Sneak Preview: The Transit Rider Bill of Rights
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Join the Rebel Alliance of Transit Riders.
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Whether it’s your skyrocketing fare or your now-a-van bus line, there isn’t much hope on the horizon when it comes to public transit. But at T.A., there is whispering in the wings -- a casting call for transit riders -- rumors of a big show(down) later this fall.
We’re not telling what we know; but it’s a guarantee you won’t find T.A. shirking from the fight for your fare, or buttering up to bad-behaving Albany.
Public transit helps makes New York pedestrian-friendly. It benefits the gamut, from helping shrink our asthma rates to encouraging a more sociable city. Effective subways reduce congestion. The simple stripes of a bus lane have the power to calm traffic on the peppiest avenues, and are a huge step toward prioritizing transportation relative to use.
Whether you drive, walk, train, bus or bike to work, public transit makes your commute better. So it was an assault on the whole of us when Albany stole $143 million from the MTA’s operating budget in December, forcing sprawling service cuts and starting conversations about a serious fare hike. On October 7th, the MTA’s scheduled a special board meeting and we’re all expecting a hike. That’s why we’re revealing a sneak preview now -- the founding document of our Rider Rebellion -- called the Transit Rider Bill of Rights.
T.A. built the Transit Rider Bill of Rights as a reminder that you deserve better. In coming months, as you pay more, wait more, crowd-in more, don’t forget your rights as a transit rider and get ready for the coming rebellion.
Live Long and PlaNYC 2030
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Without PlaNYC 2030, these yogini would be stuck in the studio. Image courtesy asterix611
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Remember PlaNYC 2030? We know it hasn’t come up in conversation in a while, but really, we’re talking about it all the time. The Columbus Avenue Bike Lane, where the paint is still drying? PlaNYC 2030. The re-envisioning of First and Second Avenues? PlaNYC 2030. Two hundred new miles of on-street bike lanes, ten miles of separated lanes, Times Square redux? All the product of Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC 2030.
But everything PlaNYC 2030 has accomplished isn’t even the best part. The Mayor’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, which created PlaNYC and the City’s mandated carbon cuts, was all codified into law. Along with those requirements, the law dictated reporting back; every four years from now until forever, we’ll hear how the effort’s been shaping up across the City and have a chance to define how it moves forward.
Take Action
The City will be holding a series of "Community Conversations" to gather input for PlaNYC's upcoming update. The first meeting is on Thursday, October 7th at 6pm, with North Brooklyn neighborhoods: Brooklyn Community Boards 1-5, 8, 9 and 16-18. Help shape the future of PlaNYC 2030 on October 7th at Restoration Plaza's Billie Holiday Theater at 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn.
Email CountMeIn@cityhall.nyc.gov to RSVP.
Here’s the rub: if we don’t reduce greenhouse gases, we’re all going to be swimming in the Hudson; or the East River, depending on your borough. From completing the bike network to whatever’s growing in the Gowanus, PlaNYC 2030 has the power to change city policy into law. It has longevity and you can have your say in it. The upcoming update, PlaNYC 2.0, is due Earth Day 2011. Last time around, the Mayor’s office heard T.A.’s hopes for a greener New York and made them part of the plan. For PlaNYC 2.0, T.A. wants more car-free time and space; safer biking and walking; and traffic relief through pricing and parking reform. But to make it happen, we need you to get into the conversation.
Bike Lane DOH! AAA Asks the Wrong Question
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The grass is always greener: In Oregon,
AAA offers roadside service to cyclists.
Image courtesy Jonathan Maus
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That's gotta smart! AAA New York is hosting a poll about public opinion of NYC's new bike lanes, and as of press time, support for bike lanes had 55 percent of the vote. Ouch!
Not that we read their rag, but T.A. members clued us into an article in last month's issue of AAA New York's member publication Car and Travel. The rant decried what AAA sees as a dangerous excess spent on safety improvements and questioned whether new bike lanes may be bad for New York. Ignoring statistics about how much bike lanes reduce crash rates and the fact that the greatest threat to pedestrians are cars, AAA sensationalized bike lanes as government waste and a potential danger to pedestrians and cyclists alike.
You know what we want you to do. While our friends at AAA leave us exhausted, we hope you have the energy to let them know how you feel about New York City's efforts to increase bike lanes. Vote today!
10.10.10 -- Hudson Highlands Gran Fondo
Always passing the paceline in the park? Think that cyclometer just can’t be counting your revolutions right? On Sunday, October 10th, find out how fast you really are among the lovely foliage of the Hudson Highlands on T.A.’s first annual Gran Fondo.
You can race the clock in a 7.1-mile time trial relay and pedal alongside pros on a true European-style course -- technical, challenging and beautiful -- on the historic Storm King Highway. After the races, join T.A. Executive Director Paul Steely White on a 34-mile social ride in scenic Harriman State Park and later feast at a special hilltop luncheon across the river in Garrison, NY. The best part is that the whole event helps fund T.A.’s mission to build a city better for cycling.
A Safer Way to Harlem River Park
In 2007, T.A. joined forces with the Harlem River Park Task Force to recommend traffic calming improvements to three intersection entrances leading into Harlem River Park. The DOT listened up, and Tuesday, October 5th will present on pedestrian safety improvement to the intersections.
Join T.A., the Harlem River Park Task Force and Community Board 11 to hear about the shortened crossing distances, visibility improvements and vehicle speed reduction efforts that the DOT will be employing to make your trip to Harlem River Park that much safer.
Tuesday, October 5th
6:30 pm
DOT Presentation at Community Board 11 Meeting
LaGuardia House
307 East 116th Street
