I'll start the week with a little flashback to some coverage of Vision Zero last week in the New York Times.
We were happy to see the Paper of Record reporting on how the safety initiative had indeed reduced injuries from road crashes, but we were very surprised that James Barron's coverage of the American Journal of Public Health report completely ignored how the NYPD's dramatic reduction in traffic enforcement during and after the pandemic has undermined the gains of Vision Zero.
Fortunately, Streetsblog Deputy Editor David Meyer read the report more closely, and provides some excellent coverage today. Read it here.
In addition, check out my second dispatch from Sweden, where congestion pricing makes two big cities livable and lovable.
In other news:
- No motor, no fatal crashes: There's nothing like a soap box derby. (NY Times)
- MTA payroll and overtime costs are rising, the Post reported.
- Speaking of the MTA, former federal transit man Larry Penner offered a look at how the agency spends federal transit grants. (Mass Transit)
- Meanwhile, MTA CEO Janno Lieber told WABC that there's no Plan B if a judge tosses congestion pricing. (amNY)
- Nineteen scofflaw drivers were arrested, and 57 cars seized, in the latest crackdown by the ghost plate task force. (Gothamist)
- And, just in time for OMNY, now you can buy an Ice Spice MetroCard. (amNY)
- New York could soon be a scofflaw paradise, thanks to Upper East Side Council Member Julie Menin. (NY Post)
- Check out the super-secret bathroom in the Port Authority Bus Terminal (NY Post) — and, believe it or not, Hell Gate also covered a great bathroom.
- And, finally, it was nice to see state Sen. Andrew Gounardes call out psychopathic driving behavior by name:
Psychopaths and sadists have higher propensity to drive cars with modified mufflers and exhausts. Checks out. https://t.co/XaEgQSpjsa pic.twitter.com/dEZwnvqr1S
— Andrew Gounardes (@agounardes) May 11, 2024
