New York City’s Bicycle Access to Buildings Law goes into effect on December 11, requiring many commercial landlords to provide bicycle access to tenants who request it.  In preparation, the NYC Department of Transportation has created a website to guide people through this process. The site has info for both interested employers in commercial buildings, as well as building managers and landlords – as well as handy tips for convincing your employer to apply for access.

Building owners or managers are required to allow bicycle access by freight elevator so they can be stored in the employer’s leased space. The law applies only to commercial buildings with at least one freight elevator where tenants have requested access.

According to the site, the process begins with the employer determining how many bikes it can accommodate in their offices and then submitting a request to the building manager. The building manager must then either submit a plan for access, provide alternative secure, free and protected bike parking or apply for a legal exception because of demonstrated safety concerns with the freight elevator.

On December 11, all applicable forms will be made available on the site. It’s worth checking in since there are specific timing and notice requirements to follow. Anyone interested in the law may also want to check out the Bikes in Buildings entry at Streetsblog’s “Streetswiki.”