Tuesday’s Headlines: Rethinking Avenue B Edition

On Tuesday, the Department of Transportation will show off plans for something like a low-traffic bike boulevard on Avenue B opposite Tompkins Square Park.

A copy of DOT’s presentation obtained by Streetsblog shows that the two-way Avenue B will be converted to a one-way northbound street between E. Seventh and E. 10th streets, which already hosts a daily open street from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., creating a much more pleasant experience for cyclists and pedestrians.

Is it revolutionary? No. But evolutionary? Certainly. The New York version of a low-traffic neighborhood? Maybe. A full plaza block between E. Eighth and E. Ninth streets is also under consideration, but not for this summer because it requires “further outreach and design conversations,” according to the DOT presentation.

Members of the public can give their input about the future of Avenue B here. EV Grieve also previewed the effort.

Read more below.

In other news:

• Related: London’s low-traffic zones cut traffic deaths and injuries. (The Guardian)
• Toll evasion is flat on MTA bridges and tunnels despite the authority’s high profile efforts to crack down on “ghost tags” and other scofflaws. (Newsday)
• Sean Duffy is out with another letter demanding the MTA do more busy work. (NY Post)
• Waymo debuts in New York City… sort of. (TechCrunch)
• Borrowing momentum from Zohran Mamdani’s “Halal-flation” bit, a City Council proposal would decriminalize street vending violations. (Gothamist)
• Bronxites repurposed a handful of curbside parking spots for a pool on Mount Hope Place; The Post is furious. (NY Post)
• The 1 train has the most hot car complaints in the subway system. (Gothamist)
• DOT is touting its installation of accessible pedestrian signals. (amNY)
• The City profiled tricked-out delivery worker bikes.
• Gothamist and amNY reported the Mayor Adams’s extremely long-term plans to crack down on delivery workers, as did we.
• The MTA is proud of its work on the Queens bus network redesign. (amNY) (We covered that, too.)
• The editorial board of amNY hates the city’s common sense plan to allow e-bikes in parks.
• Another year, another G train closure. (Crain’s)
• Out-of-control driver flees nasty FDR Drive crash. (Patch)
• What can the US learn from Europe’s stronger post-2020 ridership recovery? (Urban Wire)
• Conservatives in both parties are scrambling for their best shot to beat Mamdani. (NY Post)