Tuesday’s Headlines: Phase 1 is Underway Edition

By Streetsblog
Jun 9, 2020

Lots of outlets covered the partial reopening of the city on Monday, but the Times was at its glorious, wordy, Timesy best. (Politico was more succinct.)

Meanwhile, Streetsblog’s team of hard-bitten reporters pounded the pedals in search of the expected carmageddon, but found only slight increases in traffic (especially on the inbound Queensboro Bridge at around 7:50 a.m., as the photo below shows).

Meanwhile, we sent our intern into the subway (what are interns for!), which he found to be a ghost town:

herald square subway — The Herald Square subway during Monday morning’s rush hour. Photo: Steven Vago

That said, DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg took a bus and a subway (and selfies) yesterday. Her boss only promised to do so at some point.

In other news:

It’s looking better and better that the state legislature will pass a police reform bill that will no longer allow disciplinary records to be sealed (NYDN) — and Gov. Cuomo says he supports the bill (NY Post). Though, given that the Police Benevolent Association once named the governor its “Man of the Year,” we’ll hold our breath.
Meanwhile, the cop who shoved a woman at the Barclays Center last month looks like he’ll be arrested today (NYDN).
The Post followed our story about the cyclist beaten by the NYPD for biking too slowly.
Gov. Cuomo rode the subway on Monday (NY Post), but he refused to say when a full, 24-7 rail system would return.(NYDN). Could it be because only 90 percent of riders are wearing masks? (NY Post)
In a related story, Mayor de Blasio beefed up bus lanes and made the 14th Street busway permanent (Streetsblog) — but, of course, the Village Sun (in a thoroughly reported story, actually) had a problem with that.
Advocates are still fuming that Big Dog Excelsior Cop Guy wants more officers in the subway. (NYDN)
In a related story, Dermot Shea has a credibility problem — as in he has none. (NY Post)
Is transit to blame? No! Can transit help us out of this crisis? Yes! So sayeth Gridlock Sam Schwartz in a Daily News op-ed.
In case you missed it, Albert Fox Cahn had a Daily News op-ed that revealed more of the NYPD’s disgusting budgetary charade.
The Post covered the mayor’s big busway expansion announcement (so did we!).
Hope you didn’t miss the solidarity bike ride last night. (Gothamist)
Finally, Friend of Streetsblog John Massengale had a great op-ed about open streets in Crain’s (but it’s behind a paywall!).