Streetfilms: Street Star Christine Berthet

Today, StreetFilms debuts Street Stars, the first of many planned vignettes for 2008 which will focus on the amazing organizers in our communities who are fighting constructively for livable streets. Hopefully, these Stars will provide a road map for change and inspire others to work to transform their neighborhoods.

streetstars_Graphic_small.jpg

Their first choice is Christine Berthet, co-founder of Chekpeds, the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Pedestrian Safety Coalition. Together with Transportation Alternatives and the Project for Public Spaces, she was also instrumental in organizing the Ninth Avenue Renaissance, a movement to re-imagine neighborhood streets as a healthier place for people. She is an indefatigable advocate working hard for the community, organizing rallies, and is omnipresent at community hearings and testifying at City Hall.

According to surveys conducted in Hell’s Kitchen: 75 percent said that they were afraid for their safety because of motor vehicle traffic, 5 percent because of crime.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Streetfilms: What’s an LPI?

By Clarence Eckerson Jr. |
A leading pedestrian interval, or LPI, lights up the pedestrian signal a few seconds before vehicular traffic gets the green. This gives pedestrians a head start into the intersection and makes it less likely that they will be hit by vehicles turning into the crosswalk. LPI’s are also known by their sassier nickname, Pedestrian Head […]

Street Films: Hell’s Kitchen Miracle Ticket

By Aaron Naparstek |
Hell’s Kitchen Miracle TicketA Clarence Eckerson Street FilmRunning time: 1:13 – 3.59 MB, QuickTime Since we’ve been talking about traffic enforcement (or lack thereof), here is a quick Street Film that touches on the topic as well. In 2005, TOPP Founder and Executive Director Mark Gorton toured 9th Avenue with Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association’s Christine Berthet to check out […]

Streetfilm: Transforming NY City Streets

By Jason Varone |
Streetfilms’ Elizabeth Press was in attendance this week at the New York Historical Society where neighborhood activists, professional planners, and experienced advocates gathered to share their secrets on how New Yorkers can transform the public realm. The event was hosted by NYC Streets Renaissance and was moderated by Streetsblog editor Aaron Naparstek. Panelists included: Christine […]

Eyes on the Street: From Parking to Parklet in Hell’s Kitchen

By Brad Aaron |
Courtesy of Christine Berthet of CHEKPEDS, here are photos of what could be Manhattan’s newest public space, a pocket park on Dyer Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen. This plaza, conceived by area residents, occupies a sliver of traffic island on Dyer between 34th and 35th Streets, near the entrance to the Lincoln Tunnel. The space was […]

Crashes Highlight the Hell’s Kitchen Bus Crunch

By Stephen Miller |
Last Monday, a left-turning coach bus driver struck two Spanish tourists in the crosswalk at 47th Street and 10th Avenue in Manhattan, sending them to the hospital with critical injuries. On Thursday, another bus driver crashed into scaffolding a few blocks away, causing minor injuries to passengers. The local community board chair says that without adequate […]

Streetfilms: Talking Traffic Safety at the Home of Vision Zero

By Brad Aaron |
Clarence Eckerson shot this great interview with Mary Beth Kelly of Families for Safe Streets and Claes Tingvall, director of traffic safety for the Swedish Transport Administration. On Queen Street in Stockholm, a car-free plaza once “choked” with vehicle traffic, and standing within sight of the parliament building where Vision Zero took shape in the […]