Confirmed: DOT Studying More Car-Free Time in Central Park
Last week, automated traffic counters were seen popping up on the loop drive in Central Park. That led many to believe that the Department of Transportation was gathering data to set a baseline for future changes to the hours cars are allowed into the park, a fact which has now been confirmed.
July 26, 2011
MTA Identifies $2 Billion in Savings — Now Comes the Hard Part
Jay Walder's surprise resignation announcement last week overshadowed some important news about the MTA's finances: The agency has identified $2 billion in savings in its capital program [PDF], which maintains and expands the transit system, but expects $1 billion less in federal assistance. That brings the total gap in the five-year, $26 billion capital plan to $9 billion that must be accounted for by the end of the year. This enormous deficit will define the political context in which Governor Andrew Cuomo chooses Walder's replacement.
July 26, 2011
Eyes on the Street: Public Space Upgrades for Allen and Pike in Progress
Crews are currently at work turning the new pedestrian plazas and protected bike lanes on Pike Street and Allen Street into more attractive, long-term fixtures of the Lower East Side. The new construction will add landscaping and higher-quality materials, helping the local community achieve the vision developed for Allen and Pike Streets in a multi-year grassroots process.
July 25, 2011
Manhattan Borough Board Unanimously Endorses Car-Free Central Park Trial
Though Mayor Bloomberg has ruled out the possibility of implementing a car-free Central Park trial this year, opting for further data collection instead, public support for the proposal continues to grow. At a meeting of the Manhattan Borough Board yesterday, the car-free trial picked up support from still more community boards and new City Council members.
July 22, 2011
Walder Praised After Resigning; Successor Will Be Thrust Into Era of Scarcity
In his relatively brief time at the helm of the MTA, Jay Walder earned widespread plaudits for introducing technological innovations while guiding the agency through increasingly perilous financial straits. His departure comes at a critical moment for the transit agency. With a $9 billion deficit facing the MTA's capital program at the end of this year, whoever replaces Walder will need political skill and technical expertise to spare transit riders another round of enormous fare hikes or service cuts. Even the most competent transit executive will have a hard time pulling it off, and leadership from the governor's office and the state legislature will be absolutely necessary.
July 21, 2011
High-Tech Midtown Traffic System Will Ignore Pedestrians and Buses
The Department of Transportation is rolling out a response to Midtown traffic congestion that is as high-tech as it is intellectually outdated. Microwave sensors, video cameras, and E-ZPass readers will gather traffic information in real-time and beam the information to the DOT's Queens command center, where engineers will instantly adjust the traffic lights as needed in an attempt to fine-tune the workings of the traffic grid.
July 20, 2011
Today’s Headlines
New Pedestrian Plaza at Bronx Hub Emerging as Centerpiece of Neighborhood Revitalization (WSJ) Times Editorial Urges Cuomo to Sign Bloomberg Taxi Bill Binghamton Leaders Hope Cuomo Signs Complete Streets Law (YNN) Suffolk County Has Region’s Highest Bike Fatality Rate, With Hispanics Most in Danger (MTR) Bystanders Gathered Around Lamar Odom, Not Teen Killed in Crash (News) … Continued
July 20, 2011