NEW YORK -- The city's Department of Sanitation said Monday that it plans to remove various bikes chained to pieces of public property. Among the specified types of bikes are “ghost bikes,” which are referred to by the department as “ghost riders.” Painted white and affixed to a light pole with flowers and a sign, these bikes serve as memorials for bike riders who died in automobile accidents.

“In the event that a ghost rider is affixed to public property, a notice shall be affixed to the ghost rider advising the owner that such ghost rider must be removed within 30 days from the date of the notice,” read the statement from the Department of Sanitation.

The department also plans to remove abandoned bikes. A public hearing regarding the issue is scheduled for July 20 at the Department of Sanitation office at 125 Worth Street, Room 819, between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.