Aaron Donovan
Before he began blogging about land use and transportation, Aaron Donovan wrote The New York Times Neediest Cases Fund's annual fundraising appeal for three years and earned a master's degree in urban planning from Columbia. Since then, he has worked for nonprofit organizations devoted to New York City economic development. He lives and works in the Financial District, and sees New York's pre-automobile built form as an asset that makes New York unique in the United States, and as a strategic advantage that should be capitalized upon.
Recent Posts
Exploring Price Signals and Market Mechanisms for Reducing Gridlock in NYC
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Traffic congestion is a defining characteristic of NYC living — but that doesn’t mean we have to accept it. Human health, community livability and economic activity are all compromised by the number of cars that cram onto our limited street space each day. A growing number of activists and policy makers have called for the […]
Assemble for Rights Press Conference on NYPD Proposals That Would Restrict Public Gatherings
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From the Assemble for Rights press release: NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly has again proposed undue and constitutionally questionable limits on political speech in New York City. The proposal represents a narrow retreat from a similar proposition that NYPD withdrew two months ago after vociferous opposition from members of the City Council and the public. The […]
Eyes on the Street: Occupied Territory
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Here is a vehicle up in the Bronx that is too large for its driveway. So its owner just takes the sidewalk.
Assemble for Rights NYC Rally
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The Police Department is unilaterally proposing to change the City’s parade permit rules (PDF) and under these new rules, the NYPD will have the power to stop any ten or more cyclists "proceeding together" if one of them breaks any traffic rules, law or regulation. Simply put, this means that you can be arrested for […]
NYPD Public Hearing on Parade Permit Rules Changes
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The Police Department is unilaterally proposing to change the City’s parade permit rules (PDF) and under these new rules, the NYPD will have the power to stop any ten or more cyclists "proceeding together" if one of them breaks any traffic rules, law or regulation. Simply put, this means that you can be arrested for […]
Electrification of the Region’s Rail
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One of those subtle aspects of life that serves to normalize auto transport as the only thing going is the way most maps are designed to barely include railroad tracks and stations, presumably so as to avoid interfering with roads and Interstates and their giant identification shields. But when we plug some fun data into Google mashup mapping, it is clear that […]
DOT Public Forum on Willoughby Street Pedestrian-Only Plaza
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In April 2006, the Department of Transportation created a new pedestrian plaza by restricting vehicular access to Willoughby Street between Adams and Pearl Streets and the Adams Street Service Road at Willoughby Street. By law, all street closures lasting longer than 180 days are subject to a Community Reassessment, Impact, and Amelioration (CRIA) Statement or […]
Manhattan Institute Panel: Road Pricing Worked in London. Can It Work in New York?
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The Center for Rethinking Development at the Manhattan Institute presents . . . A Panel Discussion and Breakfast:Road Pricing Worked in London. Can It Work in New York?What New Yorkers Think Is New York City choking on its own traffic? Gridlock, pollution, and noise lead many New Yorkers to think so. But every traffic-easing solution […]
Transit-Oriented Development in Jersey City
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Last week Alec posted a vision for transit-oriented development that was met by the Streetsblog commenters with less than universal enthusiasm. While we are on the subject, I submit a vision being acted upon that I find close to ideal. Here we see Jersey City, specifically the two blocks of Newark Avenue between Erie Street and Christopher Columbus […]
The Weekly Carnage
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Manhattan: SUV Loses Control and Rams Three at Herald Square (Daily News) Related: Teary SUV Driver Doesn’t Remember Crash (NY Post) Related: The Cost of Doing Business in Midtown (Streetsblog) Manhattan: Out-of-Control Car Hits 4 in Village (Gothamist) Related: No Charges for Driver Who Hit 4 Pedestrians (WCBS-TV) Brooklyn: SUV Driver Pins Cop Against Parked Car, Gets […]
Upper Green Side Lecture: Ben Jervey
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Upper Green Side takes stock of its accomplishments for the month and plans ahead for the next month at its regular monthly meeting. Also, this month a special guest speaker: Ben Jervey, author of "The Big Green Apple" who will present ideas on how to make a difference in our lives and in our community. […]
Auto-Free New York: Strategies for Reducing Car Use in Manhattan
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A meeting of Auto-Free New York entitled "Strategies for Reducing Car Use in Manhattan" and featuring Megan Shane, Deputy Policy Director for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. Presented by the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility.