Wednesday’s Headlines: A Wild Day in New York Edition

Yes, Tuesday was a wild day in Lower Manhattan, but we prefer to look forward … to the third and final part of Jesse Coburn’s three-part series on temporary plate fraud that has turned the city into a Wild West of ghost cars.

Today’s edition focuses on the buyers of illegal temps, many of whom are unlicensed drivers who can’t get legit plates because they’ve driven too recklessly or can’t get or afford insurance. And they’re often the worst drivers on the road: According to the NYPD, 25 people were killed in crashes involving cars with temporary license plates in New York City in 2021 and 2022 — and at least 10 of those plates, perhaps far more, were fraudulent.

And beyond Coburn’s exceptional journalism is a newly designed website by Angel Mendoza that is a pleasure to browse. So read it: click here to see Parts I and II. You will not regret it (though New Jersey and Georgia officials certainly will).

In other news:

• Despite the Trump arraignment and the Coburn investigation (or perhaps because of them), the day began with a huge bombshell: Mayor Adams swatted Monday’s Council budget proposal with a counter-proposal: a 4-percent across-the-board cut, initially reported by the Daily News, then followed by the Post, the Times. To her credit, Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, head of the Council’s Transportation Committee, issued a damning statement, calling the cuts “irresponsible and manufactured” that will “only make it harder for agencies like the Department of Transportation to deliver the protected bus lanes, bike lanes, street redesigns, and other essential services required by law. … The Mayor’s budget cuts have already put New Yorkers in danger this year by significantly slowing down the street safety infrastructure work needed to protect New Yorkers from preventable traffic violence.” Amen.
• Speaking of the above, Gothamist took a little extra time to report on the Council’s bid to expand Fair Fares, which we had a day earlier.
• Crain’s looked at Gov. Hochul’s environmental shenanigans that are delaying the budget.
• It was a rough day for LIRR commuters. (NY Post)
• Here’s a deep dive into the mystery of co-named streets. (Gothamist)
• Beyond that, it was a slow news day, so why not enjoy a solid Streetsfilms primer on why we and other outlets are calling for the end of parking mandates: