Ben Fried

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

As the flood waters recede from New York City, it looks like the effects of Hurricane Sandy are going to linger in the city's subway tunnels. MTA Chair Joe Lhota has called the storm the most devastating disaster to strike the subway system in its 108-year history.

If you're looking to start the weekend with a great group of people who, like you, dream of a more livable city and are working to make it happen, this one is for you. Tomorrow evening at WNYC's The Greene Space, you can meet your fellow Streetsblog readers and Streetfilms viewers at our annual benefit, "Street of Dreams."

One of the interesting developments to come out of the National Association of City Transportation Officials "Designing Cities" conference (currently in its second day) was the announcement of a wide-ranging new design guide to be released next year. NACTO's "Urban Streets Design Guide" will show how streets of every size can be re-oriented to prioritize transit, safe walking and biking, and public activity.

Leading transportation policy decision makers from around the country are gathered at NYU today for the National Association of City Transportation Officials' "Designing Cities" conference. It's an exciting moment for livable streets and sustainable transportation, with the people who are implementing a new generation of complete streets, surface transit improvements, public spaces, and parking policies sharing their expertise and helping to spread innovation to other cities.

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Looks like Queens Community Board 1 has some competition when it comes to irrational opposition to on-street bike parking. DNAinfo reports that a proposed bike corral at Wyckoff Avenue and Starr Street in Bushwick has some detractors at Brooklyn Community Board 4.

Streetfilms' Elizabeth Press was uptown today working on a piece about East Harlem's long-awaited protected bike lanes. She passes along this view of the almost-rideable green lane on Second Avenue. Waiting for paint to dry has never been so thrilling.

The New York City Department of City Planning announced yesterday that the City Planning Commission has approved a measure to reduce Downtown Brooklyn's onerous parking minimums. But the commission, chaired by Amanda Burden, appears to have wasted an opportunity to improve on the timid reforms.