Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Department of Sanitation

Friday’s Headlines: It’s a Dirty Job Edition

Photo: Gersh Kuntzman

The big news yesterday was the "Get Stuff Done" mayor announcing a multi-agency "Get Stuff Clean" initiative. How big? Well, not that big: PoliticsNY, Gothamist and the Staten Island Advance covered it (and some TV, but does that really count?).

But it boils down to this: The mayor promised on Thursday to get rid of "No Man’s Land" areas around the city — places like sides of highways — that have long fallen through the cracks. The initiative is also supposed to include 200 new Sanitation Department workers, new shifts for Park Department cleaning crews, more pickups at street litter baskets, and more sewer inspections — all paid for with $14.5 million in new funding, the mayor said.

And a source told Streetsblog it will mean better cleaning of bridge garbage cans, so our old man editor took the above picture as he biked across the Kosciuszko Bridge yesterday morning.

We're not sure why the mayor thinks he needs such a huge initiative. Just last month, Gothamist was reporting that Hizzoner felt that only 1.5 percent of the city's streets were "filthy." (Well, maybe now that the election has passed, he can be more honest?)

In other news:

    • We're all for maximizing car-free space, but is the DOT serious about making Grand Army Plaza car-free? Gothamist had the scoop of the day, but we'll wait before we start celebrating.
    • Don't forget that volunteers will finish building Apolline's Garden on Sunday in Fort Greene. We took a picture yesterday and it's ready for painting:
The new plaza is at the western end of Gates Avenue, just west of Vanderbilt Avenue. (Inset) The design calls for colorful treatment. Photo: Streetsblog
The new plaza is at the western end of Gates Avenue, just west of Vanderbilt Avenue. (Inset) The design calls for colorful treatment. Photo: Streetsblog
The new plaza is at the western end of Gates Avenue, just west of Vanderbilt Avenue. (Inset) The design calls for colorful treatment. Photo: Streetsblog
    • Carnage filled the daily papers yesterday:
      • The Daily News had more on the two truck drivers who were killed on Wednesday about a mile apart in Queens in separate incidents.
      • A hit-and-run FedEx driver struck, dragged and killed a pedestrian in Windsor Terrace on Thursday. Cops say they are looking for him (NYDN, NY Post). Only amNY pointed out that the crash occurred at the very location where Mayor Adams promised on Jan. 19 to make roads safer.
      • A cabbie struck by another hit-and-run driver last year has died of his injuries. (NYDN)
      • A car driver killed a scooter rider in Brooklyn. No charges, of course. (NYDN)
    • The long shuttered ferry stop in Greenpoint will reopen. (amNY)
    • Political writer Steve Witt has left journalism for the Adams administration. (PoliticsNY)
    • Speaking of the suburbs, here's something that made us think about how much better density is than sprawl:
    • And, finally, never mind the bollards...

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Sean Duffy’s ‘Great America Road Trip’ Wants You to Drive to Central Park

Sean Duffy's "Great American Road Trip" encourages Americans to drive to sites in the most transit-rich and car-choked parts of the country.

July 3, 2025

Ex-DOT Official Warns NYC’s ‘Counterproductive’ E-bike Speed Limit Will Curb Biking, Safety

The mayor is working overtime to undo the decade of gains for cycling in the Big Apple, a former de Blasio administration official told Streetsblog.

July 3, 2025

Thursday’s Headlines: Just the News Edition

Things are slowing down for summer, but not entirely. Here's the news.

July 3, 2025

DOT Boss Defends Adams’s ‘Vision Zero’ Record As Agency Fights A Bike Lane in Court

Traffic fatalities are down and the DOT is taking a victory lap — even as it argues against a protected bike lane in court.

July 2, 2025

Cyclist Arrested After Crash with Electric ‘One-wheel’-Style Unicycle

Carolyn Backus is charged with fleeing the scene of a crash causing serious injury, but the details are murky.

Wednesday’s Headlines: Return of Summer Streets Edition

Summer Streets is back and bigger than ever. Plus more news.

July 2, 2025
See all posts