Today’s Headlines

  • Defense Attorneys: NYPD Tix Fix Scandal Undermining Justice System (News)
  • Chuck Schumer Speaks Up for Safety-Enhancing Road Diets — on Long Island (Newsday, MTR)
  • Bloomberg: Law-Abiding Bike Culture Will Arise From Public Pressure (Transpo Nation)
  • Melissa Rosales, Eric Ulrich Constituent, Responds to “Get A Life” Tweet (Bklyn Spoke)
  • Drunk Driving Cop Avoids Night in Jail Thanks to Tix Fix (News)
  • Westchester, Putnam Brace For Federal Transpo Cuts, Especially on Buses and Bikes (LoHud)
  • In Hudson Valley, Drunk Driving Arrests Up, Fatalities Flat (LoHud)
  • Bay Ridge Summer Streets Topic of Latest Brooklyn Paper Point/Counterpoint
  • Clean Public Space an Amenity Limited to Affluent Section of Red Hook (News)
  • To Beat the Heat, Avoid Franklin Ave Shuttle and C Train (News)
  • PPW Cycling “Rumble Strips” Are Here (WYDNKBYANM)

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

  • carma

    yes, avoid the C.  the C runs R-32 cars still.  and half of those units have disfunctional A/C.  to be honest, the MTA should have retained most of those cars and refurbished the A/C units.  Far cheaper than buying a whole fleet of brand new R-160 trains.  and those R-32’s could basically last forever.  those cars are workhorses.

  • Kaja

    I’m glad those are just little thermoplastic strips instead of speed bumps. I don’t see no  speed bumps for the cars.

    If these actually slow me down or jar my ride, then this sort of crap will just make me ride in the car traffic lanes (at 22mph), giving the finger to anyone honking at me. Terrible idea, punitive to cyclists.

  • Brooklyn Dad

    Congrats to Louise Hainline. Her bogus arguments about pedestrian safety have yielded ugly and useless traffic engineering in the form of bicycle “rumble strips.” I hope she is happy with the view from the deck of her penthouse apartment far above PPW.

  • carma

    you do that and you are asking for trouble.  you versus a 2 ton machine.  NOT a smart move.

  • Rumble Stripper

    It’s too hot for Hainline to use her roof deck right now, so using her logic it should be torn up. If she wants fresh air and plants, there’s a park just across the street.

  • kevd

    yeah, because no one here ever rides in traffic where there are cars.  yup.  watch out Kaja – you’re cruising for a bruising out there in traffic.  

    Also the rumble strips are only just noticeable. 

  • Joe R.

    If these are what I think they are (never rode on PPW, never plan to), then all they’ll do is serve as an audible warning to cyclists, basically a little vibrating, nothing more.  On the flip side, if it’s something like when they cut roads in preparation for repaving, then forget it.  A cut road isn’t comfortable at any speed on a bicycle.

  • Joe R.

    Agreed on the R-32.  A little updating with improved air conditioning, new trucks with AC traction, and those cars would be good for another 50 years.  As much as I like the R160s they’re using now on the E and F, I’m dubious that they’ll last as long as the R-32s.

  • Larry Littlefield

    Yep, the R32s — the first stainless steel cars — don’t seem to be getting the same sendoff as the Redbirds.

    I agree that NYCT overbought cars and under-invested in infrastructure, an priority that will reverse if the MTA capital plan continues to exist. 

    On the other hand, during the housing bubble the cost of contrstuction in NYC was so inflated that it might have made sense to buy something made elsewhere.

  • carma

    very interesting thing to note about the cost of construction outweighing the costs of buying new cars.

    yes, the r160’s from alstom/kawasaki are oversea companies.  but werent they manufactured in upstate ny?  i could be wrong.

    in the long run, it (may) make sense to buy new cars.  but those r-32’s were amazing.  50 years of service after only 1 general overhaul.  and if you can get a seat, they were certainly the most comfortable in the whole system.

    i am willing to bet if NYCT took the time to invest in those cars, they certainly can last another 25 easily.

    you stress out one very important point that even w/ a massive deficit that the MTA faces.  it STILL under invests in its infrastructure.  and in order to really get folks to get out of their cars.  you really have to invest.