Introducing Streetsblog Contributor John Kaehny

jk.jpgIf you noticed an increase in the quality, depth and number of my Streetsblog posts in recent weeks, it’s not because I suddenly got smarter or started working harder. Some of the savviest and most interesting items that we have published in recent days had my byline on them but were, in fact, ghost-written by John Kaehny, the former executive director of Transportation Alternatives.

Kaehny has worked on transportation and livable streets
policy for two decades, laying the groundwork for many of the policy changes currently underway in New York City. He is a great source of knowledge and
historical perspective on the issues we cover here. While I’m sad that I will no longer be slapping my name on his stories and looking like a genius because of it, the Streetsblog team is honored that John will now be listed as an official contributor.

Here are all of John Kaehny’s Streetsblog contributions to date:

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

First Impressions of Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Testimony…

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Did you watch Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing testimony before the New York State legislature? If so, what did you think? Here is the initial impression of John Kaehny, former executive director of Transportation Alternatives:  Mayor Bloomberg’s advocacy for congestion pricing and public transit to a State assembly panel was the most amazing thing I have […]

Nobelist Krugman Joins Call for Federal Transportation Spending

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For decades, groups like Build for America have made a strong case that transportation spending has to increase. They have rightly warned that the U.S. transportation network is falling apart, with bridges failing and transit systems lagging behind international competitors. But wars, tax cuts and social priorities have stymied increased investment. Now, as the country […]

City and State Pedestrian Safety Numbers Don’t Add Up

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New York City Pedestrian Injuries, 2000 – 2005  When Streetsblog set-out to compare pedestrian safety in New York City and London we had an easy time finding detailed statistics from London’s transportation agency. Back home was a bit more challenging. For some reason the number of pedestrian crashes reported by the State Department of Motor […]

Citywide Ferry Service Could Cost $100M Annually

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City Council Speaker Christine Quinn called for the introduction of comprehensive, citywide ferry service at her State of the City Address a couple of weeks ago. That made John Kaehny wonder how the ferries would be paid for and how much they’d cost. This week’s Queens Chronicle seems to have part of the answer: “(This) […]

Paterson’s MTA Rescue Bill Now Online

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Included on the State Senate’s "MTA Ideas" web site is a PDF of the governor’s proposed MTA bailout plan. It is a huge bill which generally seems to echo the proposals made by the Ravitch Commission. Streetsblog will summarize the proposal as soon as we can digest its 78 pages. In the meantime, please share […]

Meet Cuomo’s Point Man on the MTA: Jim Malatras

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The Cuomo Administration’s transportation policy is still taking shape, but here’s a name to watch: Jim Malatras. As Cuomo’s new deputy secretary for policy management, Malatras will be a top advisor on all major transportation decisions, including how transit riders fare in the upcoming budget. “The Cuomo administration’s point man on MTA policy issues is […]