Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
Citi Bike Kiosks Running in Previews for Brooklyn Navy Yard Workers
| | 10 Comments
An anonymous source informs us that, starting today, tenants and employees of the Brooklyn Navy Yard will be able to try out Citi Bike, which will help with “operational training” for the bike-share system. The Navy Yard covers an area of about 300 acres, and according to our tipster, Citi Bike stations have been placed all […]
Buta Lawsuit: No Charges or Summonses for Manhattan Hit-and-Run Death
| | 4 Comments
A Department of Transportation truck driver who killed 21-year-old Manhattan pedestrian Roxana Sorina Buta was not issued a summons or charged for leaving the scene, and could be behind the wheel today, according to a lawsuit filed by the Buta family. Cristina Oprea, Buta’s mother, claims that Buta’s death resulted from negligence on the part of […]
Three Killed in Traffic in Three Days as City Council Dithers
| | 3 Comments
Three pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes on consecutive days in Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan this weekend. At approximately 1:15 this morning, Andrew Schoonover, a 31-year-old from Florida, was struck by the driver of a city sanitation truck at the corner of Second Avenue and East 84th Street. NYPD told the Daily News and the […]
Ray Kelly Ignores Council Member Inquiry Into Death of Rubin Baum
| | 3 Comments
NYPD is being characteristically closed-mouthed concerning the crash that killed Upper East Side pedestrian Rubin Baum, as Commissioner Ray Kelly has ignored a request from a City Council member to be apprised of the department’s investigation. Baum and his wife Denise were struck at Park Avenue and E. 59th Street on Saturday, September 22, as the couple […]
For Bloomberg, No Lessons Learned From Yankee Parking Subsidies
| | 9 Comments
If Mayor Bloomberg regrets his administration’s involvement in the Yankee Stadium parking disaster, he’s not letting on. The Bronx Parking Development Company has finally defaulted on $237 million in triple-tax exempt bonds used to finance parking garages for the new stadium, and bondholders are looking for a way to recoup their losses. “There just wasn’t […]
Eyes on the Street: Scenes From Flatbush Avenue
| | 10 Comments
Thanks to Ian Dutton for these great shots from Flatbush Avenue, where pedestrians are being allotted more space on five side streets from Prospect Park to Atlantic Avenue. The materials are designed to be temporary, but it’s remarkable what a little paint and plastic can accomplish. According to Ian, crossing distances at Prospect Place and […]
DOT Makes Room for Pedestrians on Flatbush Avenue
| | 1 Comment
Ahead of a 2014 capital project that will shorten crossing distances for pedestrians on the stretch of Flatbush Avenue between Grand Army Plaza and Atlantic Avenue, DOT this week is installing temporary sidewalk extensions on side streets at five intersections. Crews will be painting extensions on Bergen Street, St. Marks Avenue, Prospect Place, Sterling Place and […]
A Major Expansion for Charlotte Light Rail
| | No Comments
Encouraging news today from North Carolina. Mary Newsom at Network blog Naked City reports that local, state and federal officials signed an agreement yesterday for a 9.3-mile extension of Charlotte’s Lynx light rail system. When completed in 2017, the Blue Line will connect the far-flung campus of UNC Charlotte, with its 30,000 people, and a […]
Stat Check: Manhattan Vehicular Killings Outpacing Gun Deaths in 2012
| | 19 Comments
Last week, Mayor Bloomberg, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly and Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance announced the indictments of 16 defendants allegedly involved in illegal gun trafficking. Said Vance, in a written statement: There have been 127 shooting incidents this year in Manhattan, with 152 victims. Nineteen of those victims were shot to death. Fortunately, shootings […]
Queens Pedestrian Maleka Begum, 54, Killed by Bus Driver Making a Turn
| | 6 Comments
A 54-year-old woman was killed by a bus driver in Jamaica Saturday night. Maleka Begum was crossing the street at Hillside Avenue and Merrick Boulevard at around 8 p.m. when she was struck by the driver of a Nassau Inter-County Express bus, according to the Daily News. “She was crossing with my sister and the bus […]
DA: Cop Who Killed Bronx Pedestrian Had History of Drinking and Driving
| | 11 Comments
The Riverdale Press revealed last week what should have been a bombshell allegation of the sort that is splashed on front pages across the city. But it wasn’t picked up by other media outlets, nor was it the focus of the Riverdale Press story. Former NYPD detective Kevin Spellman is on trial for vehicular homicide for […]
Peter Vallone Jr. and Michael DenDekker to City: Gimme Gimme Gimme
| | 30 Comments
It’s hard to say what’s most off-putting about the campaign by Peter Vallone Jr. and Michael DenDekker to grant free parking to motorcyclists — including themselves — in New York City. There is of course the brazen and unapologetic conflict of interest in introducing legislation for one’s personal benefit. Then there’s the fact that no […]