Thursday’s Headlines: The OJ Simpson Trial Comes to Ridgewood Edition

Council Member Bob Holden (gesturing) joined opponents of the Fresh Pond Road bus lane at a presser on Wednesday. Photo: Dave Colon
Council Member Bob Holden (gesturing) joined opponents of the Fresh Pond Road bus lane at a presser on Wednesday. Photo: Dave Colon

Both Streetsblog and the Daily News covered the latest lawsuit against a city bus lane — this time yesterday’s hearing about Fresh Pond Road in Ridgewood — but let’s not forget the best detail in both stories: on Friday, Queens Supreme Court Justice Joseph Esposito will personally tour the roadway so he can see if the city’s dedicated bus lane is helping transit riders (yes, it is) or turning area business owners into paupers (as their lawyer Arthur Schwartz speciously claims).

It’s like a little dash of the O.J. Simpson trial coming to little old Ridgewood. But you can be sure We’ll be there to watch the car-loving Esposito — who told the News that he doesn’t go anywhere unless he can park — get his first-hand look at what bus riders go through every day.

For now, though, here’s the news from an otherwise slow day:

  • The Post got a second day story (and another!) out of Tuesday’s gum-covered sign controversy. It must be a big story — Marcia Kramer at WCBS2 asked Hizzoner about this vital public crisis at the mayor’s avail on Wednesday.
  • “I had a medical episode” is becoming the new thing car drivers say to get out of charges when they kill or maim people. (The Post)
  • Like Streetsblog, lots of outlets covered the Citi Bike expansion. (NY Post, amNY)
  • We don’t care much about the complaints of car drivers, but we did love this story in the Times about a stretch of I-90 upstate that can’t be repaired until the Seneca Nation signs off on it.
  • Gothamist offered a primer on homeless people in the subway.
  • It’s an e-bike and an e-scooter at the same time. Whatever you call it, we’re sure Mayor de Blasio won’t like it. (Fast Company)

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

MTA Plans Busway Beneath the M Train in Ridgewood

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The MTA is working on a plan for a short busway in Ridgewood that would run for six-tenths of a mile beneath the elevated M tracks, between Fresh Pond Road and Palmetto Street. While the project wouldn’t transform a car-choked traffic sewer into a pedestrian-friendly transit boulevard (the right-of-way is currently a series of weed-strewn […]