Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
reportcard.jpg

Transportation Alternatives has teamed up with cycling advocates from Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle to issue the Urban Transportation Report Card (PDF), which rates these cities' progress on greening their transportation systems. The report notes that transportation accounts for 20-60% of carbon emissions in major U.S. cities, so it is very encouraging that in each city the most significant growth occurred in bicycling, with Chicago registering an 80% increase in cyclists from 1990-2000.

The report also sites areas where these cities need improvement; the following recommendations were made for New York:

The Mayor’s plan calls for new pedestrian plazas in each neighborhood in the city but lacks a comprehensive set of initiatives to improve pedestrian safety.  The City continues to promote driving among municipal employees by distributing thousands of parking permits to employees annually and turning a blind eye to parking permit abuse.  City workers drive at two times the rate of other professional employees in New York City.  Finally, many of the details of PlaNYC are yet to be hashed out or institutionalized within government, and the completion deadline is not until 2030, many mayors from now.  The plan sets no firm targets for mode switching, i.e. what percentage of trips the City would like to see by car, bus, subway, commuter rail, bicycling and walking.  It still remains to be seen when and exactly how these ambitious and much needed plans will be implemented.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Beach Reading: Zohran Mamdani’s Answers to Streetsblog’s Mayoral Candidate Survey

Spend the holiday weekend with Zohran Mamdani's answers to Streetsblog's mayoral candidate questionnaire.

July 4, 2025

Friday Video: Why NYC Needs ‘Low-Traffic Neighborhoods’

London's Church Street, like so many of our business corridors, was choking on cars — until the advent of the low-traffic neighborhood.

July 4, 2025

Friday’s Headlines: E-Bikes in Parks … Permanently Edition

The Parks Department will permanently allow e-bikes in city parks following a two-year pilot. Plus more news.

July 4, 2025

Anti-Miracle On 34th Street: Adams Administration Pauses Work On 34th Street Busway

The highly-anticipated 34th Street busway may not happen under Mayor Adams after all, sources said.

July 3, 2025

Manhattan DA Says Alleged Central Park Hit-and-Run Cyclist Didn’t Flee, Drops Charges

Prosecutors said the 30-year-old cyclist "remained on the scene for about 45 minutes after the crash and waited for paramedics to arrive to treat the injured person."

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025
See all posts