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| City DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan greets one of NYC's cycling youths while announcing an increase in car-free hours.
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Articles and Actions
Events and Alerts
T.A. in the News
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One Hour Closer to a Car-Free Central Park! |
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DOT Commissioner Jeanette Sadik-Khan rides with T.A. members to celebrate the additional car-free hour in Central Park.
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On Monday morning, Central Park got one hour closer to being completely car-free. Now, recreational users can enjoy the park without the threat of automobiles every weekday morning until 8am.
In response to T.A.'s tireless advocacy and the work of our Car-Free Central Park Committee, Commissioner Sadik-Khan and the New York City Department of Transportation took a sensible step in the right direction and reduced car hours from 7-10 am to 8-10 am.
This change is just the latest advance in a campaign that began more than 40 years ago (PDF) to return Central Park's bucolic loop to its non-motorized users. In the late 1960s, cars were banned on weekends and on two weekday evenings. The "recreation lane" was added in the 1970s and the city instituted weekday car-free hours. In the 1990s weekday hours were extended and entrances like Columbus Circle were permanently closed to cars and reclaimed as parkland. This change is the latest of many welcome gains that have come during the Bloomberg administration and we look forward to several more.
Car-free parks are entirely in line with Mayor Bloomberg's sustainability initiative. They are a simple, low-cost way to encourage alternative transportation, facilitate healthy lifestyles and give New Yorkers more much needed car-free space.
Hopefully, this increase in car-free hours is a harbinger of things to come in Central Park and across the East River in Prospect Park too, where entrances could be closed and neighbors are calling for changes.
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US DOT, Show Us the Money |
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A soon to be announced US DOT grant could bring NYC one step closer to traffic relief.
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The next step in congestion pricing's path to passage is a commitment of at least $200 million in discretionary traffic reduction funding from the US DOT Urban Partnerships Program (PDF). Those monies would keep the pricing plan on track and pay for scores of new clean buses for present and future riders.
According to a deal brokered between Governor Spitzer, Mayor Bloomberg, Senate Majority Leader Bruno and Assembly Speaker Silver and passed by both houses in late July, the receipt of at least $200 million in federal funds is requisite to the continuation of any congestion pricing implementation plan. Once the US DOT commits $200 million, the city and state, and its 17 member Congestion Mitigation Commission, can advance on their goal to cut vehicle miles traveled by 6.3%.
Once those monies are secured, the MTA will have to report to the Commission by October 1 on how congestion pricing will impact its budget and operations. Considering MTA CEO Elliot Sander is a proponent of congestion pricing, this report will almost certainly be timely, detailed and strongly in support of any plan that boosts transit speed and ridership while reducing traffic citywide.
Although congestion pricing is on track, it's far from a done deal. We still need your support and legislators and community groups still need to hear from you.
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Take Action:
To get involved with T.A.'s campaign to win congestion pricing, go to the sign-up page.
To find out facts about congestion pricing, check out our resources page.
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TLC Bans Deadly Cab Fronts |
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Retrofitted taxi bumpers that increase the severity of impacts have been banned by the TLC.
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They're called "bull bars" or "crash bars" but to bikers and walkers this type of taxicab bumper is deadly. In head-on collisions, bull bars transform cars into SUVs, inflicting a blunt impact on pedestrians and cyclists. For years T.A. has asked the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission to ban " bull bars," and last week, the Taxi Commission did!
Their announcement (PDF) stated, "The front of the taxi, and especially the bumper, should be designed with strong emphasis on reducing injury to pedestrians." Hear, hear!
In 2004, the last year for which crash information is available, 627 pedestrians and 271 cyclists were struck by taxi cabs and those struck head-on by taxis with modified front ends were far more likely to be injured. This change will literally save lives. Thank you Taxi Commission.
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| NYC Century: Explore NYC on Two Wheels |
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Register before August 18th and you'll be entered to win a new Fuji Road Bike.
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Ride for better bicycling! Spend a day touring the neighborhoods of New York City. Enjoy great snacks at rest stops. Meet friendly cyclists and volunteers all while making NYC a better place to ride a bike.
What are you waiting for? Sign up for Transportation Alternatives' 18th Annual NYC Century Bike Tour. Regular registration ends on August 18th, save big by registering today! All proceeds benefit T.A.'s advocacy campaigns.
Need more reasons to sign up?
Register before August 18th and be entered into a raffle to win a brand new Fuji Road Bike, winners can choose either Fuji Newest 1.0 (men's) or Fuji Finest 2.0 (women's) check out fujibikes.com for more details. Bikes are Courtesy of Fuji Bikes.
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| The Bronx Committee is Back |
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T.A.'s Bronx Committee brought cycling into the borough's mainstream. Now, we are gearing up to bring it to a whole new level.
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T.A. needs Bronx volunteers more than ever. Late this summer, we will be reviving monthly meetings of our Bronx Committee, and giving volunteers the tools to bring bike lanes, traffic safety and public spaces to their neighborhoods. Join us for our first unofficial meeting at this Sunday's Car-Free Grand Concourse. We'll discuss upcoming projects like more car-free events, the NYC Century's Bronx route and, of course, the 13th Annual Tour de Bronx. Afterwards, join us for a short bike ride featuring some of the newest bike and pedestrian projects coming to the Bronx.
When: Sunday August 12th, 1-2 pm
Where: T.A.'s table on the Grand Concourse at 171st St.
Contact: Email wiley@transalt.org or call 646-873-6008
Heavy rain cancels.
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| Car-Free Grand Concourse: Come and Play |
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Thank you Bronx Borough President for giving us room to play.
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Come and join us as we bike, walk and play on a Car-Free Grand Concourse. Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Jr. has brought Car-Free Sundays back for a third year.
Sunday August 12th
Sunday September 16th
Sunday October 7th (tentative)
Grand Concourse at 171 st.
12-4 pm Rain or Shine
For more information, call 718-590-3989 or visit ilovethebronx.com.
To volunteer at Transportation Alternatives' bicycling station at the Car-Free Sundays email volunteer@transalt.org.
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| Rethinking Bollards |
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T.A. releases a comprehensive guide to one of our favorite traffic calming measures.
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Though bollards are ubiquitous in other dense pedestrian-oriented cities, they are rarely deployed on the streets of New York. A new T.A. report, "Rethinking Bollards," presents examples of how bollards are working at select locations in New York City and makes recommendations for a citywide policy to expand the use of bollards to protect all street users. " Rethinking Bollards" (PDF) is intended for planning practitioners, urban designers, landscape architects, city agencies, property owners, developers, community groups and anyone interested in safer and more livable cities.
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| The Guggenheim Hosts T.A. at Shapes of Space |
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Free Guggenheim admission with a T.A. membership, Saturday August 18th.
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Join us for an afternoon at the Guggenheim Museum as T.A. takes part in the acclaimed Shapes of Space exhibition. Shapes of Space explores the concept of space within art, and T.A. has assembled an interactive discussion of New York City's public space. Visitors can enjoy the Guggenheim's collections and exhibits, and join us for a special presentation including scenes from the T.A.-produced documentary Contested Streets, a collection of Streetfilms by Clarence Eckerson and presentations by leading activists who are reinventing NYC streets. T.A. members are admitted free, or sign up for a T.A. membership and receive a free guest pass to the museum for future use.
When: Saturday August 18th, 12-3 pm
Where: The Guggenheim Museum, 1071 Fifth Avenue at 89th St.
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| Park(ing) |
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Be sure to check out this Park Slope parking spot squat video.
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Ever wish you had more space to relax and play on the street outside your home or office? Well, on Friday, September 21st, you'll have the opportunity to turn parking space into public space
New Yorkers from all five boroughs are organizing NYC Park(ing) Day 2007, a day where citizens trade street space dedicated to private car parking for vibrant public gathering spaces. Park(ing) Day is a fun way to bring attention to New York's need to rebalance streets in favor of uses that maximize the livability and sustainability of our urban habitat.
If you would like to set up a park in your neighborhood or would like to volunteer with a group planning a park, email lindsey@transalt.org.
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| Manhattan Bridge North Bikeway Reopens |
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The Manhattan Bridge's bike friendly north path is back open.
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Monday morning brought good news for Manhattan Bridge bikers and walkers as well as sensible transportation supporters citywide: The DOT Division of Bridges reopened the Manhattan Bridge north bikeway.
It had been closed since October 2006 to complete various construction tasks in association with the rehabilitation of the lower roadway. Now that the bikeway is reopened, the south walkway has reverted to pedestrian use only. Appropriate signage is in place in both Brooklyn and Manhattan to alert cyclists and pedestrians to the bikeway's reopening.
On the Brooklyn-side of the bridge, the entrance is on the southeast corner of Sands and Jay Streets.
On the Manhattan-side, the path entrance is on the southwest side of Canal and Forsyth Streets.
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| NYCycles |
NYC ycles is a new monthly e-newsletter produced by the NYC Department of Transportation to keep cyclists up to date on our current projects and programs designed to promote cycling and increase cyclist safety. Sign up here by choosing Bicycle Information.
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| Valet Bike Parking Abounds |
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Valet bike parking boosts cycling to large summertime events.
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Parking bikes at large events helps to spread the T.A. message to hundreds of cyclists every summer. Join us as a volunteer for three outstanding summer events and meet tons of fellow T.A. volunteers and appreciative bicyclists. Dinner, beverages and a free outdoor concert/film provided. Email volunteer@transalt.org to sign up for a shift.
Celebrate Brooklyn
Saturday August 18th, 6-11 pm
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Outdoor Cinema 2007
Wednesdays August 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th, 6-11 pm
Socrates Sculpture Park, Astoria
Movies with a View
Thursdays August 16th, 23rd and 30th, 6:30-11 pm
Brooklyn Bridge Park, DUMBO
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| T. A. In The News |
Sorrow Lights Way to Safety, New York Daily News, 8/7
'Central' Parking Cutbacks, New York Post, 8/7
New Traffic Restrictions in Central Park, NY1, 8/6
Celebration of the Extra Car-Free Hour in Central Park, StreetsBlog, 8/4
Senior Citizen Falls into Path of Patrol Car, gothamist, 8/3
Upper East Side Politicians Unite To Fight Bike Lane, New York Sun, 8/2
Central Park's West Drive Slightly More Car Free, gothamist, 8/1
Mayor Takes the Subway -- by Way of SUV, New York Times, 8/1
It's Wheel Simple: New York Can be Top-Notch Cycling City, New York Daily News, 7/31
Messengers Bump Heads with Helmet Law, Metro NY, 7/26
Bicycle Plan Is put on Fast Track, New York Sun, 7/23
Transportation Alternatives is a member-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Join T.A. today! |
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