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DOT Plan: No More Fighting Over Scraps at South End of Brooklyn Bridge Park
Last week we covered DOT's proposed safety improvements for the north side of Brooklyn Bridge Park, where sidewalk extensions, bike lanes, and planted medians will all be used to help pedestrians and cyclists safely reach the waterfront. DOT is also turning its attention to improving access to the southern entrance to the park, presenting a plan to Community Board 6 tomorrow evening [PDF]. The proposal reclaims some significant tracts of asphalt, giving pedestrians and cyclists more room on a critical segment of the evolving Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.
July 6, 2011
Andres Power Helps Lead a Streets Renaissance One Parklet at a Time
City planners often get very little public recognition for the work they do, and can sometimes take the heat on a project if it doesn't prove politically popular. In the case of San Francisco's revolutionary Pavement to Parks program, the early resistance to reclaiming public space from cars to create convivial spaces for people has gradually subsided and parklets are now in heavy demand. None of it would have been possible without the hard work and determination of Andres Power, an urban designer for the San Francisco Planning Department.
May 9, 2011
Despite Pressure From CB 7, Riverside Park Keeps “No Cycling” Policy
The parks committee of Manhattan Community Board 7 restated its support for shared bike/pedestrian paths through Riverside Park and Central Park last night. In Central Park, the shared paths would create new east-west routes through the park, while in Riverside, the community board is fighting against the Parks Department's surprise imposition of dismount signs on what was once a part of the greenway system.
January 25, 2011
New NYC Park Design Guidelines Envision Greater Role for Biking and Walking
A properly designed park must help promote cycling and walking, according to new city guidelines. "High Performance Landscape Guidelines: 21st Century Parks for NYC," a new blueprint for the design, construction and maintenance of the city's parks, puts forward a transportation vision with active modes at the center.
January 11, 2011
Roosevelt Island Parking Sensors Will Point the Way to Smart Parking
New York City is about to get a taste of what cutting-edge parking policy could look like over on Roosevelt Island. The island will soon be installing parking sensors under 29 spaces, local blogs Roosevelt Islander and Roosevelt Island 360 reported this week. By providing real-time data about what actually happens in those spaces, the sensors can help enforce parking laws, move toward smart and flexible curbside pricing, and prevent cruising and traffic congestion.
October 29, 2010
At Riverside Park, Looking to More Bike Lanes to Soothe Bike/Ped Conflict
The Hudson River Greenway is the busiest bike route in the city, with around 5,000 cyclists riding it during the peak 12-hour period each day. This June, the Parks Department abruptly put up dismount signs at the 72nd Street entrance to Riverside Park, interrupting a popular access route to a major corridor within Manhattan's green transportation network.
October 19, 2010
NYCEDC Building a Park(ing Lot) for Downtown Brooklyn
If you've ever wished you could dodge more cars and inhale more exhaust on your way to the park, Downtown Brooklyn's next green space is for you. It will be built on top of a garage with nearly 700 underground parking spots.
September 27, 2010
Central Park Administrator Pushes East-West Bike Routes, Car-Free Park
Central Park Conservancy head Douglas Blonsky wants his park to get a lot more bike-friendly, he revealed at a meeting of Manhattan's Community Board 7's parks committee last night. Not only is he working to create shared use paths that would allow cyclists to cross the park east-west safely and legally, he repeatedly announced his support for removing vehicular traffic from Central Park entirely.
September 21, 2010
DOT Proposes Safety Fixes to Help People Reach Harlem River Park
One of the biggest planning stories of the last decade is undoubtedly the opening of the New York City waterfront to the public. Across much of the city, however, the automobile still occupies the prime waterfront spaces.
August 20, 2010
The Hudson River Park Bike Seizure: Why’d They Do It?
Last Saturday, ten cyclists returned to where they had parked their bikes in Hudson River Park to find them gone. They had been attached to a railing along the river and, as reported in Gothamist, confiscated by the park.
August 18, 2010