Articles and Actions
Events and Alerts
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| Speak Up for Traffic Relief! | |||||||||
Mayor Bloomberg is considering some bold changes to New York City's streets and he needs to hear that you support them.
Over the next three weeks, his honor's PlaNYC team will host a Town Hall meeting in every borough to hear New Yorkers' ideas about creating a sustainable city that can accommodate growth and maintain livability. Attend one of these meetings and speak-up about:
By sharing your experience and voicing support for these goals, you can be sure that Mayor Bloomberg will understand the public's support for sensible streets. Don't miss this rare opportunity, and don't forget to tell the Mayor that he needs to start now! Bloomberg is planning for 2030, but he will only be mayor until December 31th, 2009. If by 2030 the Mayor wants to improve travel times, achieve the cleanest air of any big city in the U.S., reduce global warming emissions, reach a state of good repair on our transportation systems and put every New Yorker within a safe, ten minute walk of a park, then by 2009 he needs to lessen traffic, make streets and traffic safer for bikers and walkers of all ages and make more efficient use of streets and other public space. (Links pdf format)
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| It's Always Darkest Before the Don | |||||||||
Transportation Alternatives is bringing Donald Shoup, the world's foremost parking policy expert, to New York City on March 5th for a week of parking workshops, discussions and debates. Dr. Shoup was instrumental in creating a new parking policy for Pasadena, CA, that included establishing a market-rate for curbside parking and using the funds to finance streetscape improvements.
"The ground beneath our wheels is quite valuable," says Dr. Shoup. "In 2002, a survey of the 28,737 curb spaces in Manhattan south of 59th Street found that only 6,904 (24%) were metered, so the untapped revenue potential must be immense. At an average price of only $1 an hour, which is well below the price of off-street parking in Manhattan, these parking spaces could earn $250 million a year." While in New York, Dr. Shoup will be meeting with City agencies, the Partnership for NYC, and BID directors to discuss new parking policies and the impact on the city. As Donald Shoup explains, "Market-priced curb parking will save time, reduce traffic, conserve energy, improve air quality, reduce housing costs, and increase public revenue." What city wouldn't want that? With co-sponsors Times Square Alliance and NYU's Rudin Center, Transportation Alternatives is hosting a discussion and debate with Dr. Shoup on March 9th, 8-10 am. This event is by invitation only, please e-mail if you wish to place your name on a list for "standing room only." |
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| Rally for Pedestrian Safety! | |||||||||
On Sunday March 4th at 3 pm, hundreds will gather at City Hall to rally for Pedestrian Safety.
Already this year, too many have lost their lives (pdf) on New York City Streets. Just one week ago, James Rice was killed by a turning SUV while crossing Baltic Street in Boerum Hill. What makes this young boy's death even more appalling is that the intersection where he was killed was slated for traffic calming improvements nearly three years ago. Can you attend this rally and help send the message that our streets must be safe for walking and biking? Stand with us and help prevent future tragedies.
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| Are You the New Face of Cycling in NYC? | |||||||||
We need models for our Bike Month NYC advertising campaign. Along with the NYC Department of Transportation and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene we are crafting a campaign that will reflect the diversity, benefits and spirit of cycling in New York City.
We are interested in all of your beautiful faces: cyclists of all ages, races, and cycling abilities (whether you bike once a year or every day) are welcome. Our ideal campaign would span the gamut of folks you might see on the greenways or bridge paths each morning from moms who bike with their kids to school to bike messengers to CEOs to bicycle delivery cyclists to students and artists and everyone in between.
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| Tonight: Emission Reduction Strategies with Todd Litman | |||||||||
Tonight 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, crashes and inadequate mobility for non-drivers.
Today, 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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| April 14th: Step it Up! A National Day of Climate Action | |||||||||
Transportation Alternatives is joining forces with other non-profits and activists for the National Day of Climate Action: April 14th, 2007.
As Bill McKibben explains, "On this day every group will be saying the same thing: Step it up, Congress! Enact immediate cuts in carbon emissions, and pledge an 80% reduction by 2050. No half measures, no easy compromises-the time has come to take the real actions that can stabilize our climate." Here in New York we will be creating a SEA OF PEOPLE. This action combines the dynamics of a mass rally with the expressive power of an interactive artistic installation. Following a noon rally in downtown Manhattan thousands of participants, dressed in blue, will stretch north in two columns along the projected eastern and western 10-foot waterlines that may one day redefine lower Manhattan under the ten-foot sea level rise scenario. We need at least 5,000 participants no less than 200 volunteers to make this event a success. Double that number would truly show our commitment to fighting global warming. This is a project of enormous scope, and with broad visual appeal. It will create media awareness and inspire New Yorkers to take action to stabilize our climate. If you can help with the planning or outreach of this event please contact: seaofpeople@gmail.com. |
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| Contested Streets at the Park Slope Food Coop | |||||||||
Join Transportation Alternatives at the Park Slope Food Coop in Brooklyn for a special free screening of Contested Streets: Breaking NYC Gridlock on Friday, March 2nd at 7 pm. This documentary film, co-produced by Transportation Alternatives, explores the past, present and future of New York's ill-fated love affair with the automobile. The film then shows how cities around the world are breaking free from the chokehold of traffic, enhancing quality of life and environmental sustainability and allowing room for their economies to grow and flourish.
To see the trailer of the film, buy a copy for yourself or sign up to host a screening of your own, visit transalt.org/contestedstreets. Read all about it: "Lusting for Less Contested Streets" Screening: Contested Streets: Breaking NYC Gridlock Where: Park Slope Food Coop When: Friday, March 2nd 7 pm How much: Free, non-coop members welcome! |
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| Volunteers Needed for the Magazine Mailing | |||||||||
Have you ever sent out 6500 magazines in 3 hours? We do it four times each year, but we can't pull it off without lots of hard working volunteers to sort zip codes, bundle magazines and haul mail bags. Join us for pizza, drinks and music as we send out the Winter 2007 issue.
Where: T.A.'s office, 127 West 26th Street, 10th Floor When: Wednesday, February 28th, 6-9 pm |
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| T. A. In The News | |||||||||
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NYC Pedestrian Fatalities Up in 2006?, StreetsBlog, 2/15
Pedicab Drivers Protest Proposed Rules, am New York, 2/14 Confronting the Congestion Crisis, Gotham Gazette, 2/12 Traffic Tamer Needed to Handle Brooklyn Streets, Courier Life Publications, 2/9 Tuned out? No iPod Xing, Pol Says, Newsday, 2/8 iPod Limits on Tap?, am New York, 2/8 New York Mulls iPod Ban on City Streets, News Factor, 2/8 An Endless Cycle, Brooklyn Rail, 2/8 Greenway Group Seeks Support For Bike Path, Queens Chronicle, 2/8 New York Buzzing About iPod Ban, WABC-TV, 2/7 Cyclists and Advocates Rain on Parade-Permit Rules, The Villager, 2/7 A Fine for Using Your iPod, Cell While Walking?, WABC-TV, 2/6 Mayor Urged to Name Transportation Chief Who Will Act Boldly, Staten Island Advance, 2/6 Congestion Pricing Prophet: ‘Biking Is the New Golf!’, New York Observer, 2/5 Crossing Guard Caught Off-Guard, WCBS, 2/5 The Parking Fix, Wall Street Journal, 2/3 FYI: Stepping Safer, New York Times, 2/3 Time for New York Pedestrians to Reclaim City, China-Daily, 1/30 The City the Never Walks, StreetsBlog, 1/30 Weinshall Upheld a "Cars-First Status Quo," T.A. Says, StreetsBlog, 1/30 The City That Never Walks, New York Times, 1/29 Council Considers Bill to Require DOT to Set Strict Goals on Traffic, Pollution, Staten Island Advance, 1/26 Downtown Bklyn Packed with Traffic, Park Slope Courier, 1/26 Teaching City Government to Count More Than Just Cars and Trucks, StreetsBlog, 1/24 Traffic Reduction Plan Has No Plan, New York Press, 1/23 Transportation Alternatives is a member-supported non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Join T.A. today!
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