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
The Kindness of Safer Streets
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Is this really the best we can do? Dave Alden at Vibrant Bay Area writes that the above ad from Dignity Health (dignity!) depicting a driver getting out of his car to help a senior avoid being run over in a crosswalk is a pretty skewed notion of “human kindness.” [I]sn’t there something unkind about forcing the woman to […]
Did Cy Vance’s Office Investigate the Crash That Killed Mike Rogalle?
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A Manhattan prosecutor says District Attorney Cy Vance’s office has no record of any investigation into the curb-jump crash that killed pedestrian Mike Rogalle. Rogalle, who delivered packages for UPS, was working his Financial District route on the afternoon of April 17, 2012, when an SUV driver ran him over on the sidewalk outside 15 Beekman Street. Rogalle was removed […]
Milwaukee Could Pay Big Bucks for Downtown NBA Arena, and Its Parking
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Publicly-financed arenas for privately-owned sports franchises are usually a bad deal for taxpayers. And the proposal for a new Milwaukee Bucks facility looks like a humdinger. Patrick Small at Urban Milwaukee reports that city officials, including Mayor Tom Barrett, haven’t told residents exactly how much they could be on the hook for — though so far the Bucks have […]
After Fatal Crash, Rodriguez Asks DOT for W. 207th Street Safety Study
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City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez wants DOT to study safety improvements for an Inwood street where drivers killed a pedestrian and injured a second victim last night. Two drivers struck two men, ages 24 and 35, as they attempted to cross W. 207th Street near Ninth Avenue at around 10:27 p.m. The victims entered the street “outside […]
The Globalization of Suburbia
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The above photo could be a scene from Any Suburb, USA. Except … what’s the deal with the helmet-free cyclist in street clothes? “Welcome to Orange County,” writes Andrew Stokols at TheCityFix. “No, not Orange County, California. This is Orange County, Beijing.” Stokols says walled-off suburbs modeled on U.S. “gated communities” are gaining popularity among the affluent […]
NYPD: No ROW Charge for Driver Who Killed Moshe Grun in UWS Crosswalk
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Will NYPD file Right of Way Law charges against a driver who fatally struck Moshe Grun in an Upper West Side crosswalk? A sergeant from the 20th Precinct wouldn’t answer that question, denying Grun had died before deferring to an investigator who was on vacation. Grun, 59, was crossing Broadway at W. 62nd Street, in the marked crosswalk, […]
The NYC Traffic Rule That’s Completely at Odds With How People Walk
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In some cases, New York City drivers may be getting away with harming people because city traffic rules say pedestrians shouldn’t step off the curb as soon as the walk signal turns into a flashing hand. The Daily News reports that in these cases, city prosecutors say a New York City traffic statute undercuts their ability […]
Portland Officials Expected to Adopt 10-Year Vision Zero Plan
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Officials in Portland, Oregon, are expected to adopt a Vision Zero program, with the goal of preventing traffic deaths and serious injuries in the next 10 years. Jonathan Maus of Bike Portland reports: On Wednesday Portland City Council is poised to take two steps on the road toward a full embrace of Vision Zero. They’ll […]
Houstonians See Folly of Debt-Financed Sprawl, Even If Leaders Don’t
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Voters in Montgomery County, Texas, rejected a road-building bond referendum. Despite local support for transit, county leaders plan to give the referendum another try. The Houston Chronicle reports that opposition to a $350 million bond measure, all of it for road construction, was led by residents of one affluent enclave who don’t want a traffic-inducing parkway extension. But there’s […]
Unions Agree: Let Bus Drivers Kill People With the Right of Way
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Just about all of New York’s major labor unions signed a Transport Workers Union letter demanding that MTA bus drivers be allowed to legally injure and kill people who are walking or biking with the right of way. The letter, dated June 11, was sent to New York City Council members [PDF]. The unions want the council to […]
Minneapolis May Drop Parking Minimums Near Transit
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Whether you own a car or not, if you live in a city, there’s a good chance you pay for parking. Building parking spots is expensive, but most cities require developers to build a certain amount of parking per residence, driving up the cost of housing. Nick Magrino at Streets.mn reports that Minneapolis is rethinking that […]
Rory Lancman Intros Bill to Undermine NYPD Crash Investigations
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Rory Lancman introduced his bill to hinder NYPD crash investigations at a City Council meeting yesterday. Lancman’s proposed amendment to the Right of Way Law, Intro 813, would require NYPD to consider “visibility, illumination, weather conditions, roadway conditions, roadway design, [and] faulty vehicular equipment or design” when determining whether to charge motorists who injure or kill people […]