A Round and Roundy: Open Streets ARE the Compromise
He read the petition to turn the 34th Avenue open street in Queens into a linear park.
He read the Queens Borough President’s op-ed in support.
He read the local Assembly Member’s op-ed in support.
He read the Council candidate’s op-ed in support.
He read the current Council Member’s op-ed in support.
He read a random neighborhood resident’s op-ed in support.
He listened as Jackson Heights and Corona residents showed their support.
He watched the movie of people loving the open street.
He read our article about how crashes have been reduced by 80 percent when the open street is off limits to thru-traffic.
He also read our article reminding people that in a world where car drivers have access to every single inch of public roadway all the time, making just one open street into a car-free oasis is the compromise that we’re willing to make to drivers. He read our follow-up story about how opponents of open streets verbally abused two DOT officials for an hour … standing in the open street they so despise.
So, of course, our national treasure cartoonist found the exact way to frame this story: If Mayor de Blasio and the Department of Transportation botch the redesign of the 34th Avenue open street in the name of the fake compromise that’s being put forward by car owners, we’ll end up with a roadway filled with cars (and how is that a compromise, given that that’s what we have everywhere right now?).
It’s another instant classic.
All of Bill Roundy’s cartoons are archived here.
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