Thursday’s Headlines: School Zone Parking Soapbox Edition

Anyone lucky enough to have been biking around yesterday enjoyed more than just the weather. Thanks to public school vacations, our roadways were far less congested and far less stressful than normal weekdays — and there’s a simple reason why: When schools aren’t in session, teachers aren’t driving, which they do more than they should because Mayor de Blasio handed out 50,000 parking placards to school employees. All those teachers’ cars fill up all the curb space around schools — which then encourage other drivers and school buses to double-park next to them. The result lots of cars, many of them illegally parked, around schools filled with kids — not a good combination.

The next mayor should do whatever he or she can to get teachers off the roads. This blissful, low-traffic week is evidence of it.

And now we’ll hop down off the soapbox to deliver the news:

• Politico broke a big story early Wednesday, reporting that Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey had worked out a congestion pricing carveout of his own for Garden State commuters. Lots of outlets — including the NY Post, the Daily News, the Bergen Record, and CBS2 — followed with coverage, but very little clarity, but one essential question: Is there any congestion pricing left?
• Meanwhile, the Times’s late-to-the-game “explainer” on congestion pricing didn’t even mention the bombshell Murphy-Cuomo deal/no deal. But where old news is concerned, Michael Kimmelman’s history lesson on the long-lamented Penn Station is worth reading. That guy is killin’ it lately.
• The Wall Street Journal offered a taut, concise overview of Mayor de Blasio’s 14th Street “busway” plan. Gothamist played it straight, too. Vin Barone at amNY, who broke the story the day earlier, offered a positive reaction story (but of course). We also enjoyed the reporting of NY1’s Dan Rivoli (including his stand up at the end when he pronounced his name in a way we never considered). Streetsblog had multiple takes, including a look at Andy Byford’s hidden role, a broad overview and how the plan also included improvements on Grand Street in Brooklyn.
• Curbed wisely enlisted Dave Colon to write up activists’ and residents’ ongoing frustration with Community Board 9’s continued rejection of a city plan to fix upper Amsterdam Avenue. Streetsblog has covered the board’s bizarre misunderstanding of basic street design, but who knows? Maybe there’ll be a positive outcome.
• We’re not sure what to make of this subway gripe listicle from amNY.
• Here’s some great news for all of us who don’t drive. (NY Post)