The big story on Tuesday was the latest — and frankly, most egregious — bikelash I've seen in a long time.
Believe it or not, several companies are petitioning the city to block a road-safety project on McGuinness Boulevard. Nothing new there; the Department of Transportation is constantly being hounded by car owners and car enablers who want to maintain the unsafe status quo.
The difference this time? The "Keep McGuinness Moving" coalition includes three trucking companies whose drivers have killed New Yorkers in crashes.
At long last, one could be excused for asking, have you left no sense of decency whatsoever?
We covered it. And so did The City. Someday, the mainstream press will get hip to the way powerful companies abuse their positions to keep roadways unsafe. Until then, there's outlets like us, the City and Hell Gate.
BREAKING: The truck being used to promote a big-biz-backed effort to keep McGuinness Blvd. dangerous for all road users has out-of-state plates AND a record of 13 speeding tickets, 2 red light tickets and 47 parking tix since 2016. What a great neighbor! https://t.co/JArQkh84Mq pic.twitter.com/FnwoNLAZ7g
— Streetsblog New York (@StreetsblogNYC) June 13, 2023
In other news from an otherwise slow day:
- Don't sleep — or shoot up — in the subway. (NY Post)
- Someday, the prospect of people using a bicycle to get to work won't be such a novelty to the New York Times. But that day isn't here yet.
- Speaking of getting around, "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz once again makes the case for congestion pricing in a Daily News op-ed (which included a nifty link to a Streetsblog story).
- Here's a street renaming I can really get behind (and my behind can certainly get in front of)!:
Join the Red Hook Community in celebrating a beloved Red Hook Institution, Defontes! This Saturday June 17th at 10:30am we will be co-naming Columbia street Daniel Defonte Way. You will not want to miss this! pic.twitter.com/LQ2h1thCH7
— NYC Council Member Alexa Avilés (@NYCCouncil38) June 12, 2023
- Brooklyn Paper had a story about two entrepreneurial brothers who have created a new e-bike that read like sponsored copy. Meanwhile, a Harvard student has invented what might be the first air bike (Harvard).
- The latest fight against dog poop is on. (Gothamist)
- In case you missed it, Kevin Duggan and I rounded up a legislative session of abject failure.
- And, finally, there was a lot of unnecessary driving in the most congested part of town:
More useless police driving in the most congested part of the city. Want to safely influence public opinion @NYCPBA? Take out a bus ad. https://t.co/xLjRcC8xad
— Streetsblog New York (@StreetsblogNYC) June 13, 2023