It’s de Blasio and Bratton vs. the World on Times Square Plazas
Let's start with some basic facts: Most people like Times Square better now that it has more room for people. Gone are the days when the sidewalks were so meager that you had no choice but to walk in traffic. After Broadway went car-free through Times Square in 2009, pedestrian injuries plummeted 40 percent. Retail rents soared. And yet, going against just about everyone else who has something to say about it, Mayor Bill de Blasio is entertaining the idea of eliminating the plazas.
August 20, 2015
NYPD’s Fifth Precinct Goes for a Ride With Street Safety Advocates
NYPD's Fifth Precinct doesn't have a great reputation for safety-focused traffic enforcement. Known for ticketing cyclists at T-intersections and at the base of the Manhattan Bridge, the precinct has relied on questionable math to back up its disproportionate focus on bike enforcement. Seeking to bridge the divide, a group of about 10 people went for a bike ride with precinct officers yesterday.
August 20, 2015
Eyes on the Street: West 125th Street Gets Its Bus Lanes
It's finally happening. More than a year after bus lanes were installed on 125th Street east of Lenox Avenue, the first signs have appeared that DOT will soon be painting red bus-only lanes in West Harlem.
August 19, 2015
NYC’s Parking Ticket Deals Cost Millions That Could Be Used for Street Safety
When the city zeroes out the cost of undisputed tickets for delivery companies as part of a special program to reduce the cost of parking violations, it's also giving them a pass on a fee required by the state. That surcharge funds anti-drunk driving programs, among other initiatives, and advocates say the city and state could be missing out on tens of millions of dollars each year.
August 19, 2015
Eyes on the Street: Seventh Avenue Gets a Bit More Pedestrian Space
Pedestrians have a little more room to navigate the complex intersection of Seventh Avenue South and W. 4th Street in the West Village.
August 18, 2015
It’s Past Time to Make Summer Streets Even Greater
When Summer Streets launched in 2008, it was accompanied by a veritable New York media firestorm. "Will Car-Free 'Summer Streets' Work?" asked the Times. "Businesses Brace for Summer Streets," warned WNYC. Seven years on, New York's marquee car-free event has become a popular August institution. It's time for more.
August 17, 2015