By Nathan Duke
The city will soon construct new bicycle shelters in Astoria and Jamaica in an attempt to cut down on borough traffic and pollution, a spokesman for the city's Department of Transportation said.
Riders will be able to leave their bicycles in the shelters' racks free of charge for the day as they travel to work via mass transit.
The DOT will set up new shelters at 31st Street and 30th Avenue in Astoria and another at Lefferts Boulevard and Liberty Avenue in Jamaica, the spokesman said. The borough currently has one bicycle shelter at Jackson and 50th avenues in Long Island City.
City Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) said he was pleased his neighborhood would get one of the new shelters. He said he hoped the shelters would cut down on the number of vehicles passing through the neighborhood as well as reduce pollution.
“[It] will be extremely helpful for our constituents and be a symbol of responsible transportation,” he said. “Bike riding should not only be an enjoyable past time, it should be a viable mode of transportation, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and a clean environment.”
The DOT spokesman said the shelters, which can hold eight bicycles on racks, would be similar in appearance to city bus shelters. He said the shelters would be available for use to the public, but cyclists must provide their own locks.
He said there is currently no completion date set for the shelters. There are currently four bicycle shelters in the five boroughs, but the city intends to construct 33 more by the end of the year, he said.
The shelters will be installed, repaired and managed at no cost to the city by Cemusa Inc., a company that maintains the city's public toilets. Many of them will be placed near bus and train stops, Vallone said.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
