Articles and Actions:
Now on Video: T.A. Street Activism |
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| City Seizes Lawfully Parked Bikes | |||
On October 5th, NYPD officers removed over a dozen bicycles parked to street signs, lampposts and fencing outside the Bedford Avenue L subway station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Also in October, the Department of Sanitation ticketed a restaurant owner because a bike was parked at a parking meter in front of her West Village, Manhattan restaurant.
The NYPD and Department of Sanitation must stop taking and ticketing lawfully parked bikes. The NYPD gave no warning before taking the bikes at Bedford Avenue, nor did officers attempt to notify their owners. Contact Police Commissioner Kelly and tell him that the NYPD must stop taking bikes lawfully parked at bike racks, parking meters and sign- and lampposts. Tell Department of Sanitation Commissioner Doherty to stop ticketing parked bikes, they are not garbage! Taking people's bikes stops them from biking! Bicycles taken from the Bedford L station can be retrieved from the 94th Precinct, 100 Messerole Avenue (and Manhattan Avenue), Greenpoint, Brooklyn, (718) 383-3879. Once a year, for at least the past three years, the NYPD has removed bikes from around the Bedford Avenue L station, saying bikes block the sidewalk. Indeed, for years the Bedford L station has been a popular bike parking location, and last winter Brooklyn Community Board 1 requested that the DOT widen the sidewalk around the subway entrance and install more bike racks there. The DOT still has not done this. Taking and ticketing lawfully parked bikes discourages bike riding and are symptoms of the City of New York's utter lack of outdoor bike parking rules. City Hall or the City Council must enact commonsense bike parking rules to affirm New Yorkers' rights to park their bikes at parking meters, sign and lampposts and other street fixtures, like bike racks. Contact your City Councilmember and ask them to support Intro 685, which would protect cyclists' right to lock their bikes to street fixtures. If your bike has been taken or ticketed by the NYPD or other City agency, or if you have been harassed by the City while parking your bike on the sidewalk, contact T.A. at bike@transalt.org. |
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| Central Park: Rally for a Car-Free Summer | |||
Monday, October 24th, 4:45 pm at W. 72nd Street and Central Park West
You can help get Central Park closed to cars next summer. Come to the rally for a three-month trial of a car-free park. The word is out. We've got phone calls coming in from elected officials and reporters everyday. A three-month trial closure of Central Park's loop drive is so close we can practically taste it. With your support, cameras will roll, reporters will write and officials will listen. Bodies speak in ways that words cannot. Come out and change your city for the better. RSVP for the rally here. Can we count on you to help make history? |
Prospect Park: Take the Access Survey | ||
The Parks Department, the Prospect Park Alliance, Brooklyn parks advocates and other community groups have worked for years to get more people using Prospect Park. And now the park is attracting record crowds.
This summer, T.A. began conducting independent research on whether completely banning driving in the park would compel more people to use the park even more often. We need your help to complete our study. Take our quick survey and let us know if car traffic in the park is affecting how you get to and use Prospect Park. |
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| The Willy B: Bike-Full and (Almost) Bump-Free | |||
T.A.'s tireless advocacy on behalf of Williamsburg Bridge path users of all stripes is finally paying off. The DOT is making good progress removing the dangerous bumps on the Williamsburg Bridge path, improving safety for bikers, walkers and disabled bridge users alike. Over the past month, the agency replaced the two-inch high metal bumps on the bridge's Manhattan side with expansion joint covers that are flusher with the path's surface. The DOT is now working on the south path on the bridge's main span. The north path should be next. According to the DOT, bridge path improvements will be finished by the end of November.
A 2004 T.A. survey found the bumps caused 1 in 4 bridge users to crash or fall, 2 in 3 to lose control of their bikes or trip and damaged 3 in 4 bridge users' personal property. Since the new Williamsburg Bridge path opened in December 2002, biking and walking across the bridge has increased 45%. Now, over 3,000 people bike and walk across the bridge each day. The removal of the bumps should usher in a new era of safety. Bikers should descend slowly and always respect pedestrians in ensure the safety of all bridge users. |
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| Straddle Your Bike, Just Not on the Subway | |||
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Contrary to rumors, the MTA's recently adopted new rules do not include any rollback of their exemplary bicycles on board policy. The new rules, adopted on September 29th, do however include a ban on straddling bicycles on subway station platforms and in subway cars. This new rule is in addition to the existing rule against riding on platforms or in subway cars. If while riding the subway you feel overcome with the urge to bestride your ride, T.A. recommends cooing or gentle caressing, both of which are still within bounds.
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| Design the Sunset Park Greenway | |||
Community Design Charette for the Sunset Park Greenway
Saturday, October 29th, 2005 10:30 am to 3:00 pm UPROSE office, Sunset Park, Brooklyn The NYS Department of State Division of Coastal Resources, in partnership with the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office and UPROSE, is conducting a Community Design Charette for the planned Sunset Park Greenway. Come out to give your input on the greenway, meet neighbors and learn about this great community resource. The charette begins at UPROSE at 166A 22nd Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn (R train to 25th Street) and will include a trip down to the waterfront. Lunch will be provided. For childcare and more information, please contact Irene at UPROSE at 718-492-9307 or info@uprose.org. |
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| Imagine Car-Free Bedford... Win a New Bike | |||
Emil Kozerawski is a Williamsburg, Brooklyn resident with a dream. He wants to create a car-free esplanade on Bedford Avenue between North 5th and North 9th Streets. Transportation Alternatives is partnering with this local initiative to advocate for a car-free space for Williamsburg residents, shoppers and diners. What would a car-free Bedford be like? You tell us!
In 50 words or less tell us why you want a car-free Bedford Avenue. The best essays will win a free roadster bike – great in-town bikes and very stylish! A men's and women's roadster will be given away. Contest ends November 1st, so e-mail your essay to info@transalt.org today and put Car-Free Bedford in the subject line. Winners will be notified by email. All who enter the contest will also be added to T.A.'s Street Activist Network. As a Street Activist, you will receive dedicated action alerts asking you to take one brief and easy action (such as sending an e-fax or email to an elected official) to win safer streets, better bike parking, car-free parks, and other important improvements to NYC's bicycling and walking environment. To become a Street Activist and receive dedicated action alerts, click here. Special thanks to greatusedbikes.com for donating the bikes! |
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| Jan Gehl to Kick Off NYC Streets Renaissance | |||
Join Transportation Alternatives as we kick off the NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign with a visit from Jan Gehl, renowned urban planning visionary. Gehl will share his experience and knowledge with New Yorkers to inspire change to rebalance our streets for people.
Mr. Gehl's sensible and straight-forward approach to redesigning streetscapes for more productive use has lead to higher expectations of street use all over the world. Thanks in large part to Gehl's efforts, cleaner, quieter streets, with less traffic are becoming the norm in London, Melbourne, Seattle and other leading cities. Gehl has achieved great success through simple, commonsense street improvements that attract and retain more businesses and shoppers, by making it a safer and more enjoyable experience to walk and ride bikes. Find out how Mr. Gehl plans to help "re-conquer" New York City streets and instill "dignity and style" to all who use them, as he is doing in London, in partnership with city business leaders. Jan Gehl will be at the Rudin Center Wednesday, November 16th, 8-9:30 am. Gehl will also introduce the sneak preview of T.A.'s Contested Streets, November 17th, 7 pm. To find out about this and other Gehl events e-mail streets@transalt.org. Read what Alex Marshall has to say about Jan Gehl's approach to urban planning, and read what London's pedestrian advocacy group, Living Streets, has to say about Gehl's plan to, "recover Central London from the dominance of traffic." |
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| Safe Routes for Seniors Launches New Web Site | |||
Because our city's dangerous intersections preclude them from walking more often, our city's elderly, handicapped and vision impaired pedestrians are less likely to get the daily exercise they need to stay healthy.
Enter Transportation Alternatives' Safe Routes for Seniors campaign. Safe Routes for Seniors works with seniors and the disabled in Washington Heights, Inwood and Harlem to create design and policy solutions and instigate changes to our city's streets to make them more walkable for everyone. The brand new Safe Routes for Seniors website, features T.A.'s detailed recommendations for making NYC streets and sidewalks safe for their most vulnerable users. |
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| Vote Yes! on the Transportation Bond | |||
Whether you ride the city's subway and buses or drive the state's highways, you know that all is not well with our transportation system. Track fires, chronic delays, overcrowded trains, crumbling bridges and polluted air are too often a part of New Yorkers' daily commutes.
On November 8th, New Yorkers have a chance to do something about it, by voting "Yes" on Proposal 2, the Rebuild and Renew New York Transportation Bond Act. The Bond Act will provide $2.9 billion over the next five years for subways, commuter rail, clean-fuel buses and improved highways. The Bond Act will help buy new subway cars and buses, improve subway tunnel lighting, replace tracks and repair rail bridges. Proposal 2 is also likely the last chance for projects like the Second Avenue Subway and east-side access for the LIRR into Grand Central. If passed, the Bond Act will provide $450 million for each project. If it fails, we will lose access to billions of dollars of federal matching funds for these projects and they will stall. The measure also provides over a billion dollars — as well as allowing for billions more in federal matching funds — to repair, rebuild and expand crumbling highways and bridges in New York City, Long Island and the entire state. Our transportation means everything to New York. If the Bond Act fails, the future of our transportation infrastructure is in doubt. For these reasons, it's critical to vote "Yes" for Proposal 2. |
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| T.A. Mailing Party Tonight: Wednesday, October 19, 6-9pm | |||
Hey T.A. members and volunteers! My name is Wiley Norvell, and I'll be your new Volunteer Coordinator. Our outgoing coordinator, Annie Hart, is off to tour Europe and Asia with her rock band. I'm excited to meet first-time and long-time volunteers over the next few weeks.
We need volunteers for our Mailing Party tonight, Wednesday, October 19th 6-9 pm. Come by 127 W. 26th Street to sort, stuff and seal your way to a healthier New York! It's a great way to meet up with other volunteers, staff and activists – music, snacks and beverages will be provided. No need to RSVP. T.A. is also recruiting a volunteer team for our Car-Free Central Park rally on Monday, October 24th from 4pm to 7pm. Anyone interested in helping out with set-up, flyer distribution, or clean-up should email me at volunteer@transalt.org. I look forward to meeting you. Thanks, |
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| Now on Video: T.A. Street Activism | |||
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See the films now!
Saving Car-Free Lunch on Manhattan's Fulton Street (5 minutes) Hells Kitchen Traffic Protest (14 minutes) |
