StreetFilms

Portland: Celebrating America’s Most Livable City (30 minutes)

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Last Fall, many members of the Portland Office of Transportation and city administration were gracious enough to talk with me and show off some of the amazing features that make Portland, Oregon one of America’s most livable places to reside.

You’ve previously seen bits and pieces of that trip here on StreetFilms, but we’ve never posted the entire half hour adventure which contains over 12 minutes of additional footage. And with the incredible turn in leadership in the past months and the speed at which changes are coming, it gives me hope that NYC could one day become as livable as Portland!

This is our first video posting over 15 minutes so we’ve tried to keep the file size as small as possible. Thus, the quality is a smidgen lower. Please send us feedback on how it looks and if your computer is able to play it.

Filed by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. under Portland, Ore., Transportation Policy, Pedestrian Safety, Bicycling, streetfilms

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(latest by Portland Transportation Activists/Organizers on Democracy Now! « Mikey Wally)

Paint a Parking Lot, Put Up a Paradise (2:45)

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In the Brooklyn DUMBO neighborhood the NYC Department of Transportation has launched the first of over thirty projects that will transform city streets over to public space uses.

What once was a triangle on Pearl Street for about two dozen car parking spots has become an oasis of green complete with chairs, tables, umbrellas and art. DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan called the space, “a new living room for the neighborhood.” Although the subway can be a little clanky in the shadow of the Manhattan Bridge, we think that comment couldn’t be more perfect.

The rapidity of the implementation of this project took even us by surprise, but with Mayor Bloomberg’s push to put more green and open spaces within proximity of our abodes it’s nice to see swift progress. So here are the dramatic befores, afters, and overheads that we are surely will cajole other neighborhoods to beg for living rooms in their communities. Of course, StreetFilms strongly encourages this behavior.

Filed by Nick Whitaker under Brooklyn, Janette Sadik-Khan, Urban Design, Parks, Car-free Parks/Streets, streetfilms

9 Comments
(latest by Street Films Pearl Street Triangle Video: Paint a Parking Lot, Put Up a Paradise | 2:45 minutes) | Susty, SustyEarth, SustyU, SustyShag, Susty Hack)

StreetFilms at the Guggenheim: August 18th

This Saturday, August 18th from 12 to 3 pm, Transportation Alternatives has been invited to take part in the acclaimed Shapes of Space exhibition at the Guggenheim. The exhibit explores the concept of space within art, and T.A. has assembled an interactive discussion of New York City’s public space that will include showing StreetFilms’ Intersection Repair and ten other of our shorts.

Admission is FREE to T.A. members! You can’t beat that deal. (Maybe the producers of Xanadu are reading; I’d love to see that for free too!)

Filed by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. under Streetfilms News, Manhattan, Announcements

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Life Near the QBB (3:44)

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Sarah Gallagher from the Upper Green Side introduces Streetfilms to some of the dangers of living near the Queensboro bridge. Talking to store owners, and others in the area, we learn there is another high cost of doing business in the area other than rent.

“There’s never a quiet time anymore. And there’s never a clean time anymore. And there’s never a safe time…it’s always traffic first.”

Sheldon Barr - Gallery Owner

Filed by Nick Whitaker under Manhattan, Public Health, Pedestrian Safety, streetfilms

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The Power of Making Your Own StreetFilm

People across NYC are fed up with traffic in their neighborhoods and are getting motivated to make their own StreetFilms.

Will Sweeney and Kozo Okumura from Jackson Heights did. Check out this comprehensive video they sent us showing a laundry list of neighborhood items the Queens group the Western Jackson Heights Alliance is upset about. Of course traffic and transportation are right there at the top.

Will writes:

We put together the video because we wanted to show how visceral the problem is on a daily basis. The problem of traffic congestion has so many side effects that are difficult to communicate in words or still images. Also, most residents would cite noise as the main complaint, particularly horn honking.

Honking is right. (Hint: You might want to turn down the volume towards the end!)

Will and Kozo are part of a growing group of neighborhood documentarians who are realizing video is the way to go. Just last month Doug Gordon was so fed up with cars illegally entering Prospect Park after hours he shot this great video. Ian Dutton of Community Board 2 in Manhattan has been gathering evidence like this he uses to convince his neighbors that we need more bicycling facilities.

So how about you? It doesn’t take much these days. You don’t need a great camera, just some patience and a steady hand. Check out some of our tips, then send us your StreetFilms to post!

Filed by Clarence Eckerson, Jr. under Neighborhood Video Activists, Streetfilms News, Streetfilms Editors Tips, Queens, Quality of Life

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