Articles and Actions
Events and Appeals
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| Cyclists Rally at City Hall for Safe Streets | |||
On the morning of June 29th on the steps of City Hall and again at a memorial ride later that day, scores of New Yorkers honored three New Yorkers who recently perished in bike crashes: Donna Goodson, Dr. Carl Henry Nacht and Derek Lake. New Yorkers at both events called on Mayor Bloomberg to make it safe to ride a bike in New York City by updating the City's bike plan and setting a timeline for completion.
A year ago, on June 16, 2005, cyclists held a similar rally at City Hall to honor three other New Yorkers who died in bike crashes. At the time T.A. and nineteen city cycling organizations called on the Mayor and his agencies to implement the New York City Bike Safety Action Plan, which also asked the City to update the bike plan with safer lane designs and set a timeline for its completion. After one year, what's changed? What are Mayor Bloomberg and his agencies doing to make city streets and traffic safe for cycling?
But what about the lack of safe space for bike riding and the routinely dangerous conditions for cyclists on city streets? What about the status of City of New York's languishing "Bicycle Master Plan?" What about dangerous drivers who fail to yield to bike riders and park in bike lanes? What about drivers and passengers who open car doors into the path of cyclists? What about potholes and hazardous street conditions that can send bikes out of control? What is the Mayor doing to solve these everyday dangers? First Mayor Bloomberg needs to update and modernize the City's official "Bicycle Master Plan" and set a timetable for its completion with targets and benchmarks for increasing cycling and reducing crashes. The plan is 10-years old and only 15% complete. Mayor Bloomberg's peers, London's Mayor Ken Livingston and Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley have recently unveiled comprehensive plans to make bicycling safe and widespread in their cities.
By 2015, Chicago aims to:
And in Paris, which was known as one of the least bicycle-friendly big cities, Mayor Bertrand Delanoë implemented 200-miles of bike paths in the past two years. Meanwhile, frustration continues to mount in New York City, where in addition to the public outcry over the recent fatalities, the DOT's Bicycle Program Director has resigned and offered serious criticism of his agency. To prevent future tragedies, City Hall must modernize New York City's bike plan to include targets, timetables, design standards and other modern tools for making cycling a safe and viable mode of transportation for New Yorkers of all ages and cycling abilities.
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| 15 Manhattan Streets Prove Deadly to Seniors | |||
The 15 major cross-town streets between 14th and 155th streets have a lot in common: millions of people cross them each day and they are by and large the most dangerous streets for seniors and other pedestrians in the city. These 15 streets together contain only .4% of the total number of intersections in Manhattan but 18% of the total number of crashes in Manhattan between 1995 and 2001. Tragedy struck just a few days ago on 57th Street and 1st Avenue when 65 year old Gay Weiner was overtaken and killed by a turning MTA bus while simply crossing the street. The driver was issued two summonses, one for failing to yield to a pedestrian and another for improperly turning.
Transportation Alternatives along with State Senator Liz Krueger and a growing group of elected officials are advocating for changes that would improve safety on these streets for all people, especially seniors, who are more vulnerable and need more time to cross the street. Adding pedestrian crossing time, in particular exclusive crossing time, and ensuring that each corner has adequate pedestrian ramps are examples of changes that require no initial study, are low cost and will reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities exponentially. Signal timing changes are free to implement and each curb-cut pedestrian ramp costs only $300. If you live in New York City, chances are you must cross one of these streets each day. Ask yourself: Is this intersection safe enough for my grandmother to cross on her own? If your answer is no, then take action: Send an e-postcard to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and let her know that you want changes to protect pedestrians and make these streets accessible for all. Dear Council Speaker Quinn, Millions of people cross 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 72nd, 79th, 86th, 96th, 106th, 116th, 125th, 135th, 145th and 155th Streets each day and they are by and large the most dangerous streets for seniors and other pedestrians in the City. These 15 streets in Manhattan account for only .4% of Manhattan's 6000 intersections, but from 1995-2001 were the site of 18% of Manhattan's pedestrian injuries and fatalities. Just a few days ago a senior walking across the street was overtaken by a turning bus and killed on 57th Street and 1st Avenue. In order to prevent pedestrian deaths and injuries like this one from occurring again and again on these streets, I urge you to install leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs) of at least seven seconds, extend curbs and add bollards at every intersection along these 15 streets. These small and inexpensive changes will make these streets safer for seniors and all pedestrians who use them. Sincerely, |
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| Mayor Mike's Inconvenient Global Warming Problem | |||
Mayor Bloomberg, to his credit, is talking tough on global warming. In his recent Johns Hopkins Medical School commencement speech he derided the pseudo-scientists who deny that global warming is real and he added the City's name to a groundbreaking suit against the nation's worst global warming polluters.
But as Mayor Mike conveniently points the finger at polluters outside the city, he is ignoring the worst polluters in his own back yard: drivers who could be using cleaner means of travel. Focusing on converting drivers to cleaner modes seems like such a sensible choice for our Metro Card Mayor. After all, 90% of commuters who drive to Manhattan could be making the trip using existing mass transit options. What's more, 56% of car trips citywide are three miles or less in length, a distance easily traversed by walking or biking. It is not hard to see why Mayor Bloomberg is ignoring the city's obdurate motorists who could be taking transit. That would mean taking on the large, entitled, and politically powerful class of government employees who--thanks to their profligate parking privileges--drive at two to three times the rate as the rest of New York's workforce. What may spur the Mayor to action is the sterling example being set by London, Paris, Stockholm and Chicago. These and other big cities have not only set goals for changing car trips to more efficient and environmentally friendly modes: They have actively pursued policies for achieving those goals, such as ending free parking handouts that encourage excess driving, implementing congestion pricing and reengineering streets to discourage driving and encourage people to switch to transit, walking and biking. Frustrated by the Mayor's failure to follow suit, NYC's grassroots community groups and the NYC City Council are taking matters into their own hands. A new coalition of community and advocacy groups, the Citywide Coalition for Traffic Relief, has outlined their own plan for reducing traffic volumes and converting car trips to more efficient modes. And in March, Councilmember Gail Brewer introduced landmark legislation--Intro 199 "The Traffic Relief Bill"--which if passed would require the city Department of Transportation to set annual goals for converting driving trips to transit, walking and bike trips.
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| NYC Wins More Red Light Cameras | |||
In the debates about the cause of the recent spate of cyclist deaths, there is too much blame placed on errant cyclists.
Errant motorists deserve more of the blame. In addition to chronic failure to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and cyclists, motorists routinely ignore red lights. A study by the State Comptroller found that NYC motorists run over one million red lights every day. To reduce red light running, Transportation Alternatives has long fought for state legislation to allow New York City to deploy more red light enforcement cameras, which are proven to deter red light running and prevent serious crashes. Since 1995 the State of New York has only allowed the City to deploy 50 cameras, a pittance considering New York's 12,000 signalized intersections. After years of blocking this legislation, State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has finally given 50 more red light cameras the green.
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| Be on Your Best Behavior in NYC's Parks and Greenways | |||
Greenway use is on the rise, and to promote safety and good public sentiment towards cyclists, Transportation Alternatives reminds everyone--especially bikers, but also joggers, strollers, parents and children, dogwalkers and rollerbladers--to take care and be patient and courteous around fellow path users when enjoying the greenways.
In recent weeks, T.A. has heard reports of serious bicyclist-pedestrian conflicts and crashes in the parks. With a variety of different users traveling at different speeds, the greenways can be crowded and confusing. The best way to keep yourself and others safe is to remain alert and respect other path users. Cyclists & Skaters:
Pedestrians:
Joggers:
Dog Walkers:
All Greenway Users:
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| DOT Extends Overnight QBB Path Closures Through September 3rd | |||
Last Thursday morning the DOT announced that, due to ongoing bridge construction, it is extending intermittent nighttime closures on Queensboro Bridge's biking and walking path through September 3rd, 2006. According to the DOT's announcement, "the lane closure will be intermittent and will not take place every night. When the lane closure is enforced, it will be closed from 10 pm to 5 am." During closures, the DOT will provide shuttle bus service leaving from the bridge path entrances every fifteen minutes, and flagmen will be on duty to direct path users.
In late May, when the DOT first announced the intermittent bridge path closures, the agency stated that they would last from May 30th to July 2nd. T.A. urged the DOT to ensure that the path closures end promptly on July 2nd. As of press time, the DOT has not responded to a T.A. request for more information regarding the extended construction closure--why did the DOT extend the planned-one month closure for two more months or why the agency is not diverting bicyclist and pedestrian traffic to the bridge's South Outer Roadway, which has carried bikers and walkers off and on for the past decade? Sending the 2,500 people who bike and walk across the Queensboro Bridge each day across the South Outer Roadway would allow the DOT to forgo the expensive, confusing and discouraging shuttle bus service and make crossing the bridge easier for cyclists and pedestrians. In 1996, when the DOT closed the bridge to bikers and walkers traffic from 3-8 pm and provided shuttle bus service, bike and foot traffic dropped 50%. More information about the Queensboro Bridge Rehabilitation Program is available on the DOT website.
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| July 24: T.A. Summer Benefit for Better Bicycling | |||
Bicycling, great food, excellent company. Sound like fun? Join Transportation Alternatives at Village Restaurant as we welcome "The Ethicist" Randy Cohen, and "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz and honor David Gurin, who as founding member of Transportation Alternatives and DOT Deputy Commissioner of Transportation (1978-1990) dared to imagine that New York City streets could accommodate bikes again.
This benefit dinner helps support the bicycle advocacy work of Transportation Alternatives. Tickets are $100 and include dinner and wine. Tables of six are $500. Don't miss out, purchase your ticket online today. |
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| Organize your own Contested Streets Screening | |||
Contested Streets: Breaking NYC Gridlock premiered to a packed house at the IFC Center on Tuesday, June 27th. In attendance were many notable New Yorkers including Deputy Bronx Borough President Earl Brown, Kathy Wylde from Partnership for NYC, Tim Tompkins from the Times Square Alliance and Mike Wallace, co-author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898.
Many attendees noted that the film was very compelling; they just wished that more people could see it. And we do too! Our distribution plan is taking a decidedly grassroots turn and we need your help. Host a screening! Big or small, in your living room or in the gymnasium of the local elementary school you can help more New Yorkers see this important documentary. It's a great chance to get friends together, or a great way to spice up a neighborhood meeting. Don't just talk about gridlock! Watch this 57-minute film and talk about ways to end gridlock, for good. Watch the trailer, purchase the film and sign up for living room screenings here. |
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| StreetsBlog Makes Smashing Debut | |||
StreetsBlog, the new blog covering NYC's burgeoning movement for more livable streets, is making quite a splash. In the past two weeks, the blog has uncovered several juicy scoops, many focusing on NYC's privileged class of municipal motorists and the inner workings (and failings) of the NYC DOT.
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| Send us your Parking Horror Stories | |||
Uncivil Servants II is shaping up to be an unprecedented indictment of parking permit privilege and abuse throughout the five boroughs. At T.A. HQ, we're busy crunching numbers and generating maps for our formal study, but anecdotal evidence suggests some truly shocking circumstances.
We've uncovered evidence of cars triple parked in front of fire hydrants, parking spaces painted on sidewalks and countless metered streets completely filled with non-revenue-generating permit parkers. Permit parking abuse slows emergency response times, jeopardizes public safety, cripples truck and delivery traffic, impedes pedestrian flow, damages businesses and sends a message to community residents that their neighborhoods are less important than the private vehicles of civil servants. If you are a business owner, community activist, concerned citizen or anyone else who is impacted by permit parking abuse, we want to hear your story. Please contact Matthew at streets@transalt.org to share your testimonials for our report. |
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| Transportation Alternatives' 2006 NYC Century Bike Tour – Training Rides! |
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Thinking about doing the NYC Century Tour this September? Don't just think about, train for it and ride! Sign up today at NYCCentury.org.
New for 2006! Transportation Alternatives and Spokes and Strings Bike Shop are leading free training rides for all registered riders to help you prepare for the Transportation Alternatives’ NYC Century Bike Tour this September. Join us for any of our four Saturday training rides in July and August. All rides will start and finish at Spokes and Strings bike shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Enjoy a morning ride along Riverside Drive up to the Cloisters, a trip to the Far Rockaways, or explore the Bronx greenways on the way to Orchard Beach. All rides will begin with a brief orientation about group riding, safety, and basic cycling etiquette. These rides will roll at a medium pace (12-15 mph) and are ideal for beginner to intermediate cyclists. Flat to rolling terrain. Please bring a spare tube and a pump, some pocket money, a Metrocard in case of emergency, snacks and plenty of water. We will provide turnsheets and an experienced ride leader.
Saturday, July 15th Saturday, July 29th Saturday, August 12th Saturday, August 26th Pre-registration is highly recommended so that we can ensure we have adequate numbers of turnsheets and marshals if we have a large group. Please e-mail events2@transalt.org or call 212-629-8080 to sign up. |
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| Job Openings | |||
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Bicycle and Environmental Transportation Advocate Transportation Alternatives is in search of a deputy bicycle advocate to help make New York City a safer and more congenial place to bicycle and to encourage more New Yorkers to ride bikes. Applicants should have a proven record of achievement, with a strong background in community development and public affairs and strong desire to make New York City a better place to walk and bike. City cycling experience and Spanish language skills are a plus. Pedestrian and Public Space Campaigner Transportation Alternatives (T.A.) seeks an advocate to coordinate campaigns to improve pedestrian safety and expand the provision of pedestrian public space at key locations throughout New York City. You should be an urbanist, familiar with current local politics and have experience in political organizing. Spanish language skills also a plus. Bicycle Ambassadors T.A. seeks two dynamic and outgoing people to work part-time this summer as "bicycle ambassadors" and educate bicyclists, motorists and pedestrians about safe bicycling, raise awareness about bike paths, lanes and routes and encourage more people to bicycle on a regular basis. City cycling experience and Spanish language skills are a plus. Women and people of color strongly encouraged to apply for all positions. See transalt.org/about/jobs.html for full job descriptions and application details.
In the most recent sign that a long over-due transportation and land use strategic planning initiative is underway, the DOT is hiring several new planning staffers. These three postings are the latest in several new hires that will help the DOT adopt longer term plans for bringing NYC's streets into the 21st Century: Associate Project Manager - Level I-III (Strategic Planning) Project Manager - Strategic Planning Associate City Planner - Level I-II (Strategic Planning) |
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| T.A. in the News | |||
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To the USA's crowded airports this summer add another potential source of congestion: Segways. USA Today 7/10 Stringer Faults City for Traffic Woes New York Sun 7/10 Alternative Reality New York Press 7/10 Community Board Overwhelmingly Approves 96th Street Station Makeover NY1 7/10 Cowardly or Canny? New York Times 7/9 Bikers Rail: Keep Us Safe am New York 6/30 Bike Builders In L.I.C. Welcome Teen Interns Queens Chronicle 6/29 Bikers to Bloomberg: Take Control of the Streets Gothamist 6/29 Advocates Rally For Tougher Bike Safety Laws Times Herald-Record 6/29 Bike Safety WNYC 6/29 'A Path Perfect for Cyclists, Except Where It Crosses Drivers' Paths New York Times 6/28 2 Cyclists, 1 Walker Killed in Traffic Accidents The Villager 6/28 Bicyclist Falls Under Truck and Is Killed New York Times 6/27 Cyclist Dies After Being Run Over by Truck Newsday 6/27 Did a Metal Construction Plate Cause Houston Street Bike Death? Gothamist 6/27 Bicyclist Crushed in Village Horror New York Daily News 6/27 The City and the Cyclists Gotham Gazette 6/27 Marketwatch: Two Wheeling to Work Dow Jones Market Watch 6/27 Why does NYPD harass cyclists? Metro NY 6/27 Transportation Alternatives' NYC Century Bike Tour PPOL News 6/26 Bicycles Are So Hot Right Now. Bicycles. Gothamist 6/24 Fitness-Buff Doc Fights For Life in Cycling Tragedy New York Daily News 6/24 The (Possible) Future of New York City Newsday 6/24 Bike Boom: Cyclists Take Manhattan Downtown Express 6/23 Bicyclist Hit By NYPD Tow Truck WNBC.COM 6/23 An Inconvenient Truth: NYC Gridlock Polis 6/22 Not-So-Easy Rider Queens Ledger 6/22 Traffic Congestion: The Movie Curbed 6/22 Parking Perks Cost City $46M New York Daily News 6/19 Report: Cutting Parking Perks Could Save Millions WINS 6/19 City Workers Should Take Mass Transit Gothamist 6/19 New Film Shows Route to Livable Gridlock-Free Streets PPOL News 6/19 After a Young Lawyer's Tragic Death, A Safer Road for Brooklyn Cyclists Brooklyn Eagle 6/18 Duck Boats in NYC Times Herald-Record 6/18 Bikers Mourn 5th Ave. Victim Brooklyn Paper 6/17 Community Board 2 Rejects Giving Bicycling 'Jerks' More Room On the Road Fort Greene Courier 6/16 Subway Station Could Rise On Broadway New York Sun 6/16 Transportation Alternatives is a member-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Join T.A. today!
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