Transportation Alternatives
Streetsblog Basics
Council District 20: Who Will Replace the Mercurial John Liu?
Outgoing Council Member John Liu has been a fickle legislator when it comes to livable streets. While the transportation committee chair might endorse congestion pricing, he was also a staunch defender of the mythical put-upon working stiff whose very survival depended on free bridge crossings. And we can't forget his fidgeting when it came time to act on the all-important issue of bike access, his skepticism of landmark street reclamations (while scolding DOT on pedestrian safety), or his repeatedly debunked "two sets of books" claim -- if for no other reason than Liu himself has made it a cornerstone of his current campaign for city comptroller.
September 9, 2009
The District 33 Transpo Debate: Can They Top Yassky on Livable Streets?
The most telling answers at Transportation Alternatives' District 33 City Council candidates forum came after an audience member asked point blank for the debaters' stance on congestion pricing. "I can’t support a candidate who’ll support congestion pricing," said the questioner, Dave Reina. "I think it's punitive, and there are more creative solutions out there. Who’ll stand up against it?"
September 2, 2009
Preview: District 33 Transpo Smackdown
Tonight's candidate forum for the 33rd City Council district, which covers the Brooklyn neighborhoods closest to the East River, bears special significance for livable streets policy.
Outgoing rep David Yassky was an early supporter of congestion pricing
in the City Council and later carried the banner for the Bicycle Access
Bill, which passed earlier this summer. Will the next council member from the 33rd build on that legacy?
September 1, 2009
Legacy of Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Advocates Continues
A bit more background on the generous neckdown at Smith and Bergen spotlighted earlier today: This pedestrian amenity never would have been built without the long-term organizing for the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Project. Street protests and advocacy campaigns stretching back more than a dozen years are bearing fruit now.
August 28, 2009
Upper Manhattan Council Candidates Take a Pass on Livable Streets Survey
When I set out to summarize responses to the Transportation Alternatives Candidate Survey from City Council contenders in Washington Heights and Inwood, I expected it to take some time. It's a crowded field, after all, with challengers looking to knock off incumbent Robert Jackson in District 7 and a full slate of District 10 hopefuls vying to fill the spot vacated by the disgraced Miguel Martinez.
August 27, 2009
Highlights From TA’s District 25 Candidate Debate
At the Transportation Alternatives City Council candidate debate last night, the three Democrats competing in District 25 sat down to tackle concerns about traffic, public space, and street safety. An overflow crowd of about 50 people packed the second floor office of the Queens Diversity Center to see them.
August 26, 2009
Report: Cops Can Measure Traffic Violations, If They Try
Lawless driving in New York City is about as ubiquitous as scaffolding, pigeons, and Duane Reade put together. You just can't escape the constant background presence of motorist misbehavior: Ask New Yorkers what concerns them the most, and traffic safety ranks at the top. But if you ask the NYPD to crack down on dangerous and illegal driving, the response is always the same: Cops are out on the street issuing summonses, and traffic deaths are declining, so what's the problem?
August 25, 2009
District 39 Candidates: Where Do They Stand on Livable Streets?
A crowd of about 75 Brooklynites turned out for the Transportation Alternatives City Council candidate debate last night, despite the muggy mid-August heat and un-air-conditioned PS 321 auditorium. They were treated to a substantive discussion of transportation policy that went deeper than "bike lanes: good or bad."
August 19, 2009
Today: Celebrate a Livable Streets Milestone With TA
Later today, Transportation Alternatives will mark the completion of a major Brooklyn livable streets improvement -- a protected bike lane on the Sands Street approach to the Manhattan Bridge.
August 7, 2009
1.2 Million Traffic Summonses Is Nothing to Be Proud Of
In his response to Executive Order, the thorough and damning report on lax NYPD traffic enforcement released by Transportation Alternatives last month, Commissioner Ray Kelly was dismissive and defensive.
August 4, 2009