Comments on: Today’s Headlines

By: Mark Walker

Mark Walker — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:39:00 +0000

From the Daily News story on the Penn Station bollards: "The barriers - designed to protect against car and truck bombs - include a series of 4-foot-tall poles cemented into the ground around the perimeter of Penn Station."

In addition to protecting the station from car and truck bombs, the bollards will protect pedestrians from cars and trucks! Every heavily ped-trafficked area in the city should have them.

By: ddartley

ddartley — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:26:43 +0000

I will, Angus, and I won't be holding my breath. (what the emoticon for a groan?)

By: Spud Spudly

Spud Spudly — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:59:45 +0000

I like this quote from the Borough Park anti-tree crowd:

"I have nothing against trees, but we already have several on our block."

Oy!

By: Josh

Josh — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:35:55 +0000

Uh, yeah, clearly the solution for kids urinating on trees and breaking branches is fewer trees. Getting the kids on your block to stop being assholes would be a way worse idea.

By: Angus Grieve-Smith

Angus Grieve-Smith — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:20:55 +0000

Just turn your motor off while you're waiting, please, Dave.

By: ddartley

ddartley — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:57:55 +0000

More...

"To achieve the widest compliance, the City
will partner with community organizations
and businesses to launch a series of public
service announcements, signage, and other
marketing strategies in 2008 to educate the
public on the anti-idling laws and the environmental and economic benefits of reduced
idling. In addition, the city and its partners will employ a more targeted outreach to drivers,
business owners, fleet operators, and unions.
A similar program launched by Toronto cost
$100,000 to $300,000 and, in some specific
locations, resulted in more than a 60% reduction in idling."

As Sam Breakstone said, "I'm WAAAIIITing"

By: ddartley

ddartley — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:42:22 +0000

Checking on PlaNYC?

I used to gripe that idling, the most OBVIOUS and most obviously changeable air quality issue was not sufficiently addressed in PlaNYC.

Well, I was wrong, sort of. It's addressed in the PLAN, but in reality? Here's what the plan has to say:

"We will implement this $6 million program between 2008 and 2010 to equip
cars with the chosen anti-idling solution, bolstered by a $4.8 million CMAQ grant. We will
also launch a citywide anti-idling campaign to
reduce idling of all vehicles even more."

Okay, I guess they might still technically be on schedule with dealing with idling by vehicles not covered by city agencies, but it's a shame that that gets last priority, when it's such a huge factor in poisoning our air. Really, if the goal was to cut emissions, they should have dealt with that first, and it probably wouldn't have been that hard.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:10:00 +0000

"With prospects for increased transportation funding fading, regional leaders are looking for alternative -- read: cheap -- solutions for easing congestion."

Looks like they are starting to admit what the future holds down there. Here, they are still making 40 year plans even as we have yet to pay for the past 20.

By: JF

JF — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:53:59 +0000

"Now we have children urinating all over these trees, breaking the branches and throwing garbage everywhere," said Caleca.

Wow, man, that sucks! ... wait, what?