Enjoy the Ride

Enjoy the Ride

David Stoelting

Description

I have been bicycling on the bridges, roads and parks of New York City for more than thirty years. During that time the experience of biking in New York has improved considerably through the creation of bike lanes in all parts of the city. The construction of bike lanes – especially protected bike lanes in which parked cars form a barrier between bikers and traffic – serve to reclaim the streets from the vehicles which dominate the roads. As my quilt block states, “bike lanes renew” the urban environment because they facilitate and prioritize human-powered, zero-emission transportation over gas-guzzling, exhaust-spewing motor vehicles.

Bikes lanes are a boon to the environment and are recognized as a critical component of the urban sustainability project. Bicycling reduces carbon dioxide emissions and noise pollution. Riding a bike also improves mental and physical health. And more bike lanes lead to more bicyclists on the roads, which in turn reduces the risks of bicycling.

My square depicts Brooklyn as well as parts of Manhattan and Queens. Prospect Park, Green-Wood Cemetery, Shirley Chisholm Park, and Forest Park are all shown, and the green strips represent prominent bikes lanes. These of course are not all of the bike lanes, only a representative sample. In recent months I have been thrilled to come across newly created two-way protected bike lanes along Schermerhorn Street and in Sheepshead Bay. And the NYC Department of Transportation is continuing to expand and fortify the network of bike lanes.

Creating this square required me to develop new skills. I had to learn how to sew, thread a needle, cut fabric, and embroider. My hope is that people seeing this who are not bikers will similarly be inspired to take up a new activity and discover the joys of pedaling around this diverse and ever-changing city of ours.

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Disciplines

Art and Design | Urban Studies and Planning

Enjoy the Ride

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