Cyclists get head start at 50 NYC intersections

Signs are going up at 50 intersections around New York City for cyclists with the goal of saving lives. From a cyclist's perspective, riding a bike in the five boroughs can be dangerous. So the city is hoping the signs and a new pilot program will eliminate the number of injuries and fatalities.

The sign at Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, alerts cyclists that they can now follow the pedestrian signals to give them a head start at the intersection. Cyclists can get an early jump on the red light to avoid a collision with drivers.

Eric McClure, a cyclist and the director of StreetsPAC, a safe streets organization, said the city's six-month pilot program is directed at intersections in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan that are considered dangerous for cyclists. He said he hopes the results of the pilot program will show the city and the NYPD that it should be rolled out citywide.