Manhattan's Top Attorney Takes on Traffic
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Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance pledged to tackle traffic safety when he was on the campaign trail. Last week he made good on his word.
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New York City's livable streets revolution stepped off the pavement and into the courtroom last week when Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance announced a series of measures aimed at making streets safer and more accommodating for cyclists and pedestrians.
Included in the platform are plans to expand the number of prosecutors in the Vehicular Crimes Unit, promises to support speed cameras throughout the city, and a pledge to host a training summit this fall for law enforcement from across the state.
D.A. Vance first announced many of these initiatives at a traffic justice forum that T.A. held last summer, but they have only just gained the imprimatur of official policy and the attention of the city's press. To have these issues on the mind of Manhattan's top attorney is a huge victory for the livable streets movement and a sign of good things to come.
We look forward to working with D.A. Vance on these exciting programs and encouraging other district attorneys to take strong public stances against dangerous driving.
What Would You Ask Albany?
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With state elections around the corner, New Yorkers need to ask tough questions.
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We'd ask, "What the #!@*& is your problem?" which wouldn't be that productive, so we thought you might be interested in helping us craft some questions for our 2010 Candidate Survey.
In July, we'll partner with the Tri-State Transportation Campaign to mail the survey to every candidate registered to run for a State office in the MTA region then publish their unedited responses in plenty of time for you to get informed and make a good decision come primary day.
Our 2009 Citywide Candidate Survey helped thousands of voters learn where those running for office stood on issues like transit funding, traffic safety, bike lanes, camera enforcement and lots of other topics critical to safer, more livable streets. This year's State Candidate Survey will do the same thing for a broader audience.
If you've got questions you're dying to ask, email them to info@transalt.org with "Candidate Survey" in the subject line. We'll not only put your inquiry in the pot of potential asks, but also make sure you stay up to date on the survey's progress.
Flushing Avenue's Final Draft
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Phase one of the DOT's plan for Flushing Avenue.
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The City's plan for a bike lane on Flushing Avenue has been to the drawing board and back more than a few times, but now there's a two-stage version that community members, businesses, bicyclists and pedestrians can agree on.
In the latest iteration, which was approved by the local Community Board's Transportation Committee last month, the DOT will extend the two-way bike path on Williamsburg Street West down Flushing to Washington Avenue and paint a buffered bike lane on the south side of Flushing. From Washington Avenue to Navy, they'll install buffered bike lanes on each side of Flushing. Construction is slated to begin later this summer.
This version of the plan allows for vehicular traffic along Flushing to remain two-way and does not interfere with any existing bus routes.
In the coming years, the DOT plans to begin a second phase of the project, which would create a two-way traffic-protected bike lane along the north side of Flushing Avenue that accommodates two-way vehicular traffic and regular bus service and establishes the footprint of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Unfortunately the construction requirements of this second phase are more demanding than anticipated, so the projected completion date is four years out.
Though there are a few significant compromises in this two-stage version, we're heartened that the DOT took community concerns into account and came back to the table with a plan that could give a little bit of something to a lot of interested parties.
Parking Bikes at a Party Near You
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Prospect Park looking positively Dutch, thanks to T.A.'s valet bike parking.
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T.A.'s bike-valet season kicks off at Museum Mile on June 8th and Celebrate Brooklyn! on June 9th.
Thanks to our sponsors, Jamis Bicycles, Upper Green Side and BicyclesNYC, we're able to offer valet service free to bicyclists all summer long. If you're interested in volunteering at T.A. Bike Valet stations this summer, please email volunteer@transalt.org.
