Articles and Actions
Events and Alerts
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| Help Wanted: Green Transportation Leader | |||
"Cities need visions for how they can be transformed from car dependence and car saturation to greener modes of transport. And they need political leaders who can overcome the various barriers that prevent these visions from coming true."
State of the World 2007: Our Urban Future When it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a sustainable city, "clean cars" are not going to cut it. Hybrids and their ilk still produce a lot of carbon, and they still generate space pollution that prevents walking, bicycling and surface transit from gaining much needed ground. New York City will not be a green city until a sizable share of car trips switch to transit, walking and bicycling. That kind of shift will require a new DOT Commissioner with the policy background, vision and Mayoral mandate to overcome cars-first planning (pdf), government car culture and other barriers that have kept New York City streets in a 1950's time warp. Senior Attorney for the NYPIRG's Straphanger Campaign, Gene Russianoff summed it up at a City Hall press conference on Monday when he said, "There is so much a transportation commissioner could do to improve the quality of life of New Yorkers by reducing traffic and encouraging transit use. We need a dynamic leader--like Commissioner Thomas Frieden has been in the area of health--to improve air quality and neighborhood life by taming city traffic." We are all anxiously awaiting the Mayor's choice and we'll let you know as soon as we find out. In the meantime, you can help shape the future of our city's streets by going to the Mayor's PlaNYC website, submitting comments and staying tuned for community forums in your neighborhood. |
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| Speak Out Against Onerous Bicycling Regulations | |||
First, the NYPD published revised parade permit regulations that require "recognizable groups" of fifty or more bikers and walkers traveling on any public street to obtain a parade permit and approved route from the NYPD. Now the City Council and City Hall are deliberating two pieces (1, 2) of legislation that limit the number of commercial pedicabs that can operate on city streets.
Legislation that tightens the City's control over bicycling and other non-motorized movement runs contrary to its noble attempts to encourage and facilitate cycling and walking. Onerous regulations discourage and decrease these healthy, green activities, which is not only bad for the city at large, but dangerous for those individuals who continue to ride and walk by reducing the safety in numbers effect.
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| Safe Routes for West Side Seniors | |||
The Safe Routes for Seniors team is working with Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal and the Council Senior Center on 72nd Street to make streets and sidewalks safe for seniors on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. In response to two fatal crashes involving local senior pedestrians, Assemblymember Rosenthal and T.A. held the first of a three-part workshop on January 25th. Over 100 people turned out to voice their concerns about impediments to walking in their neighborhood.
The concerns facing Upper West Side seniors are similar to those voiced at other Safe Seniors workshops: there is not enough time to cross the street, motorists fail to yield to pedestrians and are generally aggressive and the scaffolding, sidewalk obstructions and bus stop changes associated with construction are an enormous impediment to walking. Throughout February Assemblymember Rosenthal and T.A. will give local seniors disposable cameras to document their daily walking routine and take pictures of the good and bad aspects of walking. These pictures will be developed in time for a second workshop on March 1st, where proposals will be made on how to make particular streets and corridors on the Upper West Side easier for everyone to use. If you are interested in getting involved in this effort please call T.A. at 212-629-8080 or email safeseniors@transalt.org. |
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| T.A.'s Esteemed Research | |||
On January 29th, the New York Times published an op-ed titled "The City That Never Walks." In it, Robert Sullivan eloquently summarizes a great deal of the work we do at Transportation Alternatives and uses a number of our groundbreaking studies to flesh out his arguments including:
In 2006 T.A. also released watershed reports on illegal permit parking, bicycle commuter habits and the impact of cars on park user patterns. These studies and reports are a crucial component of T.A.'s advocacy. They inspire and facilitate op-eds like Robert Sullivan's and are one of the many reasons T.A.'s web traffic has increased from 1.2 million visitors in 2005 to 1.9 million visitors in 2006. T.A.'s 2006 studies are available for free on our website. Check your T.A. E-Bulletin for anouncements about new study releases in 2007. |
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| T.A. Neighborhood Committee Meeting: Astoria/LIC | |||
When: Tuesday, February 13th, 7-9 pm
Where: 36th Ave. and Crescent St. in LIC T.A.'s newest volunteer committee will be selecting priority routes for local bike lanes and bike parking, building a list of local organizations for outreach, planning screening of Contested Streets and brainstorming Bike Month events to promote cycling in Queens. Email Wiley at volunteer@transalt.org or call 646-873-6008 for directions. |
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| How NYC Can Cut Carbon Emissions and Stop Global Warming | |||
Please join Transportation Alternatives for an enlightening evening with Todd Litman, Executive Director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute. He will be speaking on his latest report, Win-Win Emission Reduction Strategies, which demonstrates how smart transportation strategies can achieve New York City's 2030 emission reduction targets and help address problems such as traffic congestion, accidents and inadequate mobility for non-drivers.
Thursday, February 22nd, 6:30 - 8 pm. Todd Litman is founder and executive director of the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, an independent research organization dedicated to developing innovative solutions to transport problems. |
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| Bike Month NYC 2007 Call for Events | |||
Bike Month NYC is an annual celebration of cycling that takes place in May throughout New York City. It features over 200 events, literally something for cyclists of every age and ability level. Who puts on all these great events? People just like you! Organize an event for Bike Month NYC and promote it for free on the official Bike Month NYC 2007 events calendar by registering it at BikeMonthNYC.org today. While you are there you can check out the great events from 2006 and request a 2007 calendar of events (to be distributed in late April).
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| Why I Ride: Call for Submissions | |||
An exhibition about bicycling to take place during Bike Month NYC (May) is seeking submissions of art/ photography/ snapshots/ doodles/ graphic design/ sculpture/ digital images/ film/ video, etc. The works should relate to the theme: why I ride a bike in New York City. There will be a small gallery show, plus an online gallery open to all.
Please visit whyiridenyc.org for details.
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| Homocyclosocial: Fast'n'Fab Annual Potluck Feb. 17th | |||
Fast & Fabulous, New York's LGBT Cycling Club will hold its Homocyclosocial, an annual potluck dinner and social for lesbian, gay and supportive cyclists, at the Rutgers Presbyterian Church, 5th floor, 236 West 73rd Street just west of Broadway, on Saturday, Feb. 17th, from 7 to 10 pm Admission is $5. Anyone who comes to the party should bring something to eat or drink, for just a few friends, though no one will be turned away. The event is open to the public. Go to fastnfab.org for more info.
Non-homosexuals are welcome! Non-cyclists are too, but may be bored. |
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| Better Bike Parking in Park Slope | |||
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The Park Slope Civic Council is embarking on a bike parking survey that will bring more CityRacks to Park Slope. They need several reliable T.A. volunteers to carry out the survey throughout March. Volunteers will interview bikers and survey the neighborhood on several days. Volunteers with availability in the daytime are needed. E-mail Caroline at bike@transalt.org to join the team, and we'll connect you with the Civic Council.
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| The 13th Annual Bronx Parks Speak-Up | |||
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Saturday, February 24th
1-5 pm (registration at 12:30 pm) Lehman College Faculty Dining Room The Bronx Parks Speak-Up is a forum for exchanging ideas and sharing calendar information related to Bronx parks. Activities will include presentations on green roofs and the High Bridge and Bronx greenways, workshops on working with elected officials, composting made easy, the science of tree pruning and Project Wet: Watershed Activities for Anywhere, Anytime as well as panel discussions on internships, opportunities for teens and privatization of parkland. For additional information and to register for this FREE event or for a specific workshop please call 718-430-4641 or email bxspeakup@hotmail.com. If you are interested in tabling please send an email to bxspeakuptabling@hotmail.com by February 20th, 2007. | |||
| Woo Your Valentine With a T.A. Membership | |||
This Valentine's Day show the cyclists in your life some love with a gift membership to Transportation Alternatives. This special gift shows you care about their safety, and it also gives them discounts at 100+ area bikeshops and on T.A.'s annual NYC Century Bike Tour. Practical, fun with just a little sass. Just like you! Visit transalt.org/join today and show your special cyclist you care.
Transportation Alternatives is a member-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Join T.A. today!
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