Noah Kazis

There's a lot of livable streets action packed into just two days this week, with multiple big events both tonight and on Thursday.

Last night, Manhattan Community Board 2 resoundingly endorsed the city's plans to transform Astor Place and Cooper Square from asphalt expanses into pedestrian-friendly public spaces. After including some language in its resolution to appease the concerns of certain residents, the roughly 40 community board members in attendance voted unanimously for the plan to transform street space into plazas and expanded sidewalks.

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

One of the city's most dangerous intersections, in the middle of a neighborhood full of senior citizens, is due for a safety upgrade. As part of the city's Safe Streets for Seniors program, NYC DOT will be installing new pedestrian refuge islands and a small "transit plaza" to the corner of Seventh Avenue and 23rd Street in Manhattan, along with more conflict-free crossing time for pedestrians [PDF].

The city has released its final findings on the redesign of Prospect Park West [PDF]. With the data showing it a success by most any objective measure, DOT is recommending a few tweaks to further improve the design.

Environmental advocates' agenda for the Cuomo Administration continues to take shape, with the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund yesterday releasing its Albany agenda for 2011 [PDF].

Mayor Bloomberg delivered his tenth State of the City address this afternoon, laying out what he believed to be the city's accomplishments, challenges, and priorities for the future. And if the speech is any indication, taxis and ferries are at the top of his transportation agenda.

Flashback to Europe, sixty years ago. Just emerging from the ruin of total war, the continent was in the midst of a nearly unprecedented reconstruction. Over the next decade, industry finally was able to turn toward consumer products, from stockings to refrigerators and, of course, the automobile. Italians owned only 342,000 cars in 1950, but ten years later that number had increased to two million, according to historian Tony Judt. In France, the number of cars tripled over the decade.

More headlines at Streetsblog Capitol Hill

Think that mandatory license plates for bikes is a bad idea? That it'll drain city resources and put a barrier between New Yorkers and a popular, efficient, and green transportation mode? That bike licensing is trying to solve a problem that only exists in some lawmakers' imaginations? Now's your chance to let Queens Republican Eric Ulrich know.