Today’s Headlines

  • School Bus Driver Kills Elise Hellinger, 58, in Kew Gardens Crosswalk (Post, NY1, AMNY, News)
  • Feds Sue MTA for Failing to Make Subway Stations Accessible (NYT, Politico, News)
  • Cuomo’s Former Right Hand Man Joe Percoco Convicted on Corruption Charges (NYT 1, 2; Politico 1, 2)
  • Phil Murphy’s Proposed First Budget Would Prioritize Transit (NYT, WNYC)
  • De Blasio Likes Carl Heastie’s Cabs-Only Congestion Plan Copout (AMNY)
  • NIMBYs, Indifferent Cops, and Cowardly Officials Make Riding the Bus a Miserable Ordeal (City Limits)
  • NY1 Covers Rollout of Revamped Staten Island Express Bus Routes; Public Forum Tonight: Advance
  • Jersey Park-and-Ride Motorists Take Advantage of Free Curbside Parking in Staten Island (Advance)
  • 3 Injured in Fire When Motorist Blocks Hydrant; Driver Says He’ll Sue City for Car Damage (Bx Times)
  • Damn E-Bikes (Bx Times)

More headlines at Streetsblog USA

  • Larry Littlefield

    “De Blasio Likes Carl Heastie’s Cabs-Only Congestion Plan Copout.”

    And his proposal to fund the operating deficit and the MTA Capital Plan is…

    Phil Murphy pulled a Christie and underfunded the pension fund, leading to a worse situation for transit and everything else down the road.

    And at the federal level the cut taxes while talking about a 30 percent cut in Social Security payments down the road. But no cuts for those already retired, because THEY have a promise. Far bigger reduction for poorer younger generations who have “time to adjust.”

    City, state, federal, Republican, Democrat. Generation Greed robbed the future. Generation Apathy seeks to try to defer the consequences so it doesn’t have to deal with them.

  • Guest

    Yesterday’s cb 3 transportation committee agenda had the following item on it: request to transportation alternatives to stop spamming cb3 email. Do we know anything about this? Are cbs complaining about transalt petitions we sign and then they get emailed to elected officials, and maybe also to cbs? As cb3 resident, I’m concerned about this possibility and curious to learn more.

  • AnoNYC

    “But while Heastie and Weinstein championed the plan, a spokeswoman from Uber said on Tuesday that it “unfairly burdens” New Yorkers who live outside of Manhattan while also creating an uneven playing field for yellow cabs and e-hail car services.

    “Instead of incentivizing Manhattan riders to take public transit, the Assembly plan allows them to hail a yellow taxi to avoid higher fees,” spokeswoman Alix Anfang said in an emailed statement. “The only way to address congestion, fully fund the MTA and improve transportation outside of Manhattan is through a comprehensive congestion pricing plan where everyone pays their fair share.”

    I wonder what for-hire app based ride share companies are getting out of this? Higher customer turnover? Less competition with personal vehicles? I can’t say I don’t appreciate that they are on the right side of this issue though.

    In total, the Assembly’s budget proposal includes $10.5 billion for the state’s transportation needs. Here’s a breakdown of where the money would be allocated.

    “$490 million would be added to the MTA, bringing the total to $5.3 billion.
    $335 million would be dedicated to non-MTA downstate transit systems.
    $221.5 million would be for upstate transit systems.
    $519.9 million would be set aside for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program.
    $100 million would go to the Pave NY program.
    $104.5 million would be for non-MTA downstate and upstate transit capital projects.
    $3 million would go toward upgrading diesel trains so they meet higher emissions standards.    ”

    That’s a large portion of the money dedicated to roads and areas outside the NYC metropolitan area.

  • Elizabeth F

    > Jersey Park-and-Ride Motorists Take Advantage of Free Curbside Parking in Staten Island

    It’s not free, they are already paying PA up to $15 for the privilege of parking in Staten Island. The fact that NJ commuters see an advantage in this arrangement tells me what a disaster NJ Transit must be. Because other things being equal, it would be easier / cheaper to park at a NJ Park-And-Ride, and take a NJ Transit express bus to Manhattan.

  • Larry Littlefield

    It may also be the case that the cars with New Jersey plates do not in fact below to residents of New Jersey.

  • Brad Sutton

    I was there and there was no discussion of emails at all.

    Can I ask where you found the agenda? I’m looking at nyc.gov and don’t see it.

  • Brad Aaron

    Where are they paying to park?

  • Elizabeth F

    They’re not paying to park, but they are paying a HUGE bridge toll to get TO the parking lot. Either way, the overall exercise of driving to Staten Island and parking is far from “FREE”.

  • Knut Torkelson

    I defend De Blasio so often, but he really is a joke when it comes to transportation, environmental issues, policing, and so much more. Between this, his crackdown on delivery bikers, the glacial pace of street safety, bike improvements, and changes that could make busses run faster (signal priority, bus lanes, CONGESTION PRICING) I don’t think I’ve even seen such a lily livered, backbone lacking politician in my life. He makes Andy seem like a competent and reasonable leader by comparison. Hope he runs for higher office so I can volunteer for any Dem campaign running against him in the primaries and help give a decisive end to his career.

  • Guest

    Yes, it was at http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb3/html/calendar/calendar.shtml :
    Under “Transportation, Public Safety, & Environment Committee
    Tuesday, March 13 at 6:30pm — The Lee – 133 Pitt Street (at Houston)”
    …
    “8. Request to Transportation Alternatives for cessation of spamming of CB 3 email”

  • Brad Sutton

    My mistake I was at Brooklyn CB3!

  • Flakker

    No, this is definitely a real phenomenon. Bizarre but real

  • Flakker

    This is not accurate, with the SIB plan which NY and NJ drivers get for free, it’s just $6.25 for a round trip.

  • AMH

    Motorist blocks hydrant and threatens to sue city for car damage–incredible. I hope the people who lost their home and were injured because of his selfish behavior give him a nice lawsuit to think about.

  • qrt145

    The city should also throw the book at him for reckless endangerment.