This Angry Dude in Queens Is Reason #283 the MTA Needs Electronic Proof-of-Payment Yesterday
Off-board fare payment is a huge time saver for the hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers who ride the city's Select Bus Service routes. It cuts out the time-consuming process of each passenger dipping a MetroCard one by one. But the technology that off-board payment relies on could be better.
May 8, 2017
DOT Unveils Plan for Protected Bike Lane on Seventh Avenue South
Last night, DOT presented the southern segment of its plan for a Seventh Avenue protected bike lane, from 14th Street to Clarkson Street [PDF], to the Manhattan CB 2 transportation committee, which voted for it unanimously.
May 5, 2017
Addressing Racism and Police Brutality in Traffic Enforcement
Police brutality and racial inequities in criminal justice must be addressed by advocates and agencies aiming to reduce traffic fatalities. That's the key takeaway from a Vision Zero Cities panel yesterday on police violence and traffic enforcement. "Vision Zero cannot be a reason to overly-police black and brown bodies," said Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Tamika Butler. "You can’t ignore the country we live in."
May 4, 2017
The M86 Moves Faster and More People Are Riding Thanks to Queue Jumps
While bus ridership is down citywide -- and especially in Manhattan -- there are some routes that are bucking the trend. One that's gaining riders is the M86, which got a package of upgrades from DOT and the MTA in 2015. The improvements included off-board fare collection and queue jumps -- short bus lane segments that enable buses to cut ahead of other traffic at signals.
May 2, 2017
Queens Boulevard Safety Overhaul in Rego Park Clears Community Board 6 Committee
Last night, the public got a look at the next phase of DOT's Queens Boulevard redesign, which will extend protected bike lanes, pedestrian safety improvements, and traffic calming treatments through Rego Park to Yellowstone Boulevard. The project got a thumbs up from the Queens Community Board 6 transportation committee in a 7 to 3 vote.
May 2, 2017
De Blasio Launches $325 Million Ferry Service While Poor New Yorkers Struggle to Afford MetroCards
Yesterday the mayor emphasized that the prices for single ferry rides and monthly passes are equivalent to those of single-ride and monthly MetroCards. But ferry riders hoping to connect to other points in the city will have to pay twice - for the boat ride, and again for the subway or bus. And most stops are in neighborhoods where the annual income is above the citywide average.
May 1, 2017
Remembering Gelacio Reyes, Father of 3, Struck By a Drunk Driver While Biking Home From Work
On Saturday morning, the family of Gelacio Reyes gathered with Queens residents and Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer to install a ghost bike in his memory at the Sunnyside intersection where he was killed by a drunk, unlicensed driver four weeks prior.
May 1, 2017
De Blasio’s Budget Adds $300 Million Over 10 Years for Street Reconstructions
Mayor de Blasio's executive budget, released yesterday, adds $300 million for street reconstruction over 10 years. The funding will expand the construction pipeline for Vision Zero projects. But the executive budget includes nothing to expand the bike-share system.
April 27, 2017
Discount Fares for Low-Income New Yorkers Still Missing From de Blasio’s Budget
Mayor de Blasio did not add funds for discount transit fares for low-income New Yorkers in his executive budget, released yesterday. The "Fair Fares" coalition has called on City Hall to fund half-priced MetroCards for the 800,000 New Yorkers living in poverty.
April 27, 2017
Making It Safer to Walk or Bike to Van Cortlandt Park By Taming Broadway in the Northwest Bronx
Despite its proximity to Van Cortlandt Park, Broadway north of 242nd Street feels like a highway. Two years ago, Council Member Andrew Cohen asked for safety improvements, and last night DOT presented a plan to narrow crossing distances and add a two-way protected bike lane along the park.
April 26, 2017
