Streetsblog New York City

In the early 1990's three and a half miles of the Grand Concourse, a major arterial roadway in the Bronx, was closed to cars every Sunday from July through November (kind of like Bogota Colombia's Ciclovia). The closures provided residents with much-needed open space to bike, walk, play and develop a sense of community with neighbors. Despite its popularity, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani killed the program in 1996.

Last summer, Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion and Transportation Alternatives revived Car-Free Sunday's on a trial basis. This year, the program is back again for five or six Sunday's between June and October as a part of Bronx On The Move, a series of family fitness events.

Check out the StreetFilm from last year's Car-Free Sunday on the Grand Concourse:

The Bloomberg Administration is aiming to push its PlaNYC congestion pricing proposal through this session of the state legislature. That means the entire debate will take place within the next 36 days or so.

One thing that you can do as an individual citizens to support the Mayor's plan is to write a letter to your local elected officials, particularly your state assembly member and senator. If you're not sure who represents you, NYPIRG's web site can show you.

Here is a nice example of a letter written by Charles Komanoff of the Carbon Tax Center to Bronx Borough president Adolfo Carrión, who presides over a constituency with one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the entire world. If you write your own letter feel free to upload it to the comment section. Maybe someone else can use your work. 

Dear President Carrión,

I'm writing regarding Mayor Bloomberg's proposed congestion fee for vehicle trips into the Manhattan Central Business District.

I first want to say that I've followed your career avidly since you entered the New York City Council in January, 1998. You and I had an in-depth discussion of the City's responsibility to act against motorist endangerment of bicycle-riders in May 2000, and your assertive questioning of City officials was a bright spot in the Council's May 22, 2000 hearing on bicyclist fatalities. Along with many of my colleagues at the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, of which I'm a founding trustee, and at Transportation Alternatives, which I served as president from 1986 to 1992, I've felt that your character, education and experience give you unique potential to lead and unite New Yorkers, particularly on issues of transportation, quality of life and the uses of city streets.

For all these reasons, I was surprised and dismayed to read press accounts suggesting that you may be positioning yourself to oppose the mayor's congestion pricing plan.

Read more...

Forty-eight hours in, here is what some elected officials are saying about PlaNYC and congestion pricing.

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver:

Well, I think it's a very complicated issue, but, you know, we'll need to look at it and discuss it with the mayor and discuss it with the members of the conference. The concept of charging money to come to the center of a business district is something that is new to this country, especially in a city like New York. But, again, I would like to see what the proposed benefits are, and I'd like to see what the impact on business is projected to be.

Representative Anthony Weiner:

While I applaud the mayor for focusing on a long-term sustainability plan for the city, in this case the cure seems to be worse than the disease. We must look at innovative ways to face the challenges created by the city's own success, but a regressive tax on working middle-class families and small-business owners shouldn't be one of them.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz:

While I remain open to it, any plan must ensure equality among the boroughs, include exemptions for commuters traveling for health and employment reasons, alleviate parking problems -- particularly in those Brooklyn neighborhoods closest to the tunnel and bridges -- and direct generated revenues to improvements in our public transportation system.

I applaud the mayor's proposals to improve mass transit, since better public transportation -- including an expansion of bus service in neighborhoods not served by subways -- is essential for a congestion pricing plan to potentially work. I look forward to reviewing the plan as it develops with the necessary exemptions and requirements.

I wonder if it is another hidden tax on working people. I worry about people who need to use their cars to get to work.

Read more...

Car-Free Sunday on the Grand Concourse
A Clarence Eckerson, Jr. Streetfilm
Running time: 3:58 - 12.35 MB, QuickTime

Back in the early 1990s, three-and-a-half miles of the Grand Concourse, a major roadway in the Bronx, was closed to cars every Sunday from July thru November. The car-free time provided residents with much-needed open space to bike, walk, play, and get to know their neighbors. Despite its popularity Mayor Rudolph Giuliani ended Car-Free Sundays in 1996. Recently, with the help of Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, Transportation Alternatives and many community groups, Car-Free Sundays were re-introduced on a trial basis. In this Street Film, see what happens when you close a busy street to motor vehicles on a sunny Sunday afternoon and open it up to people.

As Noah Budnick from Transportation Alternatives says, "The importance of reclaiming public space is to show people that a street that most people assume is just used for moving cars can be used for a lot more."

If you want to see Streetfilms shown on the big screen for the first time ever, stop by the Pioneer Theater in the East Village on Tuesday, August 29 at 7:00 pm for a special 75-minute program put together by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. 

There will be a reception with Two Boots pizza and drinks afterwards, all included in the $9 ticket price. It will be a great night. Details here