http://www.streetsblog.org Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:15:21 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Advocates and volunteers working for protected bike paths on the East Side, flush from last month's highly encouraging Community Board 8 vote, delivered more than a thousand handwritten letters yesterday to City Hall, supporting protected bike lanes on First and Second Avenues. Keep an eye on this story. It's a ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/safer-more-livable-streets-for-the-east-side-the-campaign-heats-up/ Last week PA Walks and Bikes alerted Pennsylvania residents to an opportunity to give input on the state's new Climate Change Action Plan. The state has produced a report identifying specific actions that would reduce emissions by a target date of 2020. ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/how-about-a-climate-plan-that-reduces-car-dependence/ The Weekly Carnage is a Friday round-up of motor vehicle mayhem across the metro region. For more on the origins and purpose of this column, please read About the Weekly Carnage. Damon Padmore, driving this SUV, hit and killed 38-year-old Dorothea ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/the-weekly-carnage-90/ Yesterday the Straphangers Campaign awarded Brooklyn's B44 the Schleppie Award in recognition of its status as the most unreliable bus route in the city. Over 20 percent of B44 buses, which run on the Nostrand Avenue corridor, arrive either bunched together or very far apart. About ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/tish-james-we-need-to-improve-nycs-most-unreliable-bus-but/ Today on the Streetsblog Network, a story about some kids in Los Angeles who did their research and came up with several good ideas about improving conditions for bicycle commuters. Then they ran up against the reality that the public forums on the city's bike plan weren't so public. But ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/la-kids-tell-city-hall-how-to-improve-biking-via-youtube/ Bloomberg: NYC Won't Give More to MTA Budget; Free Crosstown Buses? Not Right Now (NYT, News) M42 and B44 Take Home 2009 Pokey and Schleppie Awards for Worst Bus Service (Post, City Room) No Charges for Parks ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/06/todays-headlines-769/ The first time I saw this ad I thought my eyes and ears were deceiving me. But no, there it is: a young woman holding a cellphone toward the camera as "nüvifone" maker Garmin beckons viewers to "communicate while navigating." "With my nüvifone, I can ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/garmin-chat-navigate-and-steer-but-dont-drive-distracted/ Here's a chart breaking down New York Times exit poll results from the mayoral election. What sticks out to us is not so much that 3 percent of voters rated transportation as the "one issue" that mattered most to them, since many who participated ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/nyers-not-sold-on-notion-that-livable-streets-are-wrecking-economy/ Waiting to board the B44 in Brooklyn. Photo: Benjamin FriedOur latest call for photos was inspired by the picture at right, taken by Streetsblog New York's own Ben Fried. It's an all too familiar scene -- transit riders crammed together, waiting for a bus (or train) that doesn't come ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/wanted-your-photos-of-crummy-transit-conditions/ Seth Kahn, pictured here with late TV pitchman Billy Mays. Photo via FacebookNinth Avenue in Hell's Kitchen was the site of another pedestrian death Wednesday. Around 8:44 a.m., Seth Kahn was crossing Ninth at W. 53rd Street when he was hit by an out-of-service bus. He ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/student-killed-on-ninth-ave-is-fourth-city-pedestrian-fatality-in-five-days/ A Parks Department sanitation truck struck a 78-year-old woman using a motor-assisted wheelchair in the Eighth Avenue bike lane this morning shortly before 10 a.m., just north of Bleecker Street. The victim suffered head trauma and was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital, where she is in serious ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/parks-dept-truck-seriously-injures-wheelchair-user-in-8th-ave-bike-lane/ Loads of good stuff today on the Streetsblog Network. Portland Transport has a post on the connection between cul-de-sac development and safety for all street users, as discussed at the Congress for the New Urbanism Transportation Summit in Portland. ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/the-perils-of-cul-de-sac-development/ The Senate environment committee approved its climate change bill today on a 10-1 vote, shrugging off a boycott by all of the panel's Republicans but missing out on the chance to consider amendments to the lengthy legislation. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) (Photo: AP) ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/boxer-okays-senate-climate-bill-without-amendments-or-gop/ NYCT Prez Howard Roberts Forced to Step Down in MTA Shakeup (NYT, News) Meet His Replacement: Former NYC Subway Chief Tom Prendergast (News) How Will Bloomberg Pay for His Transit Promises? (2nd Ave Sagas) ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/05/todays-headlines-768/ Photo: US Department of AgricultureThe $8,000 tax credit for new home buyers -- which was wracked by fraudulent claims after its creation as part of the nation's economic recovery effort -- is on the verge of a significant expansion by Congress. ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/04/congress-set-to-double-the-size-of-sprawl-centric-home-buyer%e2%80%99s-tax-credit/ After two incidents in two months of off-duty NYPD officers running down and killing pedestrians, then refusing to submit to Breathalyzer tests, police Commissioner Ray Kelly this week convened a panel aimed at expediting the collection of blood evidence from motorists arrested on suspicion of driving drunk. ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/04/even-when-the-killer-driver-is-drunk-obstacles-to-justice-abound/ For the next four years, Mike Bloomberg will be joined in citywide office by Democrats Bill de Blasio and John Liu.Mike Bloomberg defeated Bill Thompson yesterday to claim a third term as New York City mayor, but no one except the mayor's own staff is calling ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/04/the-third-term/ Today on the Streetsblog Network, Bike Portland looks at a new review of the scientific literature on the relation between bicycle infrastructure and injuries to cyclists, conducted by researchers at the University of British Columbia. While the study points to the need for more data, it finds that dedicated bicycle ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/04/there%e2%80%99s-safety-in-bike-specific-infrastructure/ Bloomberg Ekes Out Mayoral Election After Vastly Outspending Thompson (NYT, News, Post, NY1) Vann, Reyna Retain Council Seats; GOP Candidates Take Districts Vacated By Liu, Avella (NY1) Does Gas-Tax Foe and NJ Gov-Elect Chris Christie Even Have ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/04/todays-headlines-767/ Who will rule NYC streets come 2010? Photo: City RoomConventional wisdom has it that the races for New Jersey governor and Congressional rep in New York's 23rd District are the hottest (or, in the case of the latter, most bizarre) Election Day 2009 tickets. Though Daily ... http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/11/03/election-day-open-thread-2-returns-and-ruminations/