The first full month after a protected two-way bike lane opened on the Brooklyn Bridge last fall, the number of cycling trips over the East River crossing was nearly double the number from a comparable period the previous year.

A report released by the New York City Department of Transportation shows that 4,206 cyclists made a trip across the bridge in October 2021, up from 2,239 in October 2020. Also significant is the fact that the number of cycling trips across the nearby Williamsburg and Manhattan bridges didn’t change, indicating that the increased trips across the Brooklyn Bridge reflects an uptick in bicycle ridership overall.

According to DOT Commissioner Hank Gutman, “We have reclaimed space from cars to make cycling over the Brooklyn Bridge safer and easier, while making the pedestrian experience better than ever—and it has been a great success.”

For more information about cycling in New York City, visit www1.nyc.gov.