Articles and Actions
Events and Alerts
T.A. in the News
- "We're seeing a switch to bicycling as a result of gas prices, and our colleagues around the country are seeing it too. More and more, people are taking to their bicycles."
--T.A. Executive Director Paul Steely White
CNN, 5/16
T.A.'s Central Park Hero on the Mend
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Car-Free Central Park Committee Chair Ken Coughlin has helped make Central Park better for millions of New Yorkers.
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Among the more than 100,000 car-free Central Park supporters, there are certain individuals walking, riding and recreating at the front of the pack. Over the years, these folks have given hundreds of hours of their time and untold ounces of effort to the fight for a safe, healthy and completely car-free Central Park. Far at the front of this tireless pack of advocates is long-time Car-Free Central Park Committee Chair Ken Coughlin.
As some of you may know, Ken recently suffered a heart attack. While recovering from his surgery, he apparently told his doctors that he was in no mood to stay in the hospital, as Central Park still had cars whizzing through it, and promptly left, returning home to mend, strategize and continue his long tradition of quipping and advocating simultaneously.
Speaking for the T.A. family, we are all thankful that Ken is on the road to recovery and feeling better each day.
And despite his deeply felt absence, T.A. is still pushing for a car-free park. We look forward to celebrating that day with Ken and the campaign's supporters young and old.
Bike to Work Day 2008
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DOT employees, elected officials and T.A.'s top-brass were just a few of the thousands of New Yorkers that biked to work on National Bike to Work Day.
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This year's Bike to Work Day was a bit wetter than we'd hoped, but it was still a huge success. Transportation Alternatives passed out pounds of pastries and gallons of coffee at bridges and popular commuter spots all over the city. We even recruited 22 new members. Thanks to everyone who stopped to chat, waved, smiled or rode to work that day.
And a big thanks to three City Council Members, John Liu from Queens, David Yassky from Brooklyn and Robert Jackson from Manhattan. They accepted the bike to work challenge and set an example for their fellow elected officials and all New Yorkers.
If you'd like to see your elected officials ride to work next Bike Month, or just out and about on a two-wheeler sometime, take a second to write them a letter inviting them to pedal around your neighborhood with you. It's a straightforward means of showing policy makers the need for safe cycling facilities and complete streets.
Tour de Brooklyn, Tour of de Year?
Last Sunday, May 25th, Transportation Alternatives kicked off this year's bike-tour season with the fourth annual Tour de Brooklyn. Close to 3,000 riders celebrated the Brooklyn Bridge's 125th birthday with a sun-soaked 18-mile bike ride that started in DUMBO, stopped for a snack in Bushwick, sailed through the Navy Yards and finished up at Walt Whitman Park.
It was a perfect day made even better by thousands of smiling faces, hundreds of helpful volunteers, scores of skilled marshals and the beautiful borough of Brooklyn. To everyone who made it happen, thanks!
But the fun isn't over. If you took pictures of the ride--as a participant, volunteer, marshal or inspired onlooker--T.A. wants to see them. And to sweeten the deal, we'll give the best photographer a Tour de Brooklyn Bailey Works courier bag. To enter you can post your photos to Flickr and tag them transalt and tourdebrooklyn or email info@transalt.org with a link to where we can find your best shots or just burn them to a CD and mail them to T.A. headquarters.
Students Seeing the Sense in Livable Streets
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P.S. 87 students gauging traffic speeds on Columbus Avenue.
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Last Wednesday, the students of P.S. 87 took turns recording the speeds of vehicles traveling down Columbus Avenue. Armed with a radar gun, a speed display board and an innate feeling of safe versus dangerous, these kids were seeing first hand the common sense of livable streets.
Part of a groundbreaking new Livable Streets Education program being piloted at several NYC schools, the students were engaged in more than just the speed gunning exercise. Members of the Kindergarten through 5th grade classes conducted surveys of the streets surrounding their school on West 78th Street between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues. Developed by The Open Planning Project in collaboration with T.A.'s Upper West Side Streets Renaissance Campaign, the project asks kids to examine factors such as parking, signage, visibility and enforcement in order to better understand why their streets work (or don't) the way they do.
In the coming weeks the West Side Collaborative School, among others, is set to undertake its own survey--speed gun included--and kids around the city will begin to learn that they shouldn't have to walk in fear. Speeding drivers be warned--you may catch an earful over the dinner table tonight.
Take Action!
Bring the Livable Streets Education Program to your child's school. For more information, email Nathan at nathan@transalt.org.
Talking Tour de Queens
Early registration for the fist ever
Tour de Queens is closed, but there are still two ways to ride:
You can try your luck at the first come first serve registration table on the morning of June 8th at Flushing Meadows Park near the Unisphere and the Queens Museum of Art. The table opens at 8 am, but be there early because there are a limited number of spots and placement is not guaranteed.
You can also ride the Tour de Queens if you volunteer as a marshal at tourdequeens.org/volunteer.
The Tour de Queens is sure to be a top-notch trip through the country's most diverse counties. We hope you can join us on the 8th. If not, there's always next year.
Show Your Support for a Safer and More Bikable West 106th Street
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Wide streets like W. 106th can accommodate cars, pedestrians and cyclists or encourage speeding traffic. Help CB 7 support the smart choice on June 3rd.
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On Tuesday, June 3rd Community Board 7 will be holding a full board meeting to consider the DOT's proposal to implement buffered bike lanes on both sides of West 106th Street between Riverside Drive and Central Park West. While not a perfect plan, this cross-town connection is a crucial step towards the safe and integrated system of bikeways that UWS cyclists both need and deserve.
Though there has been a great response from the community so far, a positive vote from the board is far from certain. Please come out on Tuesday night and voice your support for this project. It is extremely important that we show the members of CB 7 that the 106th St. bike lane has a lot of backing from within the community, so bring a friend!
For more information, or if you have any questions, contact Peter at peter@transalt.org.
Tuesday, June 3rd
7 pm (arrive at 6:50 pm to sign up to speak)
Fordham University
113 West 60th Street at Columbus Ave.
Manhattan
Volunteer Opportunities
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Sign on, join in and help out. Volunteer for T.A.
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June Mailing Nights
Wednesday, June 11th and June 25th
Come by to help stuff, seal and stamp T.A. membership and campaign materials. Snacks, pizza and cold beverages available! Meet fellow livable streets activists and get to know the staff.
Mailing parties are generally held on the second and last Wednesday of every month. Email volunteer@transalt.org to sign up.
6-9 pm
T.A. office
127 W. 26th St. (between 6th and 7th Ave.) Suite 1002
Manhattan
Tour de Queens
Sunday, June 8th
Help out as a riding marshal or as a rest stop volunteer at the first annual Tour de Queens. Visit tourdequeens.org/volunteer to signup or to find out more.
8 am-2 pm
Flushing Meadows Park (near the Queens Museum of Art)
Queens
NYC Century Bike Tour
Sunday, September 7th
The NYC Century is T.A.'s biggest fundraiser of the year, and we need hundreds and hundreds of volunteers to pull it off. We need riding and standing marshals, as well as rest stop and registration volunteers.
Times and locations vary. Go to NYCCentury.org/volunteer, or email Oksana at volunteer@transalt.org to find out how, where and when you can help.
Cycle NYC Now with All New Memberships
Bike Month may be coming to a close, but we want to spread the bike love year round. So in honor of Bike Month and bike love, T.A. will now be sending Cycle NYC to all of our new and renewing members. Cycle NYC, the pocket-sized cycling guide, will get you out on the streets in safety and style. This new membership gift is only one of
many reasons to
join or renew your T.A. membership right away. Don't ride without it!
Bike Film Fest Is This Weekend
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The "Dear Velo," art show is just one of the many amazing Bike Film Festival events happening this weekend.
Image courtesy Thomas Brown.
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The eighth annual New York City Bicycle Film Festival opened with a sprint-start of a party on Wednesday night at Studio B. If you missed it, don't worry. The festivities and fantastic bike events continue through Sunday night. Be sure to check out the always amazing and often awe inspiring street party on Saturday afternoon at 2nd Ave. and 2nd Street. You can find the complete festival listings and even more information at bicyclefilmfestival.com.
Governors Island Opening Day
Governors Island opens to the public for the 2008 season on May 31st. This incredible 92 acre National Historic District will be open for bike riding, picnicking and much more from 10 am to 5 pm on Fridays and from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturdays and Sundays through October 5th. The ferry ride and admission to the Island are free and a number of fun and exciting activities and events are programmed all season long. For a full schedule of events, click here. For a ferry schedule, click here.
NYC Century Bike Tour: Register, Renew and Win!
The 2008
NYC Century Bike Tour is on Sunday, September 7th and it's sure to be a blast! There are 100, 75, 55, 35 and 15 mile routes so the day is suitable for every cyclist from beginners to experts.
Register to ride today and save!
And if that's not reason enough to register now, for a limited time if you join or renew as a T.A. member when registering for the Century, you'll be entered to win a Brooklyn Coast 3-Speed, donated by Spokes and Strings.
