She's back! Veronica Moss, D.C. lobbyist for the Automobile User Trade Organization (A.U.T.O.), recently returned to New York to get her first look at the new, pedestrian-friendly Times Square. Her views may rankle some in the livable streets camp, but we think it's important to note that some influential people out there just abhor walking, socializing, and the freedom to safely enjoy public spaces.

This year the New York City Department of Transportation measured a 26 percent jump in commuter cycling. Coming on the heels of 2008's unprecedented 35 percent growth, that puts the total two-year increase at a whopping 66 percent.

Much of the growth in cycling can be attributed to the installation of 200 miles of bike routes in the past three years, including innovative facilities like the cycletracks on Eighth Avenue and Ninth Avenue, which separate car traffic from cyclists. Safer streets get more people to ride, who encourage their friends to ride, and more riders on the road means cyclists are more visible and safer. The virtuous circle is in effect here in New York.

With triple the number of cyclists on the road since 2000, we thought now would be a good time to get a reality check from riders: How's it going out there? Overwhelmingly, folks we interviewed said it is getting quite crowded on New York's streets and bridges. Good thing bikes aren't space hogs!

A hot topic on Streetsblog the past few weeks has been the massive numbers of pedestrians and cyclists using the Brooklyn Bridge walkway during rush hours and weekends. Since many folks don't have the chance to experience the promenade day-in and day-out, I decided to capture the conditions on a recent ride home from work.

I shot all the footage you see here in about half an hour, starting at 4:15 p.m. -- it doesn't even show rush hour, when there are usually far more cyclists. I would say these scenes capture typical conditions on weekdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., as long as it's not rainy.

So, you can see the Brooklyn Bridge promenade is popular. Which is good! It's a wonderful place to experience the city and an important transportation link for many New Yorkers. But all those commutes, workouts, and sightseeing expeditions are increasingly uncomfortable for pedestrians and cyclists. Ten years ago I would have been amazed to see this many people using the walkway. Today, the Brooklyn Bridge promenade needs some relief.

Cars blocking crosswalks, drivers failing to yield to pedestrians, unnecessary honking -- New Yorkers have to contend with these violations every day on nearly every corner in the city.

As Streetsblog publisher Mark Gorton says in this Streetfilm, most drivers are not bad or mean people, but few seem to realize how their conduct behind the wheel inconveniences and endangers pedestrians. It's a level of rudeness and carelessness that we tend not to tolerate in other spheres of life, especially when you consider the risks involved in piloting a multi-ton vehicle. New Yorkers can get brusque or nasty on the subway, but you rarely see straphangers engage in behavior that poses an immediate danger to the people around them. So what is it about driving a car that lets people disregard the safety of others?

With all the remarkable recent livable streets improvements in New York, it's no surprise the tenth annual Walk21 Conference chose our city for its host digs. Visitors and attendees salivated over new pedestrian infrastructure and public spaces, including tours of the recently opened High Line and a special visit to the soon-to-be-restored High Bridge. Featuring a plethora of speakers, design charrettes and walking workshops, the three-day event drew experts from the UK, Austria, Japan, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Serbia, Italy, and Australia, among other places.

We were able to speak with the organizers as well as conference registrants, and also got a chance to chat with headliners such as Jan Gehl, Janette Sadik-Khan, Kristina Alvendal (Vice Mayor of Stockholm), and Gil Peñalosa (Walk and Bike for Life, Ontario) about the future of walking and the vital importance of this conference in inspiring world leaders.

We just love when we hear Streetfilms motivational stories from around the globe. Our latest report comes out of Boulder, Colorado.

Last year, I traveled there for four days to document the city's League of American Bicyclists Platinum Status. As is usual on one of these trips, we try to designate one night for a screening of Streetfilms, and nearly 100 people turned out to an event graciously hosted by local bike shop Full Cycle.

One of the films we screened was Portland's "Intersection Repair." A few days ago I received an email from Cara Priem, who thanked us for the event. "I was in attendance," she wrote, "and was inspired by your 'Intersection Repair' video to do the same thing in our Boulder neighborhood."

As reported by The Daily Camera, that neighborhood is Martin Acres, in south Boulder, where residents painted a 30' by 30' street mural a few weekends ago.

This is what Streetfilms is all about: trying to inspire, educate, entertain, and inform through the medium of video, and providing a resource for cities to see what others are doing better. If you'd like to arrange a Streetfilms showing in your city and have a venue, just drop us a line at info@streetfilms.org.

Finally, another Boulder news item. I just checked out a new film called "Boulder Bike Story," put together by Mathew Barlow of Bikes Belong, which contained a startling fact: In 2008, Boulder devoted 46 percent of its transportation budget to bikes, transit and pedestrians. If more cities were doing that kind of funding split, we could solve a lot of problems fast.

Chalk up more bikeway innovation to the folks at the NYC Department of Transportation. Nearly complete, the Sands Street approach to the Manhattan Bridge is now safer and more enjoyable thanks to a New York City first: a center-median, two-way protected bike path. The facility is a perfect solution to counter the dangers posed by a tangle of roads and highway on-ramps that burden the area. Dramatic before-and-afters tell the delicious story.

We'll also take you back into the archives to April 2005, when, following a severe injury to Transportation Alternatives' Noah Budnick, advocates held a passionate rally asking Mayor Bloomberg to not only improve bike access to the Manhattan Bridge, but to all East River bridges. Four years later, there's much to be proud of. As DOT Assistant Commissioner for Traffic Management Ryan Russo points out, back in 2005 about 800 cyclists used the bridge daily. In 2009, those numbers have soared to over 2,600. That gives us a serious case of happiness.

After covering PARK(ing) Day events since 2006, this year we took it down a notch. We figured it was about time we got to relax a little and enjoy the space and -- frankly -- not get dehydrated from bicycling about all day. So sit back and enjoy.

This year more than 20 countries participated. New York City featured about 50 spaces filled to the gills with people, sod, chairs, food, fun, games, and, in one case, bubble-wrap galore! You'll also get a look at "Hex Pack Patio," the POP.Park design competition winner from Samina Iqbal.

After the jump, more scenes from Park(ing) Day in San Francisco, courtesy of John Hamilton.

Although there is undoubtedly an amazing streets renaissance going on in NYC, there still remain places in dire need of improvement. Every workday, heavily-used areas like the blocks surrounding Penn Station are overwhelmed with pedestrians making their way home via buses, subways, the Long Island Railroad and Amtrak. The sidewalks are so clogged by this "crush of humanity" that people are forced to walk in the streets. If you've never seen it, or if you're claustrophobic, get ready.

Open Planning Project Executive Director Mark Gorton recently went out to sample the atmosphere on a typical weekday evening and posits that we can do much better in how we choose to allocate street space. His words sum it up nicely:

The reason it's so crowded here is not because there's not enough space. It's because we give all of our space to the least spatially-efficient form of transportation available. 

Of course he is referring to the automobile -- especially the single-occupant vehicle. Oddly enough, I did a PSA over three years ago which aired during our New York City Streets Renaissance campaign launch. I filmed most of it in the same location. It still looks much the same, perhaps worse.

James at the inaugural Tour de Brooklyn in 2005.

His death is a reminder to all of us that although the cycling atmosphere in New York City has improved tremendously, our streets are still dangerous. Even if you are an experienced rider (James rode his bike everywhere) all it takes is one critical error or getting caught in the wrong situation. When I biked with James he was usually a very deliberate rider. I don’t know what happened on Friday, all I know is we lost a very unique individual. Without James, the world just got a whole lot less interesting.

Let me just take a few paragraphs to tell you about my friend James. I have known him since 1997, when he and I were volunteers at Transportation Alternatives. (Read about some of the feats he performed to earn honors as TA "Volunteer of the Month" in 1998.) Over the years we helped out together at many events, went on countless rides and hikes, and generally just enjoyed talking with each other about the world and bicycling, almost always in a humorous -- and sometimes absurd -- manner.

It was one of those brainstorming sessions between us that led to the idea that James would become the official "bicycling philosopher" for bikeTV - the cable access show I produced until 2006. We filmed a chapter, "What is the essence of cycling?," at a 2005 Central Park volunteer appreciation party for marshals of the TA Century. James's wit and humor are on full display. Check it out:

Here is another video I did that will always bring smiles and warm my heart. While riding in the Bike New York 2001 event, James ended up adopting a kitten along the course. Cats, bikes, philosophy, and of course getting caught up in a quirky tale -- that was James in a nutshell.

If you would like to pay your respects to James and his family, services will be held tonight from 7:00 to 9:00, and again Tuesday from 2:00 to 5:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 at the Hess-Miller Funeral Home in Middle Village, Queens -- 64-19 Metropolitan Avenue (near 64th street). Donations will be accepted in James's name for Transportation Alternatives and to combat multiple sclerosis.

Finally, I remember an event that James really took to heart. At a TA holiday party in 1999, James was once given an award for being "The Spirit of Cycling." I can’t think of a better way to honor my friend than to remember him as such.

When New York City opened up new pedestrian zones in the heart of Midtown this summer, naysayers predicted a traffic nightmare. Nearly two months later, we're still waiting for the much-feared Carmaggedon.

In this video, Streetsblog publisher Mark Gorton takes us on a tour of Broadway's car-free squares and boulevard-style blocks, where conditions have improved dramatically for pedestrians, cyclists, and, yes, delivery truck drivers. As Mark says, the counterintuitive truth is that taking away space for cars can improve traffic while making the city safer and more enjoyable for everyone on foot. There are sound theories that help explain why this happens -- concepts like traffic shrinkage and Braess's paradox which are getting more and more attention thanks to projects like this one. While traffic statistics are still being collected by NYCDOT, there's already a convincing argument that Midtown streets are functioning better than before: To understand it, just take a walk down Broadway.

On Sunday, Transportation Alternatives' Second Annual Tour de Queens took riders on an 18-mile circuit through St. Albans, Kew Gardens, Hollis, and many other neighborhoods. Once again, the Queens Museum of Art in Flushing-Corona Park helped host the event, and museum president Tom Finkelpearl rode the entire route. There were many more riders this year, probably due not only to this year's beautiful weather but the fact that last year's high temp was 96!

Meet Gabe Klein, who was appointed to direct Washington D.C.'s Department of Transportation (DDOT) in December 2008. With a background including four years working for Zipcar, Klein was brought in to look at the city's mobility problems from a fresh perspective. As he says:

Cars are a part of our daily life here in D.C., but what we want to do is try to equalize the playing field. Encourage people to walk, to bike, to bike share; or instead of owning a car -- car share.

D.C. already has one of the lowest household car-ownership rates of any major U.S. city, so actively promoting these modes is essential -- as Klein points out -- to helping people move about with freedom.

Everyone knows that Phoenix has a huge sprawl problem. But now transit-oriented development is on the upswing in this Sun Belt metropolis. In December, the Phoenix region opened one of the most ambitious transit projects in recent U.S. history: a 20-mile light rail line with 28 stops serving three cities (Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa). Future plans include an extension within three years, with several new corridors being studied. 

The Valley Metro vehicles are handsome and comfortable, and thus far ridership has far exceeded initial projections -- with as many as 40,000 riders per day, compared to the expected 25,000. Each station features amenities and art installations. In addition, with many folks using the light rail as an intermodal step in their commutes, bicycles are welcome aboard. 

Ever wonder what folks working for sustainable transportation at the federal level are up against on K Street? For this Streetfilms exclusive, we were granted unfettered access to Veronica Moss, lobbyist for the Automobile Users Trade Organization (AUTO). Veronica gave us a few precious moments inside her SUV to talk about roads, traffic, cyclists, and big cities. While instructing us on proper honking techniques for "old people" and children, she also offered up some choice bons mots. Here's a sample:

• "People need to be able to drive their cars -- that's an American right!"
• "Bikers are a pimple on the butt of any city."

If you love Veronica, make sure to check out our mockumentary on The Search for the Zozo, where she also makes an appearance.

With Bike Month well underway and lots of new cyclists hitting the streets, we need a sage to remind us how easy it is to roll your bike. So, once again, I'm pleased to present immortal Bicycle Habitat mechanic Hal Ruzal in the last chapter of his exclusive Streetfilms trilogy on proper bike locking. Hal is calling it "your final warning."

This time around Hal not only grades the ability of anonymous locker-uppers, but also shows you how he secures his own bike, so you too can score an "A" (or at least have a decent shot at an A- or B+). And if you can't get enough of Hal's stories and musings, don't miss our first two chapters: "Hal Grades Your Bike Locking" and "Hal (and Kerri) Grade Your Bike Locking."

As New York history buffs can tell you, until the early part of the 20th century, the city was prime habitat for Zozos -- large, furry, innocent purple creatures that freely roamed the streets, mingling with people and enjoying the public realm. But after the advent of the automobile their numbers slowly dwindled. By the 1930s, sightings became rare and they were thought to have gone extinct.

Now, thanks to a burgeoning livable streets movement and a marked improvement in the city's public spaces, Zozo sightings are again being reported. World-renowned crypto-zoologist Donald Druthers convinced Streetfilms to document the facts -- and yes, we now believe that Zozos could be making a comeback! See the evidence for yourself.

Presenting our long-awaited mockumentary "The Search for the Zozo," featuring many of New York's livable streets luminaries. You'll hear urban historian Kenneth T. Jackson of Columbia University describe the Zozo's storied past. You'll get the lowdown on Zozo sightings and Zozo-inspired stories from Colin "No Impact Man" Beavan, restaurateur Florent Morellet, livable streets advocate Mary Beth Kelly, author Tom Vanderbilt, and a slew of others working to make streets safer and more livable.

And if you see a Zozo? Let us know in comments, or dial 555-ZOZO. You can also check out our website WhereistheZozo? for the latest in sightings and news.

The first time you visit Portland, Oregon, the gaggles of cyclists streaming over the Hawthorne Bridge during rush hour is a sight you will never forget. It's something other cities need to see and be inspired by.

On a recent vacation there, I couldn't resist cranking out a Streetfilms shortie, so I hooked up with Crank My Chain's Dan Kaufman to capture the essence of the p.m. rush and find out what it feels like to be a part of the mass of cyclist humanity in Southeast Portland's Hawthorne corridor.

As Greg Raisman from Portland's Bureau of Transportation pointed out: 20 percent of all traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge is bikes, while the number of cyclists in Portland has risen 600 percent in the last 15 years and shows no sign of letting up.

I have to admit: The thought of filming a control room designed to move vehicles more efficiently didn't excite me at first. But once I met Senior Transportation Engineer Bill Shao and the friendly staff at Los Angeles' Automated Traffic Surveillance and Control (ATSAC), I was full of curiosity.

Developed to help direct traffic during the 1984 Olympics, ATSAC has grown to monitor and control over 3,000 of L.A.'s 4,100 signalized intersections, some of them incredibly complex. ATSAC is one of the only such systems in the country that is publicly owned, and the technology is so advanced that even on its busiest days the control room only requires a few people to run it.

I'm told there are regular group tours of the facility. Next time you visit LA I recommend checking it out.

It's hard to believe, but Streetfilms has reached the 200 mark. Most of them are really high quality productions that are being used around the world to fight for better, more livable streets, and a happier planet. This celebratory promo features some random moments from over 50 Streetfilms, has 200 edits, and guest stars from Jan Gehl to David Byrne. Sit back and you'll see some of the hundreds of people we've featured over the last few years.