Transforming the streets of New York City to be truly livable for all residents. Get our newsletter: openplans.org/connect
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New Yorkers, rejoice! @GovKathyHochul has signed the Complete Streets Funding bill.
Municipalities across the state will now have access to funding for streets that prioritize people & welcome all users. Life-saving, life-enriching.
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DSNY is proposing a rule requiring restaurants to put curbside trash in containers rather than bags.
We love containers! But they should be in the curb lane. Containers on the sidewalk are still intrusive to pedestrians. Use our toolkit, testify tomorrow: docs.google.com/document/d/1…
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The shocking & sudden decline of outdoor dining, captured by @Streetfilms.
The seasonal program has flung NYC five years into the past & reversed all the fun, business-friendly benefits of curbside dining. We traded this historic vibrancy, energy & potential for parked cars.
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The list of other problems that EVs still cause goes on and on. Reducing car dependency is the real solution.
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No one in a car has ever achieved this level of chill. Made possible by people-centered streets in @FlatironNY!
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Did you know that daylighting is mandated by NY State law, but NYC opts out? Tell your elected official you want safe streets and universal daylighting. 📢 📨action.openplans.org/support…
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Today @BobHoldenNYC intro'd a bill to suspend bus lane enforcement on holidays. We urge the CM to withdraw this bill. Millions of NYers use the bus, including on holidays to visit friends & family or because *many* people still work on holidays. They deserve rapid bus service
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Mad that @GovKathyHochul has done a 180 on congestion pricing, wasting over a decade of progress & sticking NYers with delays, chaos & pollution?
Call your reps! ☎️ Info & script to make it quick & easy: docs.google.com/document/d/1…
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In a recent pilot, carshare spaces served an average of 17 NYers a month. Meanwhile, personal cars sit unused 95% of the time.
Carshare is a much more efficient use of our curb & allows some NYers to ditch burdensome car ownership. More curbspace for those who do need it!
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NYers support congestion pricing & taking advantage of the potential for better buses, bike lanes & pedestrian space when there are fewer cars in the zone!
@saraklind talks to @fox5ny about creative ways to show how congestion pricing will make NYC life better ⤵️
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Vehicle storage is also private use of public property, benefits a tiny fraction of the people that outdoor dining does, generates no money for businesses & adds nothing to the culture of the city.
These curbside restaurant booths became popular during the pandemic. But do they still make sense? Private use of public property n’ all (traffic issues and and loss of parking spaces).
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It might be tempting to sacrifice the lifting of parking mandates in order to get City of Yes passed.
But it doesn’t work like that. Parking is not adjacent to producing more housing; lifting mandates is the lever by which CoY proposals work as intended. nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/10/…
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It’s morning rush hour & there are 100,000 extra cars in Manhattan below 60th Street because @govkathyhocul thoughtlessly paused congestion pricing, after years planning and prep. NYers deserve better.
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95% of NYC's street parking is free. We must rectify this public space giveaway & implement demand-responsive/dynamic parking.
Hourly rates would rise or fall depending on the vacancy of each block. More open spots = cheaper rates. NYC stands to raise more than $1 BILLION.
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We love outdoor dining, but it can't be a giveaway to private businesses. And the rest of the curb shouldn't be a giveaway to private car storage either.
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It's official -- NYC has a permanent Open Restaurants bill!
We are relieved & pleased that our city is moving on to the next phase of this beloved, business-saving program that has become a fixture of life in New York City.
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Check out this map showing the dominance of the #carfreemajority in New York City. It’s time to reclaim our public space for all of us, not just the few who drive and park cars
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This is a step in the wrong direction. A half-year program is overly complicated and makes it nearly impossible for many small businesses to participate at all. Where should they store tables & chairs in the winter? Why should curb access be seasonal?
nyc.streetsblog.org/2023/02/…
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"Opponents — including the NYPD and the DOT — claim such a scheme would set neighbor against neighbor" - but is that not what's already happening when drivers decide to block a sidewalk or lane without caring who is impacted or harmed?
nyc.streetsblog.org/2022/11/…
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Should the city expand the Open Streets program?
Wellington Chen of @ChinatownNYC says just go ask the business owner on Pell Street. They are begging for the same car-free space and painted street as Doyers Street has. @NYC_DOT
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The movement to daylight all of NYC is growing! Seven Community Boards, in three boroughs, representing over 1 million New Yorkers, have now passed resolutions asking DOT to daylight their district for safer, more accessible streets. #daylighting
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Once again it's important to reiterate that congestion pricing has multiple goals - one of them is funding for our public transit. Another is reducing congestion! These MTA projects are essential for the future of NYC but funding them in other ways still leaves us with gridlock.
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San Francisco switched a small portion of free parking to dynamic pricing:
traffic reduced by 8%
time spent finding a parking space reduced by 43%
the city made $1.9M in revenue
Reforming the curb pays off (literally).
gothamgazette.com/130-opinio…
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We need our trash off the sidewalks & into bins. And that's just where those bins should go - OFF the sidewalk & into the curb lane. DSNY is holding a hearing Thurs 8/8 @ 9:30AM. Testify or comment to urge we use the curb!
Info & talking points: bit.ly/3YDvPnr
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Playing politics to stall a long overdue, much-needed policy could not be more wrongheaded. We must address our chaotic, car-clogged streets & climate crisis. Gov. Hochul, stick to your guns & follow through on a congestion pricing policy that we know will be effective.
NEW: @GovKathyHochul is considering delaying the implementation of congestion pricing, as concerns mount that the controversial policy could hurt Dems in tight races this year. W/ @JCColtin & @NickReisman:
politico.com/news/2024/06/04…
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Another day without congestion pricing, another 100,000 cars in Manhattan below 60th. The congestion pricing equipment has already been installed and now it's sitting there useless. Flip the switch @govkathyhochul!
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Every NYC school is eligible for a car-free street - but only about 40 schools in the entire city have successfully applied for one.
We're changing that. Our new School Streets Toolkit with @TransAlt gives schools the guidance & tools they need ➡️ bit.ly/3WxUBAJ
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West 72nd Street allocates 88% of space to cars. But 75% of people using the street are walking, biking, or taking the bus.
A great quick @Streetfilms peek at the @StreetopiaUWS plan to rebalance 72nd & connect Central & Riverside Parks > piped.video/watch?v=PUnRr69G…
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.@Vanessalgibson notes that many officers drive to work and there's nowhere to park, which is why they park illegally. She asks for alternative parking arrangements. We have a better idea: give @NYPDnews officers metrocards and have them ride the subway like the rest of us!
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“Our parking occupancy is significantly lower than our apartment occupancy...That tells you you just have too many parking spaces.”
Required parking lots sit empty while NYers struggle to find a place to live. We must lift these mandates & start building what NYC needs: HOUSING.
Parking has emerged as a central focus of negotiations on Mayor Eric Adams’ sweeping package of proposed development reforms ahead of a crucial City Council committee vote Thursday.
thecity.nyc/2024/11/19/parki…
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What makes someone a real NYer? We bet “owning a car” did not cross your mind! You have 2 days to send a letter to City Council supporting CoY and lifting parking mandates for a more livable, walkable, dense & diverse city.
bit.ly/3wRxg5V
#cityofyes
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Upset that City Council plans to take away your option to dine outside half the year?
Contact officials today to let them know you want a year-round Open Restaurants program. The same one that's saving businesses, boosting equity & reclaiming curb space.
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If NYC allows outdoor dining only in the warm months, we're forcing small businesses into a never-ending cycle of install-uninstall-storage for their curbside dining setups. It's too much, and the program will break under the burden.
bit.ly/3n4aXF9
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Day 2 w/out congestion pricing & the MTA has now lost out on $5.478M. Funds for better bus service & accessible stations - the things NYers need in order to rely on our public transit system to get us where we're going. No compromises, no dilution. Congestion pricing now.
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If you're a driver sitting in traffic, congestion pricing helps you. If you're a bus rider late to work, congestion pricing helps you. If you're a cyclist, congestion pricing helps you. If you're a NEW YORKER, congestion pricing helps you.
@CrainsNewYork crainsnewyork.com/op-ed/ny-s…
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All these options abandon the reason - given right in the name! - for congestion pricing. NYC absolutely must reduce the number of cars going into Manhattan below 60th.
How to plug the MTA’s congestion pricing budget hole? Few options, fewer answers
buff.ly/3z4hSEl
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Today should be the first day of the rest of our lives – day 1 of congestion pricing. Instead, millions of NYers will sit in maddening traffic, weave their way through dangerous car-clogged intersections & contend with transit delays. We’re looking at you, @govkathyhochul.
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Big thanks to @EmilyAssembly for her unwavering, day-one support of congestion pricing. A true role model to her colleagues in government and a loyal ally for New Yorkers. Thank you for working hard to get this done!
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NOW: rally for people, not parking! We're calling on @NYCPlanning to lift parking mandates citywide - to catalyze affordable housing, promote livable neighborhoods, and protect our climate.
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NYC is on track to have the second-deadliest year for bike riders in *recorded history*. Enough is enough.
We'll be at this ride & rally on October 11 to demand ACTION from Mayor Adams and our city's leaders to protect bike riders. We must act now. RSVP⤵️ bit.ly/3Q488jp
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New polling out from Slingshot confirms that most NYers agree with lifting parking mandates! 🙌
NYC is ready. This is common sense. Let's stop requiring new parking in new developments -- citywide.
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Today @JustinBrannan introduced a bill that would require DOT to issue a determination within 60 days of a request for a traffic control device by a CM or CB. We support this bill - when a community asks for life-saving safety enhancements, @NYC_DOT should respond expeditiously.
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It was 80° on Saturday. Climate anxiety aside, that's prime outdoor weather & we know there will be many temperate days in the coming months. Yet next year at this time, our outdoor dining option will be ending until APRIL. It doesn't make sense - restore our year-round option!
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Since @GovKathyHochul announced a sudden halt to congestion pricing, she has failed to:
- tax NYC paychecks
- pilfer the general fund for an initial $1B
The calls & rallies are working. THANK YOU to all the electeds & leaders standing by NYers, holding the line on our future!
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So many more people are walking here than in vehicles, but the city only clears snow off the vehicle travel lanes and leaves pedestrians to fend for themselves. The city needs to put people over cars.
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"New York City is choking in car exhaust. Pedestrians and bicyclists are put in danger every day while the city does next to nothing. Buses get hopelessly stuck in this congestion and everybody loses. The status quo is not working." #congestionpricing @AirlineFlyer
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☎️ Gillibrand: (212) 688-6262
Kirsten Gillibrand is on @BrianLehrer pitching alternatives to congestion pricing's clean-air benefits, suggests 20 years to build "hubs" outside the city where people could park their cars & take the train, a concept more popularly known as "parking lots at train stations"
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Outdated and onerous parking mandates from the Robert Moses era are trapping NYC in the past. It’s time to catch up with other cities that have already gotten rid of parking minimums.
We can be a city for people but only if we stop planning for cars.
OPINION | Most New Yorkers don't own cars. There's no reason the city should be designed for vehicles, write @saraklind of @OpenPlans and @loganphares of @OpenNYForAll
trib.al/Pfqcgtf
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Replacement funding will not fix the congestion part of congestion pricing. NYers need relief from runaway congestion that endangers & delays all of us. Keep calling the decision makers who can help right this wrong & get congestion pricing started ASAP.
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This moment of loading-zone zen is brought to you by curb reform.
Swap a few parking spots for a designated loading zone = big rewards. Easier on deliverers. No double parking. No blocking car, bus & bike traffic.
Thanks to our intrepid friend @Streetfilms for catching this 📹
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NYC's "roadway dining structures...occupy parking spaces or other parts of the street." Does outdoor dining occupy "parking spaces"? Or does free curbside parking actually occupy public space, homogenizing & clogging a useful & potentially versatile piece of our streets?
This summer is the end of outdoor dining in NYC as we know it
buff.ly/3WY0drF
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More daylighting! Last night @CB7Manhattan was NYC's TENTH community board to pass a daylighting resolution. The word is out - every neighborhood can have intersections that are pleasant, calm & safe for everyone.
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A new bill sponsored by @Bobby4Brooklyn @SalazarSenate would give NYers 50% back (up to $1,100) on their e-bike & e-scooters, making them much more accessible to riders of all kinds.
Ditching the car for a cargo bike can change lives, just watch the @Streetfilms clip below!
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Why should bike lanes take longer to complete than any other street project? Now, they don't - thanks to the passage of @lincolnrestler's Int. 417. At long last, bike lanes - which make streets safer - will be treated like any other street change. An important win for NYers.
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#congestionpricing will
- improve air quality in the region
- reduce the economy-stifling traffic congestion in Manhattan’s central business district
- generate $15B(!) in revenue for MTA accessibility & service. shorturl.at/hijqF
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A better future is possible if we allocate the resources and political will to designing and managing public space.
This is evidence that it can happen quickly too, let's try things out and then build them!
"We can't change our city. We are not Amsterdam!"
#Vienna: 'hold my #Weisswein🥂*'
- Königsegggasse
(*or 16er-Blech🥫 if you prefer)
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We're at City Hall to support the passage of a bill to cut red tape & expand our bike lanes. Micromobility is our future! NYC must be able to quickly & efficiently respond to growing demand. To save lives, expand mobility justice & mitigate climate harm done by car reliance.
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Tonight, we gathered with @TransAlt and @NYC_SafeStreets to rally for safer streets. @NYCMayor, we demand them, NOW. Keep us safe.
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We're rallying to tell @NYCPlanning that parking mandates make our housing more expensive, our streets less safe & our climate more endangered. Lift them citywide and plan for people, not parking!
Come out and join us:
🗓️ Thursday, 3/23
⌚ 11AM
📍 City Hall Park
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"I live in the Bronx and almost 90% of residents in my neighborhood in the Bronx do NOT drive to work. Saying that this will unfairly impact poor people is completely disingenuous. It’s about time that drivers pay their fair share.” Lucia Deng
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What is lost by not starting congestion pricing today?
- Space to safely walk, bike, talk with neighbors
- Buses we can rely on
- Time for older & younger NYers to cross the street safely
- Cleaner air & healthier climate
- Shorter travel for everyone, incl. emergency vehicles
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When we expect extra congestion, we encourage NYers not to drive. Why aren’t we doing the same when we’re facing record poor air quality? These events will begin to happen more frequently - NYC needs short & longterm plans to prepare & reduce driving.
nyc.streetsblog.org/2023/06/…
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NYC needs relief from gridlock, less pollution AND funding for the MTA. Congestion pricing is the only option that delivers all three. It must begin June 30 as planned. KEEP CALLING! Tell them pulling the plug at the 11th hour cannot stand. Your script: docs.google.com/document/u/0…
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Streets near schools are more dangerous than the city average. Every time a NYC student travels to school, they're traveling on uniquely threatening streets. That's an immense physical & mental burden. We need congestion pricing NOW for our young NYers' health & wellness.
Today, our union, along with teachers who work at schools in Manhattan and the Bronx as well as Staten Island Borough President @SIBPVito, filed a federal lawsuit asking the court to halt the implementation of congestion pricing in Manhattan.
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Today we stood with a large, diverse coalition of activists and orgs to demand #congestionpricing now.
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Friendly reminder that red light and speed cameras are proven to make our streets safer but some politicians want to get rid of them and that’s a very bad idea.
I've just been informed that Mr. Sliwa was struck by a yellow cab while out campaigning today, and is being treated at Lenox Hill hospital. I'd like to wish him a speedy recovery, and I hope to see him back out on the trail this weekend.
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"We need a future, a city, built not around cars" @ShawnGarcia_NYC 🔥🔥🔥 #FixtheMTA #CongestionPricingNow
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Our outdated zoning requiring parking minimums “contributes to congestion, pollution, and higher housing and construction costs that are passed along to tenants.”
Parking minimums incentivize people to own and drive cars. It’s time to get rid of them.
nyc.streetsblog.org/2022/01/…
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Speaking of our decision makers hearing from NYers right now, THANK YOU to everyone who has stood with us & held strong in their support for less congestion, better transit, and a healthier climate. @jessicaramosqns @JuliaCarmel__ @Sen_Gounardes @SenatorMyrie @JabariBrisport
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NYers love it, businesses love it. It helps achieve all the City's goals in public space, safety & economic recovery. But the seasonal aspect is already causing problems. @NYCCouncil needs to adjust to this feedback & make curbside dining year round so it can thrive.
With less than a week to go before applications close, only roughly 1,300 restaurants have applied to set up outdoor dining areas in the road or on the sidewalk — 90 percent fewer than the 12,500 that participated during the program's pandemic heyday. nyc.streetsblog.org/2024/07/…
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Rain or shine, NYers love what Open Streets have done for our city. But this new piece of our culture is struggling to thrive w/ limited funding.
Right now, @NYCCouncil is deciding what goes in NYC's budget. We've sent a letter w/ @transalt urging full funding for Open Streets.
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Most pollution comes from transportation. And while private jets & ocean liners are highly visible culprits, it's actually everyday, routine driving that does the most damage. 80% of the damage, in fact. Reducing driving will reduce emissions. Via @StreetsblogUSA
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NYC needs congestion pricing. We need the relief from gridlock, the reduced pollution, and the funding for essential public transit. There's no substitute - let them know you won't forget ⤵️ action.openplans.org/emergen…
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We love to hear @NYCMayor commit to make New York a City of YES. Yes we can put people over parking.
Read how we can transform the city by eliminating outdated parking mandates here: nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-o…
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Many NYers will travel into Manhattan this morning on buses that are very late & molasses slow, thanks to @govkathyhochul & NYC’s unchecked congestion. 40,000 hours of our time lost to traffic delays today alone & every day until congestion pricing starts, as legally required.
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In Albany advocating for the Crash Victim Rights & Safety Act to:
✅ Help municipalities redesign streets to protect all users
✅ Address rampant speeding
✅ Educate drivers on bike & pedestrian safety
✅ Provide support & legal rights to those personally impacted by crashes
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Drivers so often use bike & bus lanes as standing zones because they almost never get penalized for doing it. NYC is just too big for agents to ever consistently enforce that behavior. But cameras? Cameras can do it automatically, reliably & unbiased.
nynmedia.com/opinion/2023/07…
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Illegal parking lot ➡️ Public space for all. This year's Park Slope Play Street makeover is what #transformationtuesday dreams are made of.
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A good roundup of seven new public space projects set to transform the city with @yating_liu's leadership!
Including Willis Ave in the Bronx, which @chabot_jackson notes will bring much-needed public space & mobility options to an underserved neighborhood
bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
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Who is ready for less traffic congestion, cleaner air, and improved public transit for the millions of NYers who rely on it everyday!
We're celebrating another major milestone for congestion pricing in NYC.
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"We can't continue to make changes in a slow, piecemeal way and defer to the interests of the minority of New Yorkers who drive private vehicles over those who walk, cycle, and ride public transportation." @ydanis
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Wider bike lanes are the future! They ease friction btwn traditional & electric devices, giving everyone more space to feel safe & comfortable. Let's get them all over NYC! Love to see DOT getting proactive about new mobility norms. As our needs change, our streets should too.
We're reimagining #NYCStreets! Today we announced construction will start this week on the first phase to redesign Manhattan's 10th Ave, which will bring wider parking-protected #BikeNYC lanes and a host of safety improvements between 38th St and 52nd St.
ALT An existing photo shows a cyclist riding on a road with no bike lane next to multiple rows of cars. A proposed photo shows two cyclists riding side by side on a double wide protected bike lane. Text reads: 10 Avenue, W. 38 Street to W. 52 Street, Safety Improvements. Implementation begins August 2023. Add curbside protected bike lane. Add concrete islands at 40 Street, 41 Street, 42 Street, 44 Street, 45 Street, 48 Street, 50 Street, and 51 Street. Add offset crossings with bicycle corrals at 39 Street, 43 Street, 45 Street, 47 Street and 49 Street. Add left-turn lanes with dedicated signal timing at 41 Street and 42 Street.
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NYS -- stop making families relive the pain of losing their loved ones to traffic violence. We know our streets are dangerous, & we know lower speeds will make them safer. Pass Sammy's Law in the final budget & get this done once & for all. @NYC_SafeStreets @transalt @saraklind
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Utrecht created 12,500 bike parking spaces at the main train station. Instead we get 6 spaces & are supposed to celebrate. Current @MTA capital program allocates at least $160M for car parking at transit stations but most New Yorkers don't drive. We need the #MTABikeAccessBill
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In 1961, NY's zoning code reflected the values of that time: redlining, segregation, suburbanization - cars cars cars. We’ve been planning & building our city under those archaic mandates ever since.
Our values have changed but our zoning has not. It’s time. #LiftParkingMandates
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NYC is unprepared for a micromobility boom. But what can actually help? Not license plates. Most bikes lanes ARE too narrow for fast riders. Some retailers ARE selling unsafe mopeds. But this bill doesn't fix those things; it will only sabotage mode shift. bit.ly/3r2edmP
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CoY would encourage 3-5 story bldgs above retail - iconic to NYC but actually banned now in many 'hoods.
But with mandates those new units would trigger parking spots that could only go at ground level. We'd have to choose btwn business & housing.
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This is no fringe issue. A majority of NYers want to make our streets safer, especially for kids traveling to and from school -- even if it means deprioritizing driving & parking.
nyc.streetsblog.org/2023/04/…
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Call @SenGianaris today! He needs to hear from NYers who demand his support for congestion pricing! Don't bail out a reckless plan that leaves pedestrians and transit riders in the lurch. We need congestion pricing now.
☎️☎️☎️ Gianaris office: (518) 455-3486
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Thank you @ebottcher for your call to redesign 10th and 11th Aves. As they are now, they’re basically highways running through residential neighborhoods. With vision and action we can make them safe, clean and livable streets that all New Yorkers can enjoy!
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The Adams administration has the chance to go big on parking mandates this fall, and fully lift these zoning rules that haven't been changed since the car-obsessed Moses era. Let's do it, NYC.
patch.com/new-york/new-york-…
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Electric vehicles are often touted as the cure to our problematic gas-guzzling, air-polluting car culture.
But in the end - they’re still cars. And we firmly believe cars are not the answer. EVs don’t move us closer to a livable city! Because they don’t solve issues like:
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We’re hearing Sammy’s Law is now in jeopardy because the State Assembly won’t bring it to a vote. @NYCMayor wants this, @NYCCouncil wants this. Why are NYS lawmakers refusing to act when we *know* this will result in less traffic deaths? We need control of our own speed limits.
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A people-centered moment of zen, captured by @Streetfilms in the Flatiron NoMad district ✨
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