Who knew that Randy Cohen, a guy who spends most of his day analyzing right and wrong as the New York Times Magazine’s acclaimed “Ethicist,” turns out to be one of New York City’s most captivating and articulate voices for Livable Streets.

The Open Planning Project’s Executive Director Mark Gorton recently interviewed Mr. Cohen on the ethics of urban automobility. The result has been condensed here into a 9 minute talk that touches on a multitude of topics ranging from Congestion Pricing to Parking Policy.

StreetFilms hopes this inspires even more debate as we approach these issues from the angle of personal responsibility. We think you’ll enjoy this.

Van & Casey Neistat are film making brothers from NYC who specialize in short subject videos. They are also cyclists, and as such, bikes have played an integral part in three of their more famous shorts: “Yogurt vs. Gasoline“, “Holland Tunnel“ and “Bike Thief,” the last of which features the duo blatantly stealing bikes on the street with tools like a hammer and crowbar - yet passerby and police do nothing to stop them.

StreetFilms got to speak with them for a few moments at their offices about their works and views on transportation in NYC. They have made hundreds films, most are available on their site www.neistat.com

If you have a nomination for Cyclist of the Month, please nominate him, her, (or them!) by e-mailing us.

StreetFilms joined up with Transportation Alternatives’ Executive Director, Paul Steely White as he discussed congestion pricing with Express Bus commuters in Bay Ridge where riders could use a faster commute and less-crowded buses. White outlined how congestion pricing would decrease traffic in Bay Ridge and offer better transit as he listened to the commuters’ concerns.

A poll released by Quinnpiac today reports that a resounding 89 percent of respondents believed traffic congestion was a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem. However, New Yorkers are divided on how to accomplish reductions.

StreetFilms presents the full version of TOPP Executive Director Mark Gorton and neighbor Lisa Sladkus walk around the Upper West Side as they pointing out certain traffic calming features and road geometry changes that could be done to make the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

Previously we have posted very short primers here, but today we offer the full tour, complete with many diagrams and photos, which we hope will inspire denizens of Gotham and beyond to use these ideas in their neighborhoods. So go take a walk around your block and start the transformation!

Last weekend on their way to celebrate the new physically separated bike lane on 9th ave,  the Time’s Up! Bicycle Clown Brigade set out to playfully educate car drivers who were illegally parked in bike lanes. Those who refused to move out of the bike lanes, received mock tickets for violating NYC traffic rule Section 4-08(e), which explicitly prohibits stopping, standing, or parking within a bike lane, and carries a fine of up to $115.

Driving in bike lanes is actually a serious issue. Check this out.

Tuesday night it was standing room only as hundreds turned out for the NYC Streets Renaissance’s event with Jan Gehl at the Jewish Community Center on the Upper West Side.

Here we present a very brief recap featuring many voices in the community and sound bites of what some Upper West Siders would like to see happen on their streets.

Here you’ll find StreetFilms’ video manipulation of the excellent work of the NYC Streets Renaissance Creative Director, Carly Clark, who has produced photosims of a few streets on Manhattan’s Upper West Side - showing the potential for them to become more people-oriented.

Photosims are a valuable tool for empowering communities to see the potential of their neighborhoods to be more than just conduits for car traffic. The dramatic before & afters re-imagining Amsterdam as a complete street, a traffic-calmed 81st Street, and a car-free Broadway are the types of bold ideas that will be discussed at Tuesday’s November 6th event to promote safe livable streets.

Related: Public Space Transformations (2:00)

For those who live on or near Amsterdam Avenue, they know that with its designed- for-speed geometry the street feels more like a highway then a place for human beings to thrive. Here, TOPP Executive Director Mark Gorton discusses Amsterdam and the impact on residents. But hope lurks - a photo simulation near the end provides a glimpse of what a safer, complete street could look like.

Continuing our series on the Upper West Side…

In this segment, Mark Gorton and Lisa Sladkus talk about space allocation and how much of our city is dedicated to moving people in private automobiles. In addition, Mark shows how free, on-street vehicle storage is favored - even when pedestrians are crammed on to sidewalks. These are things we live with daily, things that are often invisible to our comfort, things that even if we take notice we often think cannot be changed. But we can re-design our streets to make them more people-oriented and enhance the vibrancy of our city.

Related:
Ped Density (:30)
Psychic Space (1:37)

In the first of many shorts we will present over consecutive days, The Open Planning Project’s Executive Director Mark Gorton tours the streets of the Upper West Side with neighbor Lisa Sladkus pointing out problems in advance of the important November 6th livable streets event. Today’s topic is: Double Parking.

Parking policy is one of the biggest challenges that faces New York City and the rest of the U.S. In this related StreetFilm, Donald Shoup explains how responsible pricing can solve the woes of double parking and pollution, while raising revenues that can be re-invested in communities.