Comments on: The Iris Weinshall Renaissance http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6180 JK Wed, 18 Oct 2006 00:49:20 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6180 Charlie You probably know this, but some may not, Iris Weinshall doesnt have the power to implement congestion pricing --- nor does the mayor. It will take the governor and state legislature. Judging from her remarks on the subject and the number of visits to London she and her team have taken over the last six years, it's a good guess she would like to announce pricing too. I'm sure she'd also love to tell Ray Kelly what to do --- about anything. Charlie

You probably know this, but some may not, Iris Weinshall doesnt have the power to implement congestion pricing — nor does the mayor. It will take the governor and state legislature. Judging from her remarks on the subject and the number of visits to London she and her team have taken over the last six years, it’s a good guess she would like to announce pricing too. I’m sure she’d also love to tell Ray Kelly what to do — about anything.

]]> By: Charles Komanoff http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6160 Charles Komanoff Tue, 17 Oct 2006 19:10:08 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6160 We’re all prone to the occasional bout of wild-eyed optimism. So Aaron gets a pass for his Weinshall swoon. But was it a doozie! Iris said that NYC needs “to reduce auto use”? So did every DOT Commissioner since the Lindsay era. Without pro-active policies to de-privilege driving, it ain’t gonna happen. The inducements (subsidies) to drive are too seductive. DOT has started a 6-month “curb space study” to survey parking supply and demand in lower Manhattan? Wowie zowie. I smell a ploy to quell the Chinatown-led uprising against the NYPD’s I-get-to-park-free scam. How will we know when Iris has truly “gotten it”? How about when she announces half or more of the following: • I’m ordering cars out of Central and Prospect Parks. • I’m now bike-commuting between Prospect Park West and 40 Worth St. Y’all join me. • I’ve told Police Commissioner Kelly: Hands off Critical Mass. • Congestion pricing — it could be bridge tolls, it could be CBD cordon charging — starts in three months. • Existing bike lanes are being re-engineered for true traffic separation. • Bike lane mileage is being doubled over the next 12 months. • Bus Rapid Transit trials begin next month, one in each borough. • All pedestrian and bicycle fatalities get full, public fact- and fault-finding. • Illegal private parking by public employees will be shown in real time on new DOT web-cams. This is just a quick list. Hell, I’m sure any regular Streetsblog reader can do better. We’re all prone to the occasional bout of wild-eyed optimism. So Aaron gets a pass for his Weinshall swoon. But was it a doozie!

Iris said that NYC needs “to reduce auto use”? So did every DOT Commissioner since the Lindsay era. Without pro-active policies to de-privilege driving, it ain’t gonna happen. The inducements (subsidies) to drive are too seductive.

DOT has started a 6-month “curb space study” to survey parking supply and demand in lower Manhattan? Wowie zowie. I smell a ploy to quell the Chinatown-led uprising against the NYPD’s I-get-to-park-free scam.

How will we know when Iris has truly “gotten it”? How about when she announces half or more of the following:

• I’m ordering cars out of Central and Prospect Parks.
• I’m now bike-commuting between Prospect Park West and 40 Worth St. Y’all join me.
• I’ve told Police Commissioner Kelly: Hands off Critical Mass.
• Congestion pricing — it could be bridge tolls, it could be CBD cordon charging — starts in three months.
• Existing bike lanes are being re-engineered for true traffic separation.
• Bike lane mileage is being doubled over the next 12 months.
• Bus Rapid Transit trials begin next month, one in each borough.
• All pedestrian and bicycle fatalities get full, public fact- and fault-finding.
• Illegal private parking by public employees will be shown in real time on new DOT web-cams.

This is just a quick list. Hell, I’m sure any regular Streetsblog reader can do better.

]]> By: Will http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6121 Will Tue, 17 Oct 2006 12:15:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6121 Remarkable? HAHAHA. ok. So they finally are putting in some bike lanes, but barely any are padded. And all the class 3 might as well not exist. They are taking out the cross over at Times Square - big fat deal. Its the sidewalks at the edges of 7th and Broadway that are the problem where insane numbers of people are forced into walking in the Avenues anyway every day. Not to mention same problem also now exists at 8th Ave in the 40s too. So whats the plan there? Crickets. And BRT "test" lanes will go in in 2007 - what's the matter, all the paint brush stores closed for 2004, 2005, and 2006? And JK already mentioned the cars in the parks problem. I'd like to talk to the wizards too, but I checked the phone call has a billion dollar surcharge. Remarkable? HAHAHA. ok. So they finally are putting in some bike lanes, but barely any are padded. And all the class 3 might as well not exist. They are taking out the cross over at Times Square – big fat deal. Its the sidewalks at the edges of 7th and Broadway that are the problem where insane numbers of people are forced into walking in the Avenues anyway every day. Not to mention same problem also now exists at 8th Ave in the 40s too. So whats the plan there? Crickets. And BRT “test” lanes will go in in 2007 – what’s the matter, all the paint brush stores closed for 2004, 2005, and 2006? And JK already mentioned the cars in the parks problem.

I’d like to talk to the wizards too, but I checked the phone call has a billion dollar surcharge.

]]> By: Daniel Millstone http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6101 Daniel Millstone Tue, 17 Oct 2006 00:00:42 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6101 As I was using the term wizard, I was referring to Mayor Bloomberg who sets Transportation Policy and sends his Commissioners out to sell it. When critics attack Weinshall, they sometimes forget that the policies she promotes are those of her principal. You can email or snail-mail the Mayor directly or just call 311. As I was using the term wizard, I was referring to Mayor Bloomberg who sets Transportation Policy and sends his Commissioners out to sell it.

When critics attack Weinshall, they sometimes forget that the policies she promotes are those of her principal.

You can email or snail-mail the Mayor directly or just call 311.

]]> By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6058 JK Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:02:30 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6058 Who are these wizards? Can one arrange to speak with one? I think magical realism has big potential for solving NYC transpo woes. Who are these wizards?

Can one arrange to speak with one? I think magical realism has big potential for solving NYC transpo woes.

]]> By: Daniel Millstone http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-6045 Daniel Millstone Mon, 16 Oct 2006 01:44:02 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-6045 As I see it, the issue is not the DOT Commissioner (who serves at the pleasure of the Mayor). Mayor Bloomberg sends the signals; the Commissioners implement the policy selected at City Hall. When Commissioner Weinshall makes a good speech, as here, she's to be congratulated. When she announces good new policies, it's the Mayor who deserves the credit (As he deserves the blame for the bad policies). Don't let us be fooled by the wizards who keep saying "don't look behind the curtain." As I see it, the issue is not the DOT Commissioner (who serves at the pleasure of the Mayor). Mayor Bloomberg sends the signals; the Commissioners implement the policy selected at City Hall. When Commissioner Weinshall makes a good speech, as here, she’s to be congratulated. When she announces good new policies, it’s the Mayor who deserves the credit (As he deserves the blame for the bad policies). Don’t let us be fooled by the wizards who keep saying “don’t look behind the curtain.”

]]> By: Orcutt http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-5951 Orcutt Fri, 13 Oct 2006 23:51:37 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-5951 Well, it was just a speech. But I would not have written what I did without having noticed that streetsbloggers are seeing new bike lanes going in within a few weeks of the bikeway announcement and the commissioner announcing the speed-up of at least some of the BRT projects. Implementation with urgency says something is happening. Let's watch what occurs from here and keep pushing. There is the rest of eternity to judge whether 2006 is some kind of watershed for NYC or not. Well, it was just a speech. But I would not have written what I did without having noticed that streetsbloggers are seeing new bike lanes going in within a few weeks of the bikeway announcement and the commissioner announcing the speed-up of at least some of the BRT projects. Implementation with urgency says something is happening. Let’s watch what occurs from here and keep pushing. There is the rest of eternity to judge whether 2006 is some kind of watershed for NYC or not.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-5949 Glenn Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:49:25 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-5949 I agree with the above comment that moving from talk to action is the real proof and not just token projects that are announced without much discussion. A better way would be to really think big on this stuff and involve the community stakeholders now to find win-win situations and share some of the credit. I especially loved the idea of creating new public spaces in every community. They will need to talk to community representatives to make sure they choose the right places. I guess the two biggest changes were an admission that too many cars are the problem and a new willingness to experiment some of the alternative proposals that have been sitting on the shelf for years, if not decades. Kudos to DOT though for starting to make those changes. I agree with the above comment that moving from talk to action is the real proof and not just token projects that are announced without much discussion. A better way would be to really think big on this stuff and involve the community stakeholders now to find win-win situations and share some of the credit. I especially loved the idea of creating new public spaces in every community. They will need to talk to community representatives to make sure they choose the right places.

I guess the two biggest changes were an admission that too many cars are the problem and a new willingness to experiment some of the alternative proposals that have been sitting on the shelf for years, if not decades.

Kudos to DOT though for starting to make those changes.

]]> By: crzwdjk http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-5943 crzwdjk Fri, 13 Oct 2006 22:10:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-5943 Weinshall seems to be finally talking the talk, but will this talk get followed up with real action? That is the question. The DOT has made many promises over the years, the real proof will be when they start implementing things. A good start would be expanding the sidewalks in Times Square to the notional sidewalk "edges" currently painted on the street, presumably as a temporary measure. Weinshall seems to be finally talking the talk, but will this talk get followed up with real action? That is the question. The DOT has made many promises over the years, the real proof will be when they start implementing things. A good start would be expanding the sidewalks in Times Square to the notional sidewalk “edges” currently painted on the street, presumably as a temporary measure.

]]> By: JK http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/comment-page-1/#comment-5939 JK Fri, 13 Oct 2006 21:27:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/10/13/the-iris-weinshall-renaissance/#comment-5939 "With the New York City Streets Renaissance becoming the Iris Weinshall Renaissance and the Department of Transportation becoming something more akin to a Department of Streets and Public Spaces" --- Is this sarcasm? If not, it is absolutely delusional. Did Weinshall announce that DOT was keeping the full median on W. Houston, instead of installing turning bays? Did she announce car-free Central and Prospect Parks? Car-free 42nd Street? How about implementation of Downtown Bklyn Traffic Calming? In 1993,DOT organized a two day traffic calming seminar at NYU which drew 500 people. DOT senior planners and engineers were required to attend, and listen to the top German traffic calmers who were flown over to lead it. There are reasons to be skeptical. “With the New York City Streets Renaissance becoming the Iris Weinshall Renaissance and the Department of Transportation becoming something more akin to a Department of Streets and Public Spaces” — Is this sarcasm? If not, it is absolutely delusional. Did Weinshall announce that DOT was keeping the full median on W. Houston, instead of installing turning bays? Did she announce car-free Central and Prospect Parks? Car-free 42nd Street? How about implementation of Downtown Bklyn Traffic Calming?

In 1993,DOT organized a two day traffic calming seminar at NYU which drew 500 people. DOT senior planners and engineers were required to attend, and listen to the top German traffic calmers who were flown over to lead it.

There are reasons to be skeptical.

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