A new policy to rid Roosevelt Island of old, rusty bicycles chained to streetlights, street signs and public bikes racks is set to be unveiled this month, the Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation (RIOC) said Friday.
The Unusable Bike Policy will apply to any bicycle publicly chained that:
• Appears to be crushed or not otherwise usable
• Missing essential parts such as handlebars, pedals, rear wheel or bicycle chain
• The handlebars, pedals, spokes, frames or rimes are damaged or bent
• 50 percent or more the bike is rusted, which includes parts like the frame, handlebars, pedals, and bike chain
The actual process will go as follow:
- Once a month, PSD would survey the island for any unusable bikes
- Any bike that fits the criteria will be pictured, tagged, removed (with RIOC Grounds/ Maintenance assistance), then brought to the Warehouse for temporary storage
- After two weeks in RIOC’s custody, if nobody claims the bike, it gets discarded.