Skip to content

StreetFilm: Room to Breathe

Inspired by a poster produced by Portland's Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in the mid-1990s, this weekend Transportation Alternatives gathered a gaggle of cyclists on 42nd Street in Manhattan to stage New York's own dramatic illustration of how much street space would be saved if everyone riding an automobile were traveling on a bicycle or bus.

Room to Breathe
A StreetFilm by Clarence Eckerson Jr.
Running Time: 3 minutes 41 seconds

Inspired by a poster produced by Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in the mid-1990s, this weekend Transportation Alternatives gathered a gaggle of cyclists on 42nd Street in Manhattan to stage New York’s own dramatic illustration of how much street space would be saved if everyone riding an automobile were traveling on a bicycle or bus.

This StreetFilm gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the event was staged and lets the participants speak about what brought them to the Livable Streets movement. T.A. aims to have the poster available by Summer 2007.

Photo of Sarah Goodyear
Sarah Goodyear is a journalist and author who has covered cities and transportation for publications such as Grist, CityLab, and Streetsblog.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

Non-Profits, City Officials Put Pressure On Lawmakers To OK Gov. Hochul’s ‘Stop Super Speeders’ Effort

April 20, 2026

‘A Solution, But To What Problem?’ Experts Say AVs Are The Elephant In The Room, But There’s Still Time To Figure Out Their Role

April 20, 2026

Opinion: Don’t Design Grand Army Plaza For 2007 — Build It For The Future

April 20, 2026

AG James Won’t Charge Cop Who Ran Over And Dragged Sleeping Man in Park While Applying Makeup

April 20, 2026

Monday’s Headlines: World Cup Fuss Edition

April 20, 2026
See all posts