Westchester Cyclists Push for Safer Roads

On May 6, the advocacy group Bike Walk Alliance of Westchester and Putnam and the Westchester Cycle Club are sponsoring the Westchester Bike Summit at the Greenburg town hall in White Plains in an effort to bring planners, public officials and cyclists to discuss ways to make the community friendlier to people who ride bicycles.

Terry Burke is getting a head start on the county-wide effort right here in Bedford, when he presents for discussion a draft "Bedford Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan" at tomorrow night's town meeting.

Burke, 61, is chairman of the bike committee for the Town of Bedford and is a member of the Westchester Cycle Club. He's been riding a bike since he was a child. A serious cyclist, Burke owns 14 bikes, designed for different year-round cycling activities, which are all stored in his garage.

Burke has been pushing for a more pedestrian Bedford for a few years.

"If Bedford had a bike plan, we could coordinate with neighboring communities to create bike paths, lanes and genuine routes, making cycling safer throughout Northern Westchester," Burke wrote in a 2008 Record Review column.

With Bedford's adoption of a climate action plan in February, which aims to lower the town's carbon footprint, Burke may have the momentum needed to draw attention to the development of a bike-friendly community here.

Although he knows the area, and has a dozen or so bike routes he rides regularly, he occasionally takes an unfamiliar route.

Burke advises people new to cycling to find a friend to go with and become self-sufficient if, for example, they need to change their bike's tire.  

Cyclists have an opportunity to meet each other through the the Westchester Cycle Club, founded in 1975, which supports bicycling of all types and at all skill levels. Group rides are scheduled on the weekends and many weekday evenings, taking cyclists on various routes throughout Westchester's scenic areas. Levels are scaled from D (riding less than 30 miles) to A (riding length typically more than 50 miles). A 50-60 mile ride lasts about 4.5 hours.

David Wilson, president of the club, said there is a need for people in Westchester to belong to a recreational and social club.

"This is our group of friends," he said. And with the group rides the club schedules, there's safety in numbers.

Another member of the club, Deborah Ramsey, who also serves as their cue sheet librarian, (cue sheets are directions for a bike ride) said she has always had a bike and since moving from Long Island to Croton-on-Hudson four years ago, she has been increasing her riding distances and gotten move involved in the biking scene.

Three years ago she joined the cycle club as a way to make herself at home and get to know people. Last year Ramsey pedaled 4,000 miles riding three to four times a week. The best time to ride is when the temperatures are 65-70 degrees, she said.

"Late spring and fall are gorgeous," she said. "It's still warm enough to wear regular cycling clothes and not bundle up, but cool enough, so it's exhilarating."

In the past five years, their membership has doubled, Wilson said. For an annual membership of $20, members have access to cue sheets with maps of different routes, club functions, and events.

In an effort to bring in more people from New York City, WCC is working with the county tourism department to promote safe cycling in Westchester.  Last year, they mapped out 14 lines directly from Metro North Railroad.

Routes are accessible on the Westchester County Tourism Department website.

"We have one of the best places in the country to ride a bike," Wilson said. "We have a gorgeous country side, we have well maintained roads that are not heavily trafficked; [...] a lot of our routes go out on the reservoirs."

Wilson advises beginner cyclists to take the North and South County Trailways, which are paved bicycle and pedestrian paths off the roads stretching from Mount Pleasant to the Putnam County line of Yorktown, and Yonkers to Elmsford.

For those who choose to go on the roads, Wilson offered these tips:  Stay on the right side of the road, ride in a straight line, obey traffic signs, be careful of going downhill as speed can accelerate, communicate with other riders, watch for hazards on the road, don't wear headphones to keep senses fully engaged and take time to appreciate the beautiful countryside.

Ramsey said the Westchester Cycling Club has also begun to focus on safety because there is a lot of ill feeling towards cyclists," Ramsey said. "We need to be mindful, more respectful, and courteous to one another's presence. Safety on the road is a huge issue."

A community plan for a bike-friendly Bedford would promote safety and also save energy costs, said Burke. 

In the meantime, he's out on his bike. "I love hills," Burke said. "I've cycled in the Alps in Europe, which was extremely challenging, but Bedford's hilly terrain is tough too."