From the assignment desk: The place to be at 9 a.m. is with safe-streets advocates, Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and elected officials — rallying in City Hall Park in support of the re-authorization of the city's life-saving speed cameras and the removal of time restrictions so that they can operate 24/7.
The City Council must vote on the measure so that Albany lawmakers can take it up and pass it by the Legislature's June 2 deadline. Without action, the cameras will go dark on July 1.
As our Julianne Cuba chronicled, the speed-camera legislation has had a bumpy road in Albany but, hey, this is New York. We don't do smooth.
In other news on a slow news day:
- The working class has returned to the subway, even if the white collars have not. (NYDN)
- Train Daddy II? NYC Transit honcho brings back a Byford program. (Gothamist)
- What's delaying congestion pricing? The Feds' 425 technical questions, Streetsblog reported.
- As we reported, the U.N. is giving a lifetime achievement award to the immortal Clarence Eckerson Jr. of Streetfilms. Pass Blue has more on that and World Bicycle Day, June 3.
- When it comes to police reform, we live in Mayor Adams's pro-cop world. (City & State, NY Post)
- If that weren't enough, SCOTUS seems poised to overturn our gun laws. (City & State)
- Here's something that will affect transportation in town when it happens — if it happens. (Politico)
- New names appear on the MTA board. (NY Post)
- Street vendor regs may get an update (Brooklyn Eagle)
- The (usually small-government) Manhattan Institute wants higher liquor taxes in order to stanch DUI.
- Curbed reviews Jody Rosen's "Two Wheels Good: The History and Mystery of the Bicycle."
- Got bucks? The feds could help pay for a Coney Island ferry. (Shorefront News)
- Finally, trust The Onion to find the bitter humor in, well, everything. (Via Twitter)
'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens https://t.co/8NNNNzc1xQ pic.twitter.com/DGFY2fTDCs
— The Onion (@TheOnion) May 25, 2022