DAs Insist They Don’t Call Car Crashes “Accidents,” Except When They Do
Among the demands Families For Safe Streets is making of district attorneys, one of the simpler changes is to stop using the word "accident" to describe traffic collisions. In exchanges this week, the offices of three district attorneys said in no uncertain terms that they already refrain from using the word "accident" in this manner. But that's not actually the case.
January 14, 2015
“Boulevard 41” Poised to Reclaim Space for People Near Bryant Park
A crowded Midtown block could get more space for people and plantings if adjacent property owners decide to foot the bill.
January 14, 2015
Ex-MTA Chiefs: Fund the Capital Plan, Don’t Gamble With the Transit System
With the election over and Albany in session, the time for tiptoeing around the $15.2 billion gap in the MTA's next five-year capital program is over. Today, three former MTA chiefs lined up to say that, one way or another, the plan must be fully funded.
January 13, 2015
Take a Look and Vote on the New Proposals for a Car-Free 42nd Street
For nearly 15 years, a group of architects and planners who go under the banner of Vision42 have advocated for a car-free 42nd Street with light rail and expanded pedestrian space [PDF]. Hoping to catch the interest of the de Blasio administration, last spring the group launched a competition seeking conceptual designs for a re-imagined 42nd Street. Now the four finalists are up for a public vote.
January 13, 2015
Bus Lanes Worked Wonders on East 125th. Now What About the West Side?
Since debuting last year, Select Bus Service on 125th Street has dramatically improved transit speeds, especially on the section with dedicated bus lanes east of Lenox Avenue, according to NYC DOT and the MTA. The results strengthen the case for adding bus lanes west of Lenox, which DOT had scuttled in 2013 in response to resistance from local electeds. With more favorable politics prevailing today, the agency could revive bus lanes for West Harlem and greatly extend the impact of 125th Street SBS.
January 12, 2015
Families of Traffic Violence Victims Demand Justice From District Attorneys
Braving the cold, more than 150 people gathered on the steps of City Hall yesterday to demand that New York City's five district attorneys begin filing charges against reckless drivers who kill and injure New Yorkers on the streets.
January 12, 2015
DOT Proposes Riverside Drive Traffic Calming, But Not Bike Lanes
Last night, DOT presented a plan to the Manhattan Community Board 9 transportation committee that would bring pedestrian safety improvements and a road diet to Riverside Drive, but DOT is proposing no bike lanes for the popular cycling route [PDF].
January 9, 2015
NYPD Work Slowdown Shows How Much Rank-and-File Care About Vision Zero
For at least two weeks, the number of summonses issued and arrests made by police officers across the city has dropped precipitously. For victimless offenses like drinking alcohol in public, the decline in ticketing may serve as an interesting natural experiment in whether "broken windows" policing is really effective. But for motor vehicle violations like speeding and failure-to-yield, the drop in enforcement is putting people's lives at risk.
January 7, 2015