Transportation Alternatives reports during this year's foray into PARKing Day there were over 50 parking spaces temporarily reclaimed throughout the city, nearly doubling last year's total. We were able to visit about twenty of those.
Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn underwent a Livable Streets alchemy, being shut down from noon to 7 PM for four consecutive Saturdays to allow residents and visitors to enjoy the streets.
Leading Pedestrian Intervals (or LPIs) are a traffic signalization strategy that allows pedestrians an exclusive 3 to 5 second signal (in some cases much longer) to begin crossing the street before cars get a green light. Consequently, they are also known by their sassier nickname, Pedestrian Head Start. But in my view the best variation on what LPI stands for comes from Christine Berthet of the Hells Kitchen Neighborhood Association who proposes: "Life Preserving Interval"
Brooklyn celebrates Bastille Day by closing down the street and transforming it into a Pétanque court.
Back in 2002 there was a huge push on for a three month trial ban on cars in Prospect Park, Brooklyn (I mean really are we still fighting for this?! Come on Mayor Bloomberg it's time to do a trial!) In any event, Aaron Naparstek (with future wife Joanne) organized a fun Halloween street theater event where we all dressed up as cars and raised some eyebrows Saturday morning at the Grand Army Plaza Green Market.
As one gentleman said to me while admiring the new greenery and traffic islands in Grand Army Plaza, "Wow, sometimes government does work!" It's easy to quickly forget how things were, but we here at Streetfilms aim to not let that happen. Check out these extraordinary before/afters; especially the new separated bike lane which safely shepherds riders from Prospect Park.
Always a diverse funfest of people, the 4th Annual Tour de Brooklyn from Transportation Alternatives was no different this year with over 2,000 joining the cycling fun. This year's event was moved a week early to coincide with the anniversary of the Brooklyn Bridge's 125th birthday and launched from DUMBO. Among the highlights [...]
Every Tuesday evening after Recycle-A-Bicycle closes, Susan Lindell teaches bike mechanics 101 to women.
Sometimes double-parked cars and street regulations form their own temporary traffic calmed conditions.
It's possible to move by bike in NYC with a little moxie and help from your friends.
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