DOT Seeks Feedback for Network of Bike Storage Hubs Planned Across Five Boroughs

by Barbara Russo-Lennon, amNY

New Yorkers with tiny apartments will soon have room to own a bike on the street, thanks to a new program launched by the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) on Monday.

DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn announced the Secure Bike Parking Program, in which workers will build a network of 500 secure bike parking locations throughout the five boroughs starting later this year. The city said the upcoming program will address “significant barriers” to bike ownership, including a lack of in-home storage space for e-bikes or cargo bikes that are nearly impossible to carry up apartment stairs.

“More New Yorkers are riding bikes than ever before, so we’re meeting this moment with new tools and programs that make bike trips safer, easier, and more accessible from parking to trip planning,” Flynn said.

The storage locations will feature sheltered structures that the DOT said can be installed in curb lanes on residential blocks.

“Many New Yorkers, especially families, opt out of bike ownership because they lack the storage space in their homes, especially for larger family-oriented cargo bikes,” Flynn added. “We look forward to launching this exciting Secure Bike Parking program later this year and continuing to support the growth of cycling.”

The public can also provide feedback on parking hub locations through a new online portal at nycdotprojects.info. New Yorkers can share what type of bicycle they want to store (standard, e-bike, cargo, adaptive, etc.) and the length of time (long-term, short-term, overnight, weekends, etc.) at each suggested location.

New Yorkers will be able to use the parking spaces through a membership program; options include annual long-term fees and hourly rates. Discounted membership will be available.

More information about pricing and registration will be announced at a later date, the DOT said.

Ben Furnas, executive director of the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives, explained that a lack of secure bike parking is a significant barrier to bike ownership.

“Lack of access to secure bike parking is the #2 reason New Yorkers choose not to ride a bike after wanting to feel safer, and 26 percent of New York City households have experienced bike theft,” he said. “With citywide secure bike parking, more people will be able to choose bikes and keep riding. We’re glad that the city is moving forward with this plan to bring safe and secure bike parking across the five boroughs.”

City Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, who is also chair of the council’s transportation and infrastructure committee, said accessible bike storage is the “missing link” in the city’s cycling infrastructure.

“Expanding access to secure parking and giving New Yorkers better tools to navigate our bike network will make cycling a real option for more people across all five boroughs,” he said. “I encourage everyone to visit the feedback portal and help us get these locations right.”

Meanwhile, some New Yorkers expressed concern about the new plan.

Rich Candia, a Staten Island resident, said he supports the city’s idea, as long as car spaces are not eliminated. He would also like to see the hubs located near train stations.

“I would strategically position these bikes near train stations and transit centers so it offers people another option of travel once they reach their stop,” he said. “I would not take away parking because the parking is so limited citywide.”

One Upper West Side resident said, “As both a driver and cyclist for exercise in the city, I’m just concerned about more space for cars getting lost.”

New bike map features
The DOT also announced on Monday that the 2026 NYC Bike Map will be interactive online, allowing New Yorkers to plan trips based on types of bike routes and points of interest.

A static version of the map will also be available online. Print versions of the map will be available for free at bike shops, libraries, and community centers across the five boroughs, the DOT said.

Editor’s note: A version of this story originally ran in amNY. Click here to see the original story.

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