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
Numbers Tell the Tale of Ray Kelly’s Squandered Street Safety Resources
| | 9 Comments
A lot of notable statistics surfaced at Wednesday’s City Council hearing on NYPD traffic enforcement. Many of them paint a picture of a department that devotes relatively little effort to combating traffic crime, while failing to distinguish vehicles that weigh a couple-dozen pounds from those weighing several tons. Here’s a rundown: There were 39,953 city […]
NYPD’s Lax Crash Investigations May Violate State Law
| | 21 Comments
Unacceptable. Absurd. “Next to useless.” Those were just a few terms employed by City Council members today describing the NYPD approach to traffic enforcement. During a four-hour hearing, so packed with spectators and media that some were pointed to an overflow room to listen to testimony, council members grilled department brass on traffic crime prevention […]
Driver Cleared By NYPD Found Negligent in Death of Cyclist Rasha Shamoon
| | 17 Comments
A civil jury has found that a driver cleared of wrongdoing by NYPD was primarily responsible for the collision that killed a Manhattan cyclist in 2008. In the early morning hours of August 5, Rasha Shamoon was riding her bike east on Kenmare Street, en route to the Williamsburg Bridge and home to Greenpoint. At […]
Q Poll: Chris Quinn’s Parking Agenda Out of Touch With New Yorkers
| | 23 Comments
To hear Christine Quinn tell it, New Yorkers are crying out for relief from unjust parking policies. Over the last two years, it seems that when City Council members weren’t flogging legislation to add layers of bureaucracy to DOT’s street safety program, they were tripping over themselves to absolve motorists of one responsibility after another. […]
Next Week: Vallone and Vacca Lead Council Hearing on Traffic Safety
| | 1 Comment
Next Wednesday, February 15, is the date for Council Member Peter Vallone’s hearing on traffic safety. Responding to some 2,500 letters collected by Transportation Alternatives following the hit-and-run death of Brooklyn cyclist Mathieu Lefevre, Vallone announced that his public safety committee would address NYPD traffic enforcement. The hearing will be co-chaired by transportation committee chair […]
Eyes on the Street: Next-Gen No Standing Signs in Inwood
| | 6 Comments
The city recently replaced four parking spots at Park Terrace West and W. 218th Street, in Inwood, with a no standing zone. The 34th Precinct reportedly requested the change to give drivers exiting Park Terrace West, a northbound one-way street, a better view of east-west traffic on 218th. Inevitably, car owners accustomed to parking at […]
The House That EDC Built: A 9,000-Car Complex With 8,930 Empty Spaces
| | 9 Comments
In case you’re just tuning in, all that taxpayer-subsidized parking built for the new Yankee Stadium has failed beyond anyone’s wildest expectations. In today’s Daily News, Juan Gonzalez reports that Bronx Parking Development Company LLC is expected to default this year on the $200+ million in triple-tax-exempt bonds issued by the New York City Industrial […]
In Other News, Times of London Pilots Unprecedented Cyclist Safety Program
| | 3 Comments
The Times of London has launched what Dani Simons aptly calls a “nearly mind-blowing” pro-cycling campaign. Inspired by a crash that seriously injured a Times reporter, “Cities Fit for Cycling” is the kind of multifaceted public safety program that is normally the province of non-profit advocacy, right down to the eight-point manifesto that covers everything […]
Accused DWI Killer Gets Probation for Death of Six-Year-Old Zhaneya Butcher
| | 11 Comments
A killer charged with the DWI manslaughter death of a six-year-old child walked out of court Tuesday without spending a day in jail. Prosecutors say Kent Lowrie, 53, was legally drunk when he hit and killed Zhaneya Butcher last summer as the little girl ran toward an ice cream truck on 104th Avenue in Jamaica, […]
Nothing About Public Transportation in Chris Quinn’s Transportation Report
| | 11 Comments
If you’re like most New York commuters, you took a train or bus to get to work today. And like most New Yorkers, you are invisible to the City Council and speaker Christine Quinn. On Tuesday, Quinn issued a letter, co-signed by transportation committee chair James Vacca, bragging about the accomplishments of a council obsessed […]
Security Video of Fatal Hit-and-Run Doesn’t Match NYPD Descriptions
| | 15 Comments
It took a lawsuit from the family of Mathieu Lefevre to pry information from NYPD regarding the hit-and-run crash that took his life. Now they have reason to believe the police are still withholding vital evidence. Last week, Streetsblog reported that NYPD had released a detailed description of how the crash unfolded, supposedly based on […]
About Time: James Vacca Declares Traffic Safety a “Civil Rights Issue”
| | 11 Comments
Bravo, James Vacca. On Wednesday Vacca joined Council Member Gale Brewer in calling attention to the needs of blind and sight-impaired pedestrians, particularly as they apply to new pedestrian plazas. Brewer has introduced a bill requiring textured pavement around the perimeters of plazas and bike lanes, while other bills would speed up the installation of […]