T.A. In the News

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Latest

9/19 Commute Eases, With Mass Transit: Holiday helps trim gridlock, Daily News

8/23 Deadly Street Is Safer: Cameras, ticket blitz spur big dip in summonses, Daily News

8/19 Manhattan Bridge Bike Path Upgrade, Daily News

8/15 Calming B'klyn Roads: DOT to decongest downtown traffic, Daily News

8/15 Traffic Test Planned for Harried Downtown Brooklyn, New York Times

8/9 Cyclists Plead For More Bridge Security, Daily News

Register online for the Tour de Bronx to be held on October 21, 2001 -- tourdebronx.org!  Marshal training rides are already taking place -- see our calendar for starting points and times.

Donations Wish List

Help cycling and walking and get a tax deduction. Donate to T.A. We need:

-Laptop computer (P 100+)
-Digital Camera
-VCR (4 head)
-Good chairs for conf. table or desks
-Computer Projector

Contact Matt: info@transalt.org

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212-442-7070 #2,#1

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T.A.  News

T.A. welcomes Noah Budnick who has started at T.A. as our new bicycle advocate.  You can e-mail Noah at projects@transalt.org

T.A. also welcomes back Ellen Cavanagh, who is starting as our Campaign Coordinator.  She can be reach at campaign@transalt.org

This is a T.A. Special Report.  The T.A. Bulletin is a bi-weekly publication of Transportation Alternatives.

September 26, 2001

Not a Normal Time
Mayor bans single-occupancy vehicles below 62nd St.

The aftermath of the World Center attack has produced massive disruptions in transit service and horrendous traffic jams. As a result thousands of New Yorkers have begun cycling for transportation. Today, Mayor Giuliani will announce the details of a plan to require all passenger cars using bridges and tunnels south of 62nd street to carry at least two people. T.A. has joined with other transportation groups in supporting this measure. However, this is not a sustainable effort and must be accompanied by longer term measures which are featured below. Be assured that we have been working hard to get the message out to the media and mayor that bicycles can be a big part of the solution.

Thank you for leading the way to a better New York.

Statement in Support of the Mayor's Plan to Require Car Pooling

We strongly support Mayor Giuliani plan to require non-commercial motorists to car pool if they want to come into lower or midtown Manhattan during weekday mornings.

We need to keep our city moving in this time of crisis. New York simply cannot afford the massive gridlock that has been plaguing our area. The city must free up street space for activities essential to our security and economy, including the efficient and safe movement of emergency vehicles, police, fire and other security officers, and deliveries.

Many thousands of metropolitan-area motorists have put flags on their cars to show their concern for the future of our city and nation. Now they must do their part by putting passengers in their cars as a way to reduce traffic, enhance our safety and support our economic stability.

We encourage New Yorkers to take public transportation, bicycle and walk where they can. We appreciate that a significant number of area residents need to drive. But where that's the case, it's fair to ask them to take other vehicles off the road by carpooling.

We stand ready to work with the Mayor, the Port Authority, MTA and other transportation officials to consider and implement a range of other measures to keep New York moving.

Elliot Sander,
NYC DOT Commissioner, Mayor Giuliani Lucius Riccio,
NYC DOT Commissioner, Mayor Dinkins Ross Sandler, 
NYC DOT Commissioner, Mayor Koch Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff,
NYC DOT Commissioner, Mayor Lindsay
Sam Schwartz,
NYC DOT Deputy Commissioner, Mayor Koch 
Regional Plan Association 
Straphangers Campaign 
Transportation Alternatives 
Tri-State Transportation Campaign Natural Resources Defense Council

T.A. Submits Plan for New York's Transportation Future

Increase Security, Create New Public Places and Encourage Walking and Cycling 

• Increase security and create impressive plazas and public spaces. London’s financial district permanently restricted vehicle access after a costly car-bombing a decade ago. There and in hundreds of Western European cities, essential motor vehicles have electronic passes which briefly lower barriers. NYC should follow London’s lead and restrict vehicles in the Wall St. area, near Grand Central and create new pedestrian areas at Times, Herald and Union Squares.
• Improve foot and bicycle access to transit. Widen crowded sidewalks near Penn Station and Port Authority and create secure bike parking and lanes near subway and train stations.

• Immediately increase service on existing subway and bus routes, sustain the increase with commuter and gas taxes. Immediately, and permanently, convert all HOV lanes at area bridges, tunnels and highways into bus only lanes. Launch regional high speed bus network. This has halved trip times for buses using the The Goethals, SIE, Verrazano, Gowanus, Battery, FDR route, LIE to Midtown Tunnel and Queensboro Bridge

• Create “Super Bus Transit” network within the City --- Install physically separated, bus only lanes and loading stations to move very large numbers of passengers quickly. Install in Manhattan: First and Second Avenues, West Side Highway; and critical cross town connectors on 57th, 42nd,34th 23rd, 14th, Houston and Canal.

• Clear transitways, bike lanes and emergency routes. Equip buses and bus stops with enforcement cameras that can issue tickets for blocking bus stops and lanes. (London just installed 800.) Double the fine for bus and bike lanes and fire zones. Provide fire engines and express buses with traffic signal overrides as is done in many other cities.
• Start Building the Second Avenue subway and push for completion of LIRR connection to Grand Central.

Raise Money and Reduce Congestion 

• Toll East River Bridges. Yes, this means approval from City Council, the State Legislature and Congress, but it is essential. EZ Pass and non-stop tolling technology means no toll plaza and no jams. Flexible tolls, reduce rush hour traffic and are already used by the MTA and Port Authority. At $3.50 a trip, tolling the bridges would generate $550 million a year. Of this, $100 million would go straight to maintaining and rebuilding crumbling streets and bridges around the city.
• Raise the NYC gas tax by 20 cents a gallon. Devote funds to street and bridge repair to increased transit service.
• Restore the commuter tax and devote it to increasing subway and bus service.
• Use scarce curb space smartly: Charge variable fees for all on-street parking south of 60th street in Manhattan and all commercial parking in NYC. This will sharply reduce double parking and ensure critical vehicles access to the curb.
• Reserve corner parking spots in Midtown for taxi pick-up drop-off.

Freight 

• Accelerate the Trans-Hudson Freight Tunnel for completion in 2007. 
• Substantially Increase funding for Cross-Harbor “Float Bridge” container barges.

Roads and Bridges 

• Replace the Gowanus Expressway with a tunnel.
• Fix it First: Spend $300 million in commuter and gas tax revenue every year to maintain and repair bridges and streets. Also, increase the repaving schedule and the use of new methods and incentive contracts for paving.

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