Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Doug Gordon

Wednesday’s Headlines: Doug Gordon’s Tactical Urbanism Edition

12:01 AM EDT on October 16, 2019

This is how you daylight an intersection — quick and cheap! Photo: Doug Gordon

We were pleased to see that Doug Gordon, who tweets as @BrooklynSpoke, finally went public and confessed to being the "rogue" urbanist who fixed streets in Park Slope last year with a bit of tactical urbanism.

A little duct tape and, voila, daylighted intersections! Take it away, Doug:

https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/1184106998633287680
https://twitter.com/BrooklynSpoke/status/1184109184905891847?s=20

Here's the rest of the news from yesterday:

    • Several Queens politicians have written to the Department of Transportation demanding a protected bike lane on Cross Bay Boulevard, two days after Bogdan Darmetko was killed on the roadway (Patch). The letter by Council Member Eric Ulrich, State Sen. Joe Addabbo and Assembly Member Stacy Amato quoted Streetsblog's story verbatim. (That's a hat tip to reporter Dave Colon.)
    • Politico's Dana Rubinstein explored the legal underpinning of Uber's dispute with the city over expanding its Jump bike service across Staten Island. Sticking point? Uber doesn't want to be sued if riders get injured. Citi Bike also has a contract provision that helps it avoid lawsuits — with the Department of Transportation didn't seem to know about. (Wow, good story, Dana!)
    • We're kinda torn on the bike repair man who sets up at the corner of Chambers Street and Greenwich Avenue every day. We like having a place for a quick fix, but don't like that owner Sammy Acevedo operates out of a van that he parks near the corner every day. (Tribeca Citizen)
    • Dog gone, hit. (NYDN, NY Post)
    • The Post's David Meyer went to the new LIRR lost and found — and found a chainsaw! (Though, um, there's a funny story about that...)
    • Yes, Arthur Schwartz is still suing over the 14th Street busway — you know, the transit priority route that everyone loves. (WSJ)
    • For a second straight day, amNY's website was down under its new owners. But a PDF version of the gutted print edition was posted online. Yes, it was as sad as we predicted it would be.
    • From the assignment desk: Today at noon, the Taxi and Limousine Commission will honor its best drivers: 433 cabbies who have zero traffic or safety violation convictions of any kind on their records over four consecutive years and, of course, no crashes with injuries.
    • Money for something: The Transit Innovation Partnership wants you to come up with ways of fixing three not-so-little problems: accessibility, traffic coordination and revenue generation. Applications are being accepted through Nov. 30. (Smart Cities Drive)
    • And finally, why is the Times's Metropolitan Diary always filled with "Aw, aren't cars cute?" stories? The other day, readers were regaled with a tale of workmen helping a Volkswagen Bug driver out of a jam. Why — just why?

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Analysis: Everyone Agrees — Less Parking Means More Housing

Let's take a second-day look at Mayor Adams's "City of Yes" zoning proposal to do away with mandatory parking in new developments.

September 25, 2023

What is the Life of a Dead Pedestrian Worth?

A cop laughed that a normal person is only worth $11,000 — and that figure was partly due to his racism, but also how little we value the lives of people on foot.

September 25, 2023

Monday’s Headlines: ‘What is Up With All These Flip-Flops, Mayor?’ Edition

It's the same old story with this mayor and his chief adviser, Ingrid Lewis-Martin. Plus other news.

September 25, 2023

Why Sustainable Transportation Advocates Need to Talk About Long COVID

Covid-19 transformed many U.S. cities' approach to sustainable transportation forever. But how did it transform the lives of sustainable transportation advocates who developed lasting symptoms from the disease?

September 24, 2023

Analysis: ‘Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program’ is a Failure By All Measures

The Department of Transportation wants the Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program to simply expire in part because it did not dramatically improve safety among these worst-of-the-worst drivers and led to a tiny number of vehicle seizures.

September 22, 2023
See all posts