New York, take note: unlike NYC buses, parents of small kids are treated like humans and do not have to go through the ridiculous ordeal of removing their kid from the stroller and collapsing the stroller just to get on board.
New York, take note! There were several of these around the city; they had real-time information about which nearby parking lots were full or had room. They surely help reduce time spent driving around hunting for parking.
An intersection of three different street types. The red brick is the East end of the pedestrianized part of another main shopping street, Henry Street.
"Citing a need to alleviate motor traffic, reduce air pollution, and increase general health, cities are carving out more bike lanes. But bike lanes simply don't work. Maybe something about America's competitive cowboy culture means drivers just can't bring themselves to share the road, frequently parking in bike lanes, turning across bike lanes without warning, and colliding with bikes."
The Glendale News Press ran an article June 19 on the dilemma the proposed Long Beach 710 freeway tunnel has posed for two elected officials in Glendale and La Cañada Flintridge. A discussion of the merits of the 710 extension is quite out of our jurisdiction here at I Will Ride, so you might be wondering how is this related to the Gold Line Foothill Extension?
(The possibilities aren't literally "endless," of course;
and the word "reclaiming" is somewhat inappropriate given how it entails some nostalgic romanticism. Those points are about minor nuances -- which nevertheless are worth mentioning, in my opinion.)
This week’s Voice of the San Gabriel Valley series is dedicated to the National Dump the Pump day. With gas prices rising again for the summer (and that economic issue going on), everyone’s trying to find a way to go about their daily lives without making any further dents in their wallets.
In a recent interview with LES/EV/Chinatown blog the thelodownny, city council candidate Margaret Chin made some harsh remarks about the Grand Street, and Chrystie Street bike lanes with hundreds of cyclists use to commute to and from work everyd
The rounded piles of asphalt envisioned for Cromwell Drive in Bethesda would be a mere 12 feet wide and 3 inches high. But the potential installation of the three speed humps has stoked a broad debate about democracy in Montgomery County: Who should have a say when your neighbors propose new hump...
Well the build up to the Metro’s board vote on the Long Range Transportation Plan – including Twitter posts from Metro staff (who we thank for the shout out on Facebook) – fizzled quickly, when Director Richard Katz suggested the vote be postponed until July 23 because the public had very little opportunity to review and comment on the 63-page staff report. Metro CEO Art Leahy apologized for the delay in releasing the report.
Fair enough.
As we reported Wednesday, there is good news in the plan.
UPS has finally released an official statement on it's repeated violations of NYC traffic code that put cyclists in harms way every day. This response leaves questions unanswered, and fails to acknowledge how irresponsible it is to leave 20 ton truck parked in bike only lanes at all. How long is too long to leave a massive truck blocking a bike lane? Most NYC cyclists who have to deal with these trucks would probably say anything longer than a minute is dangerous and excessive, so call away! Don't forgot to continue logging UPS violations at http://www.nyc.mybikelane.com
Shame on UPS for deciding that it's OK to block a bike lane and force cyclists into traffic, even for 5 or 10 minutes at a time.
Making a list of actions you can take to prevent global warming, or at least reduce your own carbon footprint? Here's something you might not have considered: Move to an urban environment.
Recently destined for demolition, Detroit's Michigan Central Station — one of the city's most historic and distinctive skyline silhouettes — has received a temporary stay of execution.
"The ban on vehicles also makes the point that the city does not need to defer to the almighty auto in every instance. Sometimes pedestrians come first."
Last week, we said the $10 million win was just a toe (not even a foot) in the door towards our goal of getting the Foothill Extension constructed to Azusa in 2013. That door opened just enough that Metro will now consider putting up a real timetable and funding plan for the Foothill Extension – which brings us to the Long Range Transportation Plan (also known as the mother of all transportation plans).
The credit for the favorable outcome of this week’s Metro Board meeting can be given to every San Gabriel Valley resident who has ever uttered those three prophetic words: I Will Ride.
So now the Foothill Extension is one step closer to that 2013 opening reality. But really, yesterday’s result was more like a toe (not even a foot) in the door.
On Thursday, May 14th, a Whole Foods NYC [bowery location] van was spotted hastily parked in and blocking the Lafayette Street Bike lane infront of 153 Lafayette. There were plenty of legal spaces nearby. Both the Whole Foods and Whole Foods NYC twitter accounts were notified via messages that included an image of the violation. No response.
What is infrastructure? This show documents a series of contemporary experiments in planning, architecture, and design that seek to treat the city and its environment in holistic terms, as a complex social, political, and ecological matrix.
This exhibition makes that case that infrastructure cannot be divorced from the structure of democracy and from the environment at large. The contributors highlight the important role that community, communication, participation, and knowledge sharing play in cities.
A couple months ago, I updated on the Lafayette Street Bike Lane between E Houston Street and Bond Street - the bike lane had been moved against the curb, but no bicycle lane indicators had been laid down. Here is a photo of it (amazingly) clear in March
With our rally at Citrus College behind us, the Metro Board meeting at the end of the month, and who knows what else might come up, May is going to be important month for the fate of the Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension. To help communicate how important the Foothill Extension is to the residents of the San Gabriel Valley, we’ll be publishing comments we have received from residents (read: future Foothill Extension riders) who responded to our mailing.
If you missed our live-tweet @iwillride of the Measure R and Economic Recovery Information Forum this past Saturday, below is a summary of the meeting and an update on the status of funding for the Foothill Extension that was recently sent out from the Construction Authority’s CEO, Habib Balian. You can still visit our Twitter page to go more in-depth into the conversations that took place at the forum.
There was also a video that was shown at the Measure R Forum entitled “Waiting.” Care to guess what it’s referring to? The video is pasted below and also contains a tune known to brighten your day.
This Saturday, Assemblymember Ed Hernandez (of the 57th Assembly District) and other San Gabriel Valley legislators are hosting an informational forum to discuss the potential impacts of Measure R on the San Gabriel Valley region.
For those of you who missed our live-tweet of the rally, or just can’t stand live coverage in the form of 140 character text messages (learn to love it?), the best way to describe the event was: it went great!
With the “Brain Train” rally starting on time at around 11 a.m., and with Mother Nature doing her best to remind us that a scorching summer is approaching, a very lively and enthusiastic crowd of yellow (gold!) shirts began to gather around the Citrus College campus center mall to begin another quest to convince Metro to fund the Gold Line Foothill Extension.
Our rally tomorrow is going to be the beginning of a series of big events for the Gold Line Foothill Extension in the month of May (more on that in another post).
For those of you who can’t make it to our rally (because of class or work), we’ll be covering the rally live on our Twitter feed @iwillride.
The Senate is considering adding an additional $50 BILLION to highway expansion in the latest stimulus package.
If the new Democratic leadership wants to be 'green', they'll recognize that highways aren't the answer- transit and smart growth are the 21st century solutions.
To show that, I remixed of the 70's 'Crying Indian' PSA. Originally for showing that litter was bad for the environment, it's clear today that cars and highways do far more damage than any amount of personal litter.
Thanks to Dave Snyder for the original impetus.
For more on how to stop the highway expansion see:
www.streetsblog.org
www.t4america.org
This has been happening every day, for much of the day, for a couple years (they're even visible in Google maps street view). I believe the vehicles are owned by, or serve, the Park Central Hotel. I have emailed them twice to try to get them to stop but I have seen no response or action.
I will post more videos of this same group of vehicles idling to show how it is a constant problem. It is, of course, illegal, and destructive in countless ways.
This video was recorded the morning of 2/3/09.
Time lapse video of my roughly 2-mile walk to work through SF's Potrero Hill, Showplace Square and SoMa neighborhoods.
Music: Royksopp - Sing A Song
Higher res: http://www.vimeo.com/2354287
Community Design Group is an urban planning firm specializing in bicycle and pedestrian planning, placemaking and urban design, and community engagement. They work with communities of all sizes to develop people-centered, asset-based and sustainable approaches to mobility and place. Antonio Rosell, director and founder, says that the purpose of the firm's work is to support the creation of humane, interesting, thriving and sustainable environments that allow our communities to grow and prosper economically, socially, artistically and ethically.
The Great Commuter Challenge is a race between 3 modes of transportation: the bicycle, the car, and walking/transit. Three local celebrities raced along one Twin Cities route, running typical errands on the way to to the finish line. The outcome is certain keep you on the edge of your seat!
Watch watch the action right here and root for one of three contestants:
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak - Bike
Roadguy (aka Star Tribune reporter Jim Foti) - Car
Ramsey County Commissioner Toni Carter - Walking & Transit
High speed pass before sunrise. Kent Ave is a race track and is without any NYPD presence. 18 wheelers pass each other just like this moron passed us and another car
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.3
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.2
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
Green Spaces and SPN: Blogging Sustainability Pt.1
Green Spaces hosted Blogging Sustainability in Partnership with the Sustainable Practice Network on June 26th, 2008. Over 60 people showed up to hear the take from leaders in blogging, take a rooftop tour and have some organic wine provided by the Greene Grape in Fort Green Brooklyn.
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat www.inhabitat.com, and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
7 miles of NYC streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, is closed to traffic and freed for use by everyday New Yorkers and visitors. We loved it!
This clip is in front of the south façade of Grand Central, which is usually only accessible to cars. Everyone was so thrilled to be able to take in the iconic view and see the Vanderbilt statue up close for the first time!
7 miles of NYC streets, from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, is closed to traffic and freed for use by everyday New Yorkers and visitors. We loved it!
This is a stretch through Astor Place and south down Lafayette St. Listen for Kate Mikuliak from Councilmember Rosie Mendez's office saying hi to me as she rode past in the first 0:15! Everyone was out in the streets!
Here's a 3 minute short video of the Aug 9th "Summer Streets" in NYC which closed 7 miles of roads to cars and opened them to pedestrians and bikes etc
Blogging Sustainability
Moderator: Bonnie Hulkower, Treehugge
Panelists:
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor-in-chief Inhabitat.com
Ken Rother, President/COO Treehugger
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Date & Time:
Thursday June 26, 2008, 6-8pm
Location: Green Spaces
33 Flatbush Ave (corner Flatbush & Livingston)
Brooklyn
Mass Transit - take B, Q, and R to Dekalb Ave, or the 4, 5 to Nevins Street, or A, C to Hoyt Shermerhorn St.
Please RSVP events@sustainabilitypractice.net
For more information, or to join SPN, visit www.sustainabilitypractice.net
Blogging has become an influential form of information gathering, particularly in the green world. New media forums, websites, and blogs have played a major role in furthering the message of sustainability. In doing so, they have helped move sustainability to the mainstream, often covering issues before the traditional media gets to them. Websites vary from magazine offshoots to personal advice to the musings of corporate executives. What these websites often share is an informal and interactive readership.
On these websites writers are often more easily criticized and held accountable, and commentators evoke a wide range of perspectives. Yet, fact-checking is not mandatory, and people may seek out like-minded "communities of interest" and echo chambers, which can foster a narrower perspective.
How do today's citizens inform themselves? What are the effects of the shift away from one-to-many media formats?
This panel will examine how websites such as www.streetsblog.com, www.Inhabitat.com, www.Treehugger.com, and others further the message of sustainability. Panelists will discuss how new media can reach out to untapped audiences, and how to spread the message further.
Bios:
Jill Fehrenbacher, Editor-in-chief, Inhabitat.com
Jill Fehrenbacher edits Inhabitat and is a freelance designer and student at Columbia's Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning. She created Inhabitat in the Spring of 2005 as a way to catalog her endless search for new ways to improve the world through forward-thinking, high-tech, and environmentally conscious design. Educated at Brown University, where she received a B.A. in Art Semiotics, and Central St. Martins, where she received an M.A. in Design Studies, she currently resides in New York City, which so far has been good for her obsession with rooftop gardens and vegan junk food restaurants.
Ken Rother, President/COO of Treehugger
Ken, President and COO, is responsible for bringing the vision and strategy of TreeHugger to life. Ken has been involved in the Internet since the early 90's when he co-founded Mountain Lake Software in Toronto Canada. Mountain Lake helped some of Canada's largest financial institutions take their first steps onto the WWW. Ken has held various roles including VP of operations responsible for all deliverables of their internet consulting division and later as divisional CIO introduced process altering technology to their globalization business. His interest in the environment dates back to his first summer job leading low impact canoe trips in northern Quebec.
Aaron Naparstek, Editor-in-chief Streetsblog.org
Aaron Naparstek works for the Open Planning Project where he is editor-in-chief of StreetsBlog.org. Aaron is a journalist, author and community organizer working on urban environmental issues in NYC. He is the author of Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage, a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the unique brand of motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Naparstek lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons. He is a founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and an organizer of the Grand Army Plaza Coalition.
The Sustainability Practice Network (SPN) is a NYC-based forum and list server for professionals, academics and students working with corporate responsibility and sustainability issues to build a community based on learning, discussion, information and idea exchange. SPN supports the growth of sustainability practice and bridges disciplines to advance sustainable development by drawing on the knowledge and expertise of its members.
Green Spaces Green Spaces is a hub for leading green entrepreneurs, providing networking programs, infrastructure and a community to launch their business.
This message was sent from Jennie Nevin to feinberg@design21sdn.com. It was sent from: Green Spaces, 33 Flatbush Ave Floor 5, Brooklyn, NY 11217. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.
Green Wheels NEC members noticed sidewalks were overgrown in Arcata, California, making it difficult to walk. So they headed out to do something about it...
More at www.green-wheels.org
Volunteers are Chris Rall, Chad Johnson, Sara Dykman, Aaron Antrim and Adam Jamin
Radar gun session demonstrates routine speeding by motor vehicles on 65th St. Transverse in New York's Central Park during morning rush hour. the speed limit here is 30 MPH, and the traffic sign the back of which is visible on the left reads: CAUTION-SLOW-LANE NARROWS TO 11'0."
An account and discussion of the fatal crash that occurred here in December 2006 is found here:
http://www.streetsblog.org/2007/08/22/central-park-66th-street-transverse-is-unsafe/
Pictures and excerpts from the police investigation of the fatal accident are found here:
http://flickr.com/photos/11992136@N08/sets/72157601595007852/
New York Department of Transportation and Police Department have been advised of this dangerous condition. Will steps be taken remove the hazard presented by the routine speeding next to this hazardous pinch point before another bicyclists is injured or killed?
The traffic trying to exit the Central Park Loop this morning at 7th Avenue and 59th Street was backed up nearly to 72nd Street. There was no apparent reason for this other than congestion. Perhaps those who formerly used the CP Loop between 7 and 8 am and have under the new schedule simply shifted their trip to later, causing this congestion. It shouldn't take folks too much longer to figure out that they must simply stop driving through the park (or at all), rather than clinging to old habits. The best way to get the message across to these people is to eliminate cars from Central Park entirely.
here are the two previous installments in this series:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxBv2Hx52rM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaD0fgKfFo4
South Shore Motorists Allow Pedestrians To Take Over Roadway
A common sight on Long Island's south shore--recreational walkers ignore the grassy shoulder and walk instead in a single lane roadway. This is illegal but the pedestrians in these parts do it routinely. The motorists make sure to pass at a safe distance and speed. Why do so many of these same motorists, when in NYC, fail to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk and otherwise play "chicken" with pedestrians?
Here on Long Island's south shore, the motorists seem to understand the need to keep a safe distance from bicyclists and pass them only when it is safe to do so--even if it slows them down temporarily. Why do so many of these same motorists, when they return to NYC, routinely endanger bicyclists by pushing them to the margins of the roadway and passing at unsafe distances and speeds?
The nine-year old bicyclist shown in the previous clip explains why a westbound bike lane on East 91st Street would be good for bicyclists, children, and others who use this street, despite the objections of some.
