Aaron Naparstek

On Tuesday afternoon the Parks Dept. seized dozens of bikes parked at the Forest Hills train station

Laura Conaway at the Village Voice caught the filming of a bike lane-related television ad near Lafayette and E. 4th Street yesterday. We’re guessing that either MyBikeLane brought in some venture capital funding and is going big-time or the Dept. of Transportation was filming a public service advertisement. We’re leaning towards the latter because we’ve … Continued

Dept. of Transportation Comissioner Janette Sadik-Khan tells NY1 Transit reporter Bobby Cuza that New York City and the MTA still plan to implement a Bus Rapid Transit program, with or without Albany's approval of congestion pricing.

Today at 11:20am Brian Lehrer digs deeper into the story, published first here on Streetsblog, that congestion pricing opponent Richard Brodsky received more contributions from parking industry interests than any other New York State Assembly Member. You can tune in online. From the WNYC web site:

Silver Shifts Congestion Pricing Plan Into “Park” (News) Lawmakers Insist Mayor’s July 16 Deadline is Fake “Pressure Tactic” (NYT) US DOT Says “No Flexibility” on July 16 Deadline (Daily Politics) Public Health Leaders Call on Albany to Take Action (YouTube, Politicker) Thank Albany When Subway Fares Are $3 (Villager) Oil Expected to Hit $80 per … Continued

New York and six other cities have their federal grant application presentations online here at the Transportation Research Board. Contrary to congestion pricing opponents who claim the July 16 federal deadline is a ruse. Patrick Decorla-Souza at the FHWA confirms that all of the "other applicants either already have statutory authority, or the granting of authority is not a controversial issue." The federal grant process is moving forward with our without New York, it seems. 

The other day I noted that one of the most destructive pieces of misinformation floating around the New York State Assembly is this line from Assembly Member Richard Brodsky's congestion pricing report:

Just in case you thought all of the bike-related news today was good, a Streetsblog tipster in Queens reports that Parks and Recreation Dept. agents were clipping bike locks and seizing bicycles in Forest Hills, Queens yesterday. She was told by a city employee that the bike seizures are part of a new, citywide Parks Dept. policy. I have a call in to the Parks Department public information office to confirm this story and find out what's going on. Here is her letter to Streetsblog:

Dept. of Transportation street design projects are moving incredibly fast these days. Only a few weeks ago the City announced that, in response to long-standing community requests, it would create a new public plaza, buffered bike lane, and major pedestrian improvements at that big, crazy intersection in the middle of the Meatpacking District.

The McBrooklyn Blog spots this freshly painted high-visibility bike lane on Henry Street in Brooklyn: