Friday’s Headlines: Gridlock Surrender Edition

The Department of Transportation yesterday put out its annual list of “Gridlock Alert” days — or as we call them at Streetsblog, “Surrender” days.

Every year, like clockwork, the agency issues the list of days when drivers are “encouraged” to leave the car behind — and every year, like clockwork, I send the following email to the DOT press office:

“Is the agency instituting concrete measures this year to reduce driving, including, but not limited to, mandatory HOV lanes, shuttle buses over bridges, closing streets to private autos, etc, or is the [“Gridlock Alert’] effort limited to the commissioner’s announcement that he ‘encourages’ area residents to not use their cars? Thank you. My deadline is 1:30 pm.”

And every year, like clockwork, the DOT ignores my email. So, no, the agency isn’t doing anything to actually reduce car use, but consider yourself “encouraged” not to drive on the following days:

• Monday, September 23
• Tuesday, September 24
• Wednesday, September 25
• Thursday, September 26
• Friday, September 27
• Wednesday, November 20
• Thursday, November 21
• Friday, November 22
• Tuesday, November 26
• Tuesday, December 3
• Wednesday, December 4
• Thursday, December 5
• Friday, December 6
• Tuesday, December 10
• Wednesday, December 11
• Thursday, December 12
• Friday, December 13
• Tuesday, December 17
• Wednesday, December 18
• Thursday, December 19

And as far as my exchanges with DOT? As we say in Brooklyn, wait ’til next year.

In other news:

• Here’s a great metaphor for the decline of our nation: Now you can get Uber food deliveries from bad restaurants, too! (And not even get the full benefit of the never-ending pasta bowl!) (NY Post)
• The Times did a deep, Street Wars dive Into Citi Bike Angels, seeming to sneer at the bike balancers.
• So, was it worth it? Gov. Hochul’s popularity is so low you’d have thought she did initiate congestion pricing. (NY Post, amNY, Streetsblog)
• We need more OMNY, not less, parents say. (amNY)
• The NYPD takes so long to release info about police misconduct cases. (Hell Gate)
• Some city municipal buildings might allow the public to use the bathrooms. (NY Post)
• And, finally, can we just say two words: Shohei Othani? Seriously, I’ve been watching baseball since 1972, and I’m sorry if I get a little overwhelmed. But what this guy is doing is the equivalent of a mayor building 50 miles of protected bike lanes and 30 miles of dedicated bus lanes every year … for 50 years. (MLB)