over 1 million users recorded in both 2022 and 2023. These trends reflect a growing reliance on cycling infrastructure across the city, particularly on major bridge connections, as more people turn to bikes for commuting and recreation. The overall bike count reached a grand total of nearly 99 million users by 2024, underscoring the expanding role of cycling in New York City’s transportation network.
Bike counts at Staten island ferry location (2018 – 2023)
Overview: The graph shows the annual bike counts for the Staten Island Ferry from 2018 to 2023.
Trend: Bike counts increased steadily over the years, starting at approximately 130,000 in 2018 and reaching around 170,000 in 2023.The most significant growth occurred between 2022 and 2023.
Key Insight: The consistent increase in bike counts suggests growing bicycle usage or improved cycling infrastructure near the Staten Island Ferry over time.
Bike count of key Brooklyn locations installed in 2016
Kent Ave btw North 8th St and North 9th St:
Decline in bike counts from 2017 to 2018.
Steady increase from 2018 to 2020, peaking in 2020.
Slight decline after 2020 but remains higher than pre-2019 levels.
Prospect Park West:
Relatively stable from 2017 to 2019.
Sharp increase from 2019 to 2021, peaking in 2021.
Slight decline in 2022 but still higher than pre-2019 levels.
Comparison:
Both locations experienced significant growth in bike counts during the pandemic years (2020–2021).
Both saw a slight decline in 2022, potentially reflecting a return to pre-pandemic commuting patterns.
Key Insight:
Overall, bike usage has increased significantly over the years at both locations, despite slight recent declines.
Data for 2023 was not included, although there was a count for all 12 months, the count was so dramatically lower that it did not seem accurate.
Pulaski Bridge 2018 – 2024
• A bicycle counter was installed on the Pulaski Bridge in 2016.
• The bridge showed consistent growth in bicycle usage from 2018 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2024.
• However, there is a significant spike in growth between 2019 and 2020.
• There doesn’t appear to be any missing data
Bicycle count for 86th street locations (2020 – 2023)
The graph displays annual bike counts from 2020 to 2023 for two locations on 86th Street: Amsterdam Ave and Columbus Ave.
Amsterdam Ave: Bike counts grew consistently from 600,000 in 2020 to 800,000 in 2023, with the sharpest increase between 2022 and 2023.
Columbus Ave: Counts rose steadily from 500,000 in 2020 to 650,000 in 2023 but at a slower pace than Amsterdam Ave.
Comparison: Amsterdam Ave consistently outperformed Columbus Ave, with the gap between the two widening over time.
Key Insight: Both locations show increasing bike usage, with Amsterdam Ave likely being a busier route
Bicycle Count for 50th street Locations
In 2019, two additional bicycle counter locations were installed on 50th Street in Manhattan: one near Broadway and the other near 8th Avenue. The Broadway location seemed to experience data collection issues, with only two months of data available. Similarly, the 8th Avenue location shows significant gaps in data, with counts missing for January, February, March, April, and December for the year 2022. November of 2021 has a value of ‘0’.
B. Bike Routes of NYC
Source: Open Data NYC
Description: The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT), in collaboration with other city agencies, New York State, and external partners, develops and maintains bicycle facilities across all five boroughs. This dataset contains information on the current and historical network of designated bicycle routes and facilities, including facility types and street details represented as line segments.
The dataset provides comprehensive details on New York City’s bicycle routes and facilities. Key fields include the_geom, used for mapping, and segmentid, which uniquely identifies each street segment. The version column indicates if the segment is from the LION database or custom geometry, and bikeid identifies each bike facility. The LION database is a comprehensive geographic base map used by New York City agencies to manage street-related data. The status shows if a facility is active or retired, and boroughs are marked by a code (boro). Street names and facility start/end points are captured in fromstreet and tostreet, and the dataset distinguishes between on-street and off-street paths (onoffst). Information on facility types, lane counts (lanecount), and bike direction (bikedir) is included, along with installation (instdate) and retirement dates (ret_date). The segment length in feet is listed in shape_leng, giving a clear picture of the city’s bike network.
What can we learn from this data?
This dataset contains a total of 27,673 bike routes. Manhattan has the highest number with 7,554 routes, followed by Brooklyn with 7,212 and Queens with 6,665. The Bronx has 4,824 routes, while Staten Island has the fewest at 1,418. Out of the 27,673 bike routes, 22,983 are currently active, while 4,690 have been retired.
Out of the 7,554 bike routes in Manhattan, 5,956 are currently active, while 1,598 have been retired. Among the active routes, Midtown has the most with 2,626 routes, followed by Downtown with 1,955, and Uptown with 1,375. Of the 1,598 retired routes, 754 were in Midtown, 692 in Downtown, and 152 in Uptown.
Number of Bike Routes Installed Each Year (1900 – 2024)
Count of Installations by Facility Type
Number of Bike routes in each borough
Installations by Facility Type in Each Borough
C. Motor Vehicle Collisions Ending in Cyclist Injury
Source: Open Data NYC
Description:
The Motor Vehicle Collisions crash table contains data on police-reported motor vehicle collisions in NYC, with each row representing a crash event. Police fill out the MV-104AN form for any collision involving injury, death, or at least $1,000 in damage. This dataset is based on preliminary data, which can be updated as crash reports are revised.
The NYPD implemented TrafficStat in 1998, modeled after CompStat, to improve traffic safety by collecting and analyzing collision data. Initially, a system called TAMS was used to gather basic traffic crash statistics. As the need for more detailed data grew, the Vision Zero initiative, launched in 2014, emphasized the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities. In 2016, the NYPD replaced TAMS with the Finest Online Records Management System (FORMS), allowing officers to electronically input detailed data from the MV-104AN form.
For my analysis, I specifically used data where a bicyclist was injured or died in the collision.
What can we learn from this data?:
This dataset contains a total of 58,512 records. Of these:
- 15,366 records list “unspecified” as a contributing factor for the first vehicle involved in the collision.
- 28,663 records list “unspecified” as a contributing factor for the second vehicle.
- 13,225 records list “unspecified” as a contributing factor for both vehicles.
Regarding location data:
- 4,216 records are missing latitude and longitude information, with 998 of these also missing “on-street” details.
- 39 records are missing all geospatial information.
- 197 records incorrectly report the latitude and longitude as (0, 0).
Despite these issues, 54,099 records include latitude and longitude data. Of those, 8,539 are missing “on-street” information, but most still have other types of street data. Only 23 records lack any street information but still include location coordinates.
In terms of boroughs, Brooklyn leads with approximately 21,999 motor vehicle crashes involving cyclist injuries or deaths, followed by Manhattan with 18,673 Queens with 11,090, the Bronx with 5,756, and Staten Island with about 936 crashes.
The top ten streets across New York City with the most motor vehicle crashes involving cyclist injuries are Broadway (910 crashes), 5 Avenue (496), Bedford Avenue (420), 2 Avenue (392), 3 Avenue (388), 1 Avenue (330), Roosevelt Avenue (299), Fulton Street (281), Myrtle Avenue (277), and 7 Avenue (245).
Focusing on Manhattan, the top areas with the highest number of motor vehicle crashes involving cyclists are:
- Broadway (827)
- 2 Avenue (543)
- 1 Avenue (329)
- 3 Avenue (253)
- 5 Avenue (226)
- 8 Avenue (135)
- Avenue of the Americas (177)
- Amsterdam Avenue (164)
These streets highlight the most dangerous locations for cyclists in Manhattan, with Broadway and major avenues being particularly high-risk areas.
Trends in Bicycle Accidents from 2014 – 2023
Tree Map of Injuries by Contributing Factor And Injury Type
Instances where the Second Vehicle was a contributing factor
Sum of Injuries and Fatalities by Borough
Identifying the Month with the Highest Bicycle Collision Volume
Identifying the Weekday with the Highest Bicycle Collision Volume
Identifying the hour with the Highest Bicycle Collision Volume
What was the most prevalent contributing factor for each hour?
Vehicle Type of the First Vehicle Listed in the Accident Report
Vehicle Type of the Second Vehicle Listed in the Accident Report
What is causing Cyclist Death?
Which Vehicles are contributing to cyclist death?
Vehicle Types contributing to cyclist death by year
Sedans:
Sedans are one of the most frequent vehicle types involved in cyclist deaths.
They caused 3 deaths in 2024, down from a peak of 7 deaths in 2021 and 5 deaths in 2020.
Their consistent involvement highlights their prominence in urban traffic.
E-Bikes:
Rapid Increase: E-Bike involvement has risen significantly from 1 death in 2019 to a peak of 7 deaths in 2023.
Decline in 2024: E-Bike-related deaths fell to 2 in 2024, potentially due to improved regulations, awareness campaigns, and infrastructure changes.
In 2020, there were 2 recorded deaths, marking the beginning of E-bike fatalities in the dataset. In 2021, the number slightly increased to 3 deaths, indicating growing adoption and potential risks associated with E-bikes.
By 2023, E-bike deaths reached a notable high of 7 fatalities, reflecting a significant rise compared to earlier years. In 2024, the recorded deaths decreased to 2,
Station Wagons/SUVs:
This category has consistently caused cyclist deaths, with a high of 8 deaths in 2019 and steady representation every year.
In 2024, these vehicles accounted for 6 deaths, showing a continued risk to cyclists.
2013: Station wagons were linked to 2 deaths, marking their initial recorded involvement in fatalities.
2014: Fatalities increased to 6 deaths, indicating a rise in incidents involving these vehicles
2016: Deaths dropped to 1, showing a brief decline.
2017: A single death was recorded, maintaining the low level from the previous year.
2018: Fatalities again remained low at 1 death.
2019: Deaths spiked significantly to 8, marking a notable increase and the highest count in the dataset for this vehicle type.
2020: Fatalities decreased to 4 deaths, reflecting a reduction in incidents.2021: Deaths dropped further to 1, continuing the downward trend
2022: Fatalities rose slightly to 3 deaths.
2023: Deaths increased to 7, reflecting another significant spike.
2024: Station wagon-related deaths stabilized at 6 fatalities.
Bike on Bike Death
Bicycle-related deaths (caused by cyclist-cyclist collisions or other bike-related incidents) appear consistently across the dataset.
2017: The highest number of bike-related deaths (11 fatalities), highlighting potential issues with cyclist interactions or infrastructure.
2018 and 2022: Both years reported 5 fatalities, indicating continued risk despite growing safety awareness.
2024: 3 deaths, showing a slight decline but still indicating a significant issue.
Death By Truck
2024 – 12 – Highest number of truck-related deaths, led by Box Trucks (6).
2023 – 3 – Significant drop, dominated by Dump Trucks and Box Trucks.
2022 – 6 – Continued risks from Tanker Trucks and Tractor Trucks.
2019 – 10 – High fatalities from Dump Trucks (2) and Tanker Trucks (2).
2016 – 6 – Deaths across various types: Concrete Mixers, Flat Beds, and Box Trucks.
Garbage Trucks:
1.Consistent Involvement:
1.Garbage trucks (categorized as “Garbage or Refuse”) are involved in cyclist fatalities across several years.
2.They caused 1 death in 2022 and 1 death in 2019.
Buses
involved in multiple cyclist deaths over the years:1 death in 2023 and 2022.
4 deaths in 2020, marking the peak year for bus-related cyclist fatalities.
Sporadic involvement in earlier years, including 2 deaths in 2017 and 1 death in 2019.
Tractor Trucks
2 deaths in 2024 and 2022.
1 death per year in 2019, 2017, and 2016.
Tow Trucks
1 death each in 2022 and 2019.
Vehicle Types Involved in Cyclist Deaths by Year Summary(Death by truck)
The 2019 GreenWave Pledges and Analysis
Project GreenWave is New York City’s plan to make cycling safer and more popular as part of the Vision Zero initiative. By expanding bike lanes, enforcing traffic laws, and improving public awareness, GreenWave aims to reduce cyclist fatalities and create a more sustainable city. The plan involves collaboration across city agencies, advocates, and communities to address both immediate and long-term needs, ensuring safer streets, better infrastructure, and ongoing policy support. It aligns with broader efforts like Citi Bike expansion and the Better Buses initiative to enhance NYC’s transportation network and sustainability.
1. Cyclists’ fatalities and injuries
In 2019, bike fatalities increased significantly. From 2019 to 2024, a specific percentage of bike fatalities involved trucks, with the previous period (2014–2019) showing that 30% of fatalities were truck-related. In 2019 alone, truck-related deaths rose by 53%. Breakdown by borough shows Brooklyn accounted for 45%, Manhattan for 29%, Queens for 13%, and the Bronx for 10% of these fatalities. Targeted Truck Initiatives have been implemented to address these incidents.
- Analysis of Fatalities and Injuries in 2019
- Year 2019 (bike fatalities up)
- From 2019 – 2024, what is the percentage of fatalities involving a truck? (2014 – 2019, 30%) (Truck-related deaths were up 53% in 2019) (45% in Brooklyn, 29% Manhattan, 13% Queens, 10% Bronx) (Targeted Truck Initiatives)
2. Protected Bike Lanes
In an effort to enhance cyclist safety, the DOT pledged in 2019 to install over 20 miles of protected bike lanes across all five boroughs, with a focus on adding 20 lane miles in Priority Bicycle Districts. From 2019 to 2022, the DOT aimed to expand this initiative further, committing to a total of 75 lane miles citywide.
- Installation of Protected Bike Lanes:
- In 2019, the DOT pledged to install over 20 miles of protected bike lanes across all five boroughs. Specifically, they aimed to add 20 lane miles in Priority Bicycle Districts. Between 2019 and 2022, the DOT committed to installing a total of 75 lane miles, with an emphasis on expanding protected bike lanes citywide.
3. Citibike Services
The Citi Bike program is undergoing significant expansion, aiming to double its service area by 35 miles and increase the number of bikes to 40,000 by 2023. This expansion includes introducing dockless bike sharing on Staten Island and exploring options for citywide coverage.
- Doubling Citibike Services:
- Doubling the Citi Bike service area by 35 miles and tripling the number of bikes to 40,000 by 2023, alongside launching dockless bike share on Staten Island and evaluating expansion citywide.
Did you know…
According to the NYC Department of Transportation, over 24 million cycling trips were recorded across key locations in 2023, marking a 40% increase from 2019. However, despite infrastructure improvements, cycling-related injuries in Manhattan have risen by 15% since 2020, underscoring the need for further safety measures.
Analysis Questions:
How does bicycle growth affect motor vehicle collisions?
How does bicycle growth relate to the installation of bicycle routes?
How do bicycle route installations impact motor vehicle collisions?
Which bicycle route facilities are linked to fewer injuries and deaths?
What is the connection between bicycle growth and motor vehicle collisions?
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