DOT’s Fear of Community Boards Leads to Bike Lane Gaps in Brooklyn
Disjointed street design changes coming to Kingston Avenue and Brooklyn Avenue illustrate how DOT's sheepish approach to bike lane implementation interferes with the development of a connected bike network.
August 24, 2015
Atlantic and Washington Gets Fixes, Now What About the Rest of Atlantic?
The multi-leg intersection of Atlantic Avenue, Washington Avenue, and Underhill Avenue has received its second round of street safety improvements in four years. Adding to a 2011 project that expanded pedestrian space, this latest set of changes includes new turn restrictions, crosswalks, and larger median islands [PDF]. Advocates welcomed the changes, but want DOT to think bigger when it comes to overhauling Atlantic Avenue, one of the city's most dangerous arterial streets.
August 24, 2015
Eyes on the Street: Williamsburg’s “Lively,” “Beautiful” New Garage Wall
An apartment building in Williamsburg perfectly illustrates how parking minimums in New York's zoning code make the city's streets and sidewalks worse.
August 21, 2015
Citi Bike Expansion Rolling Along — See the Latest Map
Well, that was quick. Just over two weeks after cutting the ribbon on the first of 91 new stations, Citi Bike's expansion into Long Island City, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, and Bedford-Stuyvesant is approaching the finish line.
August 21, 2015
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