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Hundreds crowd the City Hall steps in memory of the bikers and walkers killed on NYC streets in 2007. Click here to watch the StreetFilm.
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Articles and Actions
Events and Alerts
T.A. in the News
- "Following months of embarrassing reports on the blogosphere and in the news about city employees abusing their parking privileges, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced today that the city would reduce the number of parking placards issued to city workers by "at least 20 percent" as of March 1."
City Cuts Employee Parking Privileges, New York Times, 1/4
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Justice Served to Parking Scofflaws |
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Mayor Bloomberg wants to reduce permit parking.
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Eighteen months after T.A. began its fight against government worker placard abuse, Mayor Bloomberg put uncivil servants on notice that their days above the law are numbered. Last week, he announced a series of initiatives aimed at curbing the rampant abuse of parking privileges by municipal workers.
The Mayor's plan calls for a 20% reduction in the number of parking permits issued by each city agency. It centralizes the issuance of permits under the auspices of the NYPD and DOT, creates a working group to review the current allocation of on-street parking spaces and calls for a crackdown on counterfeit permits as well as the misuse of legal ones. All of this adds up to more street and sidewalk space for biking and walking.
The announcement is a great victory for Transportation Alternatives, countless neighborhood residents and vigilant members of the press that have tirelessly crusaded for exactly this kind of good government oversight.
The use of permits to illegally park has eroded public trust in government and often poses a serious threat to the safety of New Yorkers. But the Mayor's message is more than just a stroke for the law. Permit parking encourages government workers to drive to work--which they do at nearly double the rate of other central business district commuters. Parking reform fits hand-in-glove with the mayor's sustainability initiative and encourages the civil servants who run our city to commute by transit like the rest of us.
Transportation Alternatives will be watch-dogging these long overdue reforms to ensure that they are true to intention and absolutely transparent.
Remember, if you see illegal permit parking, you can take a photo and post it to uncivilservants.org.
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3rd Annual Memorial Ride, Walk and Rally |
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Karen Wrancher, mother of Elijah Wrancher who was killed riding his bike in August 2007, speaks out at the memorial rally.
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On Sunday January 6th, hundreds of New York City cyclists and pedestrians gathered to honor the bikers and walkers killed by cars on NYC streets in 2007. Cyclists rode together through the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn in honor of the 23 cyclists that died this past year. Before rallying at City Hall, they were joined by a group of people that had walked over the Brooklyn Bridge in honor of the pedestrians who were killed this year. Organized by the Street Memorial Project, the 3rd Annual Memorial Ride honored the lives lost to New York City's chaotic and dangerous streets and called on the City to make streets safe for biking and walking.
Family members of those killed called for better enforcement against dangerous driving, complete and thorough investigations into all crashes, complete streets (PDF) that are safe for biking and walking and a change in the culture of the street.
The day was beautiful, difficult and moving.
Thank you to all who came, who organized and who care.
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| Take the 2007 Bike Report Card Survey |
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Transportation Alternatives is preparing its 11th Annual Making the Grade report on cycling conditions in New York City.
To make sure this report card is more informed and informative than ever before, we are asking StreetBeat readers to provide their evaluations of New York City bicycling conditions. Complete the survey and you'll be eligible to win a free ride in the NYC Century Bike Tour on September 7th, 2008.
[ Making the Grade
2006 |
2005 |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 ]
* Fill out the survey online if your e-mail program does not support this form
* View the current results without voting
Please grade each item from A to F, A being the best and F being the worst.
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Speak Out for Congestion Pricing in YOUR Neighborhood |
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Speak up at a Congestion Pricing hearing near you.
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There are several upcoming public meetings where you can speak out in support of congestion pricing and transit improvements. Trust us, we know that these meetings sometimes seem like a crowded subway car stalled under the East River, but they're absolutely essential to making sure that our real subways don't do just that.
Please take an hour to make your voice heard about reducing traffic, cleaning the air and funding subway and bus service. If you live or work in any of the neighborhoods below, these are prime opportunities to register your support for congestion pricing and transit improvements.
For more information about congestion pricing to fund subway and bus service, please see transalt.org/pricing and getnycmoving.org, and contact Transportation Alternatives with any questions or ideas to organize more support.
Thursday, January 10th
6:30-8:30 pm
Brooklyn Community Board 7 Transportation Speakout
Grand Prospect Hall
263 Prospect Avenue (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
Brooklyn
Monday, January 14th
Manhattan Community Board 2 Congestion Pricing Panel Discussion
6:30-8:30 pm
American Institute of Architects
536 LaGuardia Place
Manhattan
Wednesday, January 16th
7-8:30 pm
Manhattan Community Board 1 Congestion Pricing Panel Discussion
Academy of Sciences, 7WTC
250 Greenwich St. 40th Floor
Manhattan
Photo ID required.
Also, the next Traffic Mitigation Commission public hearing has been scheduled for January 16th, at 4 pm in the Kaye Theater at Hunter College. This will be a critical opportunity you to provide feedback directly to the Commission, so if you can come and speak out for transit improvements and congestion pricing, please do.
Wednesday, January 16th
4pm
Kaye Theater, Hunter College
East 68th (between Park and Lexington Avenues)
Manhattan
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Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Blueprint Open House |
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Downtown Brooklyn is getting a new long-term transportation plan. Image courtesy epc on flickr.com.
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The DOT will present preliminary recommendations and solicit public input on a comprehensive strategy for managing transportation in Downtown Brooklyn.
A summary of the study's findings will be presented at 5 pm and again at 7 pm.
Thursday, January 10th
4-8 pm
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon St
Borough President's Community Room
Additional information on the blueprint is available at:
nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/downtownblueprint.shtml
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Presidential Candidates' Transportation Forum |
The NYU Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management and Transportation Alternatives will host the leading Presidential Candidates' transportation and infrastructure representatives. Hillary Clinton, Rudolph Guliani and Barack Obama have confirmed that they will send staffers. Other candidates are expected to confirm in the near future. "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz will moderate the event.
Thursday, January 31st
8:30-10:30 am
Eisner and Lubin Auditorium
The Kimmel Center, 4th Fl.
60 Washington Square South
New York
Breakfast will be available starting at 8 am.
Space is limited, so please RSVP by January 25th.
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Broadway Working Group Meeting |
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The Upper West Side Streets Renaissance staff will host an open forum and informational session to discuss the obstacles to transforming Broadway into one of the world's greatest, greenest and most livable boulevards.
Your contribution to this dialogue will help determine priorities for an upcoming community-led design session. Come out and help change the Upper West Side!
Tuesday, January 15th
6:30-8 pm
Jewish Community Center
334 Amsterdam Ave.
7th Floor Conference Room
Manhattan
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Street Renaissance: How You Can Transform New York City Streets |
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Milton Puryear is just one of the notable advocates who'll be sharing secrets for success.
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How can you help win more livable streets? A panel of world-class change-makers will share the stories and secrets of their successful campaigns to bring improvements to NYC streets.
Drinks and light refreshments will follow the panel discussion and will afford attendees the chance to meet other street activists.
Take this opportunity to learn how you can be part of a greener, friendlier, more livable New York City!
Monday, January 28th
6-9 pm
The New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park W
Manhattan
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Are You a Monthly Advocate? |
Join T.A.'s easy and automatic monthly giving program for as little as $5 a month.
You can easily support critical bicycle and pedestrian advocacy throughout the year and stop worrying about renewal notices. T.A.'s monthly advocate program is simple, safe, convenient, paperless and easy.
Plus, become a T.A. Advocate today and get a FREE copy of Cycle NYC, your guide to New York City cycling.
Already an advocate? You can update your contact and billing info anytime on our website.
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The Hunter College Center for Community Planning & Development Job Opening |
The Hunter College Center for Community Planning & Development is seeking a Project Coordinator to carry out research on topics related to urban sustainability and coordinate community planning projects. Masters degree, good writing skills, ability to work with community groups; experience with publications. Flexible hours, short-term contract. Email resume and short writing sample before Jan. 22 to: Elana Behar, ebehar@hunter.cuny.edu
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| T.A. in the News |
Parking Plan Is Rebuffed by Teachers, New York Sun, 1/7
Parking the Perks, New York Daily News, 1/6
Crackdown on Abuse of City Permits for Parking, Staten Island Advance, 1/4
City plans to cut number of parking permits issued by 20%, New York Daily News, 1/4
City Seeks To Put the Brakes On Employee Parking Abuse, New York Sun, 1/4
Bloomberg: Let's Trim Number of Parking Placards, Tackle Fakes, WINS, 1/4
City Cuts Employee Parking Privileges, New York Times, 1/4
A Year After Eric Ng's Death, Greenway Hazards Remain Unfixed, StreetsBlog, 1/4
Bloomberg Curbs Parking Permits for Civil Servants, gothamist, 1/4
Drunk Driver Who Fatally Hit Bicyclist Sentenced, Gotham Gazette, 1/4
City Plans to Cut Number of Parking Permits Issued by 20%, New York Daily News, 1/4
N.Y. Street Smarts: Park in N.J., Chicago Tribune, 12/24
Highlights of the "Equal Tolls, Unequal Access" Discussion, StreetsBlog, 12/18
City Pedestrian Crossings Are Discriminatory by Design, StreetsBlog, 12/17
Death's Door, Metro NY, 12/12
Congestion Zone Drivers Earn More $$$: Report, Village Voice, 12/12
$15 to Park at Meter, New York Post, 12/11
A Traffic Fee in Park?, Metro NY, 12/11
Group Suggests Higher Curbside Parking Fees Would Reduce Traffic, NY1, 12/10
Parking Advice for New York (via Los Angeles), New York Times, 12/10
Group Suggests Higher Curbside Parking Fees Would Reduce Traffic, NY1, 12/10
Park Like a Rock Star, WNYC, 12/10
A 'Parking Guru' Recommends Raising Street Parking In NYC, Fox 5 News, 12/10
Congest Critic in 'Fire' Storm, New York Post, 12/9
It's Not just Chinatown--Parking Abuse in B.P.C. Too, Downtown Express, 12/7
Transportation Alternatives is a member-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Join T.A. today!
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