New York City releases new report on making streets safer for bicyclists

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Hundreds of thousands of people in New York City forego the buses and taxis every day in favor of hopping on a bicycle, and as the number of cyclists reaches a record high, the city is hoping to make the streets safer.

The city on Monday announced the findings of a new study that suggests biking in the city is safer.

In recent years, the city has done a lot to accommodate bicyclists by adding 1,000 miles of bicycle lanes around the city. There are 10,000 Citi Bikes at 600 locations, with a goal to expand the ride-sharing program to 12,000 Citi Bikes by the end of the year.

Officials say about 450,000 trips are being taken on bicycles every day.

With so many bikes on the road, Mayor Bill de Blasio has been promoting his Vision Zero program, which is designed to cut down the number of traffic fatalities.

Authorities say 18 bicyclists were killed last year in accidents.