Landmarks
Streetsblog Basics
Dershowitz Death Illuminates Dangers Faced By Greenway-Bound Cyclists
Streetsblog reader Mark Davis has put together a map showing how greenway-bound cyclists are funneled through the West 29th Street tunnel where Marilyn Dershowitz was killed on Saturday.
July 6, 2011
Eyes on the Street: A Clearer Path for the Adams Street Bike Lane?
A reader sends this shot of the freshly paved surface of Adams Street, heading toward the Brooklyn Bridge just south of Johnson Street. The parking regulations have switched sides, so it looks like the old curbside bike lane on the right side of the street -- a notorious double-parking zone -- will be shifting over, either all the way to the left curb or between the parking lane and the moving lane. We have a request in with DOT to find out what the plan is.
May 25, 2011
Bending to East Side Traffic, DOT Limits Plan for Faster Buses, Safer Cycling
Not so long ago, it was common to hear NYCDOT staff say their job was "to keep the traffic moving." Engineers working from "the motorist's viewpoint" ran the show, much like they did in the 1950s. Those days are thankfully over. Today's DOT prioritizes safety and sustainability and has compiled a lengthy track record of innovation in a few short years. But as the transportation committee of Manhattan Community Board 6 learned last night, the old emphasis on keeping the traffic moving still restrains how far the department will go to improve conditions for other modes.
May 3, 2011
Video: 400+ Cyclists Per Hour on the Manhattan Bridge
New York Post columnist Steve Cuozzo, proponent of birther-style conspiracy theories about the growth of cycling in New York, might want to check out this YouTube clip that NYC DOT posted earlier this week, along with other information on how it conducts bike counts. It's a time-lapse video of cyclists on the Brooklyn approach to the Manhattan Bridge during the morning rush last May. Real people riding real bikes -- see for yourself, Steve.
April 22, 2011
Eyes on the Street: NYPD’s Traffic Enforcement Resources at Work
Here's another story of how Police Commissioner Ray Kelly allows his scarce traffic safety resources to be spent. Reader Marc Norman took this picture after an encounter at the base of the Williamsburg Bridge bike-ped path this morning. He writes:
April 21, 2011
Eyes on the Street: The Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Bike Approach
Clarence sends along a few more shots from the beginning of construction season. These come from Queens Plaza, where the two-way bike approach to the Queensboro Bridge is extending eastward.
April 20, 2011
Efforts to Close East River Greenway Gap Advance With Feasibility Study
New York took a step forward today in attempts to close the 22 block gap in the East River Esplanade, which forces cyclists into traffic in the ultra-congested heart of Midtown and deprives East Side communities of valuable riverfront open space. Thanks to state and federal funding, including an earmark from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, the New York City Economic Development Corporation put out a request for a feasibility study looking at how to build a greenway along the East River between 38th and 60th Streets.
April 12, 2011
The Efficient Past and Wasteful Present of the Brooklyn Bridge
In the headlines this morning, we linked to a great historical photo of the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge on Brownstoner, and it's taking a closer look at the full implications of the shot. Not for nostalgia's sake, but to make a cool, calculated appraisal of the efficiency of this piece of transportation infrastructure, as currently configured.
April 11, 2011
Public-Private Plan for Goethals Trades Higher Costs for Faster Construction
Public-private partnerships, or P3s, have been repeatedly held up as a way for New York and other states to replace crumbling infrastructure despite enormous budget deficits. The Port Authority recent announced that it will use a P3 to finance the new Goethals Bridge, an important development that's sure to be closely watched by the state's transportation officials.
March 4, 2011
Canal Street Report Recommends Wider Sidewalks, Smarter Parking
Canal Street, to put it mildly, is due for a makeover. The street is clogged with traffic from the Holland Tunnel and the un-tolled Manhattan Bridge. Pedestrians jostle for space on the packed sidewalks, and they're especially at risk of getting hit by a car, according to the city's Pedestrian Safety Study.
January 6, 2011