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
“Bowtie of Death” Ped Safety Improvements Underway [Updated]
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Thanks to reader Liz Patek for these shots of DOT crews getting to work this morning at Broadway and Amsterdam at W. 71st Street. Dubbed the “bowtie of death” by Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, the foreboding expanse of asphalt has seen dozens of crashes over the last two years, […]
Nets Fans Get No Assist From Atlantic Yards’ Shrinking Sidewalks
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Public comments on the Ratner bollard plan will be accepted through September 22. See Veconi’s post for more info and links to numerous relevant docs.
Parks Drops Dismount Signage at Upper West Side Greenway Exit
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A reader sends along this shot from the Hudson River Greenway exit at W. 72nd Street. Cyclists are apparently no longer required to dismount on the shared path that connects the greenway and Riverside Drive, a ham-handed directive issued by the Parks Department last summer. Our tipster says the new signs have replaced dismount instructions, […]
Open Thread: How Was Your Commute?
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Despite severe weekend flooding, city transit was for the most part up and running by the morning rush. Meanwhile, cyclists are tweeting on bike route conditions. Did you make it to work today? How did you get there? We’d also like to hear commute stories from anyone who worked or volunteered during the storm. Please, […]
Wanted: Your Post-Irene Pics
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From Clarence via the Streetfilms Facebook page: HURRICANE DOCUMENTATION ALERT! With Irene closing in, keep in mind there may be interesting things like this to document in the aftermath with your cameras. Are there lots of people on bikes? Are the streets more quiet? Will your city impose HOV requirements on bridges? Will people walk […]
Questions Arise Over Placement of Chelsea Bike Lanes
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On Wednesday, DOT outlined a proposal for new Class II bike lanes in Chelsea between Eighth and Ninth Avenues and the Hudson River Greenway. While safe streets advocates welcomed the news, there is concern that their planned location, on W. 29th and W. 30th Streets, may not be ideal for unprotected lanes. According to DOT’s […]
Submit Your Park(ing) Day Application Like, Now
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A brief reminder that Park(ing) Day 2011 is coming up in a few weeks. This year’s street reclamation goodness will go down Friday, September 16. If you’d like to host a space of your own, you may want to hop to it. Applications are due today. The Park(ing) Day web site has what you need.
Trend Watch: Sandwich Board Bikes
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Last year I bought an old one-speed Rifton cargo trike, partly under the delusion that it could one day be used to showcase inventory outside the neighborhood newsstand/used book store that I dream of owning in my retirement years — assuming periodicals, books and retirement still exist (see: delusion). Clarence Eckerson sends along these shots […]
Hoboken to Approach 80 Percent Bike Network Coverage
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Adding to an impressive slate of cyclist and pedestrian improvements, Hoboken plans to stripe 10 additional miles of Class II bike lanes, toward a bike network that will cover close to 80 percent of the city’s streets. The Hoboken City Council unanimously approved the new lane miles on Wednesday night. Said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in […]
Open Thread: Hurricanes, Earthquakes, Gridlock and Other Natural Disasters
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As it turned out, Tuesday’s earthquake didn’t have much of an impact on New York commuters. Washington, DC, however, was a different story. WAMU (via Transportation Nation) reported “some of the worst traffic jams since 9/11.” Meanwhile, dcist noted a surge in bike-share use: Capital Bikeshare tweeted this morning that it recorded 5,847 rides yesterday, […]
Behind the Scenes of a Presidential Bike Ride
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This week marked the 109th anniversary of the first presidential motorcade, starring Theodore Roosevelt. If you’ve ever wondered why TR’s successors so rarely ditch their limos in favor of human-powered transport, read on. Staged photo op or no, it seems being elected president is a great way to spoil a family outing. Copy from Politico’s […]
Tonight: DOT to Unveil Plans for Bike Lanes on 29th and 30th Streets
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Cyclists looking for a safer route between protected bike lanes on Eighth and Ninth Avenues and the Hudson River Greenway could soon see a measure of relief. Tonight, DOT will meet with the transportation committee of Community Board 4 to discuss plans for dedicated lanes on 29th and 30th Streets. Currently, cyclists traveling east-west between […]