Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Media Watch

Thursday’s Headlines: The Gray Lady Reads Streetsblog Edition

times 34th ave story

Credit where due department: Four months of cut-and-pasting the phrase "34th Avenue is widely seen as the best of Mayor de Blasio's open streets" finally somehow filtered through the editing process at the Times Metro Section and bore not just a piece of fruit, but a whole tree: The Times opened a story about pandemic recovery with a portrait of, you guessed it, the best open street in the city: 34th Avenue (see coverage, right).

"This is a moment of adaptation and improvisation. When people pool what they have to create something new. When they take unfamiliar steps away from what was to what can work now," the piece by Corina Knoll says way up top.

It's what we've been telling Mayor de Blasio for years: Give people car-free space to breathe, to walk, to meet their neighbors, and they'll create something great (and car-free). We're not saying every street — but one critical roadway in every neighborhood (to start).

So, thanks to Metro Editor Cliff Levy for showing off just how great our city can be under such circumstances.

Now, in other news:

    • Even as the city heats up with demonstrations against the failure to bring charges in the Kentucky killing of Breonna Taylor, protesters are alleging fresh police brutality. (Gothamist)
    • Meanwhile, Albany legislators are eyeing a fresh round of police reforms. (CityandState)
    • MTA reward: a giant MetroCard for a subway hero. (amNY, NYDN)
    • The broke transit agency will borrow more. (amNY)
    • Only one straphanger has been fined for not wearing a mask. (NYPost)
    • The MTA's board met yesterday to move against homeless riders, by banning loitering and shopping carts. (NYPost)
    • Bombardier's "lemon" train cars have returned to the subway after fixes. (NYDN)
    • An un-nicknamed robot will be installing signal equipment in the subway. If it's too trite to call it "Robby," maybe "Siggy" will do? (NYDN)
    • Revel mopeds have become a favorite target of thieves looking to scavenge them for parts, says the NYPD. (NYPost)
    • Retired federal transportation guy Larry Penner gave a nice writeup to National Car-Free Day. (Mass Transit)
    • Finally, California plans to ban gasoline-powered cars in 15 years. Will New York be far behind? (NYT)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

BREAKING: U.S. DOT Orders Review of All Grants Related to Green Infrastructure, Bikes

Now U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is coming for our bike lanes!

March 12, 2025

Pressure’s on Hochul As Legislative Budget Proposals Don’t Fund MTA Capital Plan

"The clock is ticking" for Gov. Hochul to come up with a way to fund the next MTA capital — or start to pay the price in delayed projects.

March 12, 2025

Wednesday’s Headlines: FOIL’ed Again Edition

How many Department of Transportation officials does it take to not answer reporters' Freedom of Information Law requests? (Sixteen!) Plus other news.

March 12, 2025

Data: Congestion Pricing is Not Rerouting Traffic to Other Boroughs

Traffic on four outerborough bridges dropped in February — defying MTA forecasts for increased through-traffic around the congestion relief zone.

March 12, 2025
See all posts