Monday’s Headlines: Pre-Election Potpourri Edition

Kim Royster
Kim Royster

New NYPD Transportation Bureau Chief Kim Royster sat for a 10-minute interview this week with 1010 WINS’s Juliet Papa, making some conciliatory noises when asked whether the NYPD should crack down on cyclists who don’t obey rules. She’s “not sure” cyclists “need a lot of restrictions,” she told Papa, emphasizing that she has been a bike rider since childhood and that her husband is also a “roadie.” 

Royster, who turned down two requests by Streetsblog for an interview, spent most of her on-air time, however, repeating pious talking points about how the NYPD is a staunch Vision Zero partner — and we know how that has turned out. She also had a law and order message, talking about cracking down on Revel who use the electric scooters to commit crimes.

In other news:

  • This time it’s for real: After pushing the date back a month, the Parks Department is moving ahead with the closure of the Cherry Walk path — the portion of the Hudson River Greenway in Riverside Park from 100th to 125th streets. Beginning today, the path will be closed in order to start a long-planned remediation of shoreline damaged by Superstorm Sandy. Streetsblog reported last month about the cracks and bumps in the path caused by old tree roots that have made it a dangerous ride for years.
  • In the latest example of a crash death leading to a minor change for pedestrians, walkers will get a three- to seven-second head start at the Bath Beach corner where a driver mowed down a 7-year-old.
  • Mayor de Blasio got reamed on Twitter for a tweet saying that “a car jumped the curb in Queens, killing a woman and child.” No, Mr. Mayor, a reckless driver jumped the curb. 

  • Halloween is so much better on an open street. (Streetfilms)
  • Vehicle violence alert: Endearing themselves to their fellow motorists, Trumpistas caused several colossal local traffic jams in an illegal show of force yesterday, shutting down the Tappan Zee and Whitestone bridges and the Garden State Parkway with their oversized vehicles. So much for “Law & Order!” The SUV slowdowns followed an incident in Texas in which Trump supporters in pickups and SUVs surrounded a Biden campaign bus on a highway near Austin, in a bid to hector it if not run it off the road. The FBI is investigating. (FoxNews, TheHill)

  • Poll workers are in for a tough Election Day commute on account of the subway’s overnight shutdown (NYDN)
  • Cops clashed with anti-Trump protesters in Manhattan, arresting at least 10. (NYPost, Gothamist, amNY)
  • Another use for a street: as an anti-Semitic and racist billboard. (NYPost) 
  • Even after offering a reward, the MTA has made no headway in nabbing the infamous subway window smashers. (NYPost)
  • Finally, the seatbelt law went into effect for taxis. (amNY) 

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