We could do a long intro about all the exciting street safety news that happened yesterday, but all we care about is that Jacob deGrom is back and looking good. So take a breath, and start your day with yesterday’s news digest,

How slow a news day was it yesterday? At one point, something like 11 stories out of the top 15 stories on the amNY home page were about sports, and the other four were gambling ads:

• We previewed it yesterday, but several outlets covered Manhattan Beep Mark Levine’s bid to get another lane away from car drivers on the West Side Highway. (Hell Gate, amNY, Gothamist)
• Well, it looks less like shit, is how one Penn Station passenger described the latest minor improvement. (NYDN)
• We finally bit the bullet and bought that Crain’s subscription — and were rewarded with a big story about parking.
• Know anyone still wearing a mask on the subway? We don’t. (NY Post)
• The NYPD seized scores of illegal mopeds and four-wheelers. Wait ’til they hear about cars! (NYDN, amNY)
• In case you missed it (OK, we did, but only because the Daily News website sucks so much), Clayton Guse had a great story about slow Amtrak trains.
• Would-be Congressman Suraj Patel made a good showing at last night’s debate with older Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler. (NY Times, Gothamist)
• Finally, Clarence Eckerson is loving “Westward”:

Been watching Season 4 of “Westworld” which features a nearly car-free future NYC abounding with pedestrianized streets. (2 main characters even walked from lower Manhattan to Jersey over a landbridge)

This tracking shot over Broadway has just green & plazas! Good job HBO! pic.twitter.com/h4LL3NIDfF

— Streetfilms (1,033 videos!) (@Streetfilms) August 1, 2022