We don't pay too much attention to magazines' "lists" of the "best," "worst" or "most influential," which, after all, tend to be advertising vehicles, like dinner "journals" or yearbooks. But, once in a while, the list-makers get it right, which City and State did with naming Open Plans's Director of Policy Sara Lind to its "Nonprofit 40 Under 40" list this week.
Lind, a lawyer who ran for City Council on the Upper West Side proposing a visionary plan for pedestrianizing Broadway, has only held the job since September, but she already has proved her bona fides as a coalition builder and policy savant on street safety by:
- thought leadership on Open Restaurants, in a Daily News op-ed and public testimony, providing a blue print for the City Council as it enters into rule making on the most consequential re-ordering of curbside space in 70 years.
- advocacy to eliminate parking minimums in new housing developments citywide, spurring Brooklyn officials to place the issue front and center and Mayor Adams to include a call for "reevaluating existing parking requirements" in his Blueprint for Economic Recovery.
- promoting an Office of Public Space Management and assembling a coalition of public space advocates to push for better coordination of the myriad government activities necessary for ensuring our neighborhoods function smoothly.
So, congratulations to Sara and to Streetsblog's sister organization, Open Plans! We know your efforts are only just the beginning of a successful campaign to make our city more livable.
In other news on a slow news day:
- The Daily News rounded up the MTA's fresh haul from the federal budget.
- The Department of Transportation pulled a fast one, announcing a shutdown of the Queensboro Bridge bike lane this week for bridge repair with little notice and angering pols. (amNY)
- Noted media critic Eric Boehlert died when a train hit him while he was riding his bike in Montclair, the New Jersey suburb where he lived. RIP. (NYDN, NorthJersey, NYT, Deadline)
- SEE IT: Streetfilms went to the capital and saw the bike-lane future!
- A car driver jumped the curb in Crown Heights, injuring six, including two kids. (Gothamist, NY1, WABC)
- In related coverage, Gothamist uses this year's horrendous pedestrian-death stats as a peg for a discussion of the NYC Streets Plan.
- Brooklyn Paper touted the return of the TD Five Boro Bike tour (and an extra hour of car-free streets) on May 1.
- Whatever happened to the reckless driver who careened over the Brooklyn promenade last year? Brooklyn Eagle is on the case.
- "Route, route route for the home team?" Streetsblog did. It also covered the (with hope life-saving) bike lanes coming to Long Island City.
