Emma Fitzsimmons is still a Times transportation reporter, but she showed why the paper is promoting her to City Hall bureau chief with a Monday scoop about how Mayor de Blasio had finally signed on to Council Speaker Corey Johnson's "Streets Master Plan" bill.
Excitement was high as we all read Fitzsimmons's piece ... until we got to the inevitable paragraph explaining what had changed in the bill to finally get City Hall buy-in: It turns out Mr. Vision Zero agreed to the bill only after Johnson agreed to move the goalposts. So instead of this year, the first five-year, street-safety "master plan" won't need to be created until December, 2021 — just 30 days before Hizzoner gets his last chauffeur ride to the gym.
Everyone covered the delay angle, including Gothamist, Streetsblog and Curbed — but Doug Gordon burned it in his single tweet crucible.
Here's the rest of yesterday's news:
- Christopher Robbins's long-awaited coverage of the Wegmans opening came out in Gothamist; it was fair and balanced, including a blink-and-you'll-miss-it link to Streetsblog's definitive coverage of the transportation shitshow now unleashed by the mega-market on Flushing Avenue. Even the New Yorker (with a rule-breaking weather lede) covered the store's opening (what is this, Uniqlo?). Reporter Helen Rosner admitted she used "ride share" from the supermarket, but we appreciate that she mentioned the massive parking lot — and the cars it attracts — as a negative thing.
- The MTA may avoid a truly F'ed up situation with an L of an idea (and we can't believe Guse at the Newsuh didn't use that lede!).
- Public Advocate Jumaane Williams was one of many local electeds blasting the NYPD for aggressive policing in the wake of this weekend's wilding at Jay Street (NY Post, amNY). Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams agreed in a separate press event (amNY).
- It was unclear from the Times's story about the Second Avenue Subway extension whether the Paper of Record feels providing transit service to long-suffering working class commuters is a good thing or a bad thing.
