Ben Fried started as a Streetsblog reporter in 2008 and led the site as editor-in-chief from 2010 to 2018. He lives in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Ben Fried
Recent Posts
Bike-Share as a Speculative Venture
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New York, you may have heard, is about to get invaded by a swarm of bike-share companies - often described as "dockless" bike-share because they use "smart locks," not fixed stations, to secure the bicycles. But dockless systems have been operating in American cities for some time now. The real distinguishing feature of the new arrivals is that they're financed like Silicon Valley start-ups.
Another Bizarre Victim-Blaming Crash Account From NYPD
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It happened again. After a turning truck driver struck and killed cyclist Kelly Hurley on First Avenue at Ninth Street, NYPD has concluded that the victim caused her own death.
NYC Streets Maestro Ryan Russo Heading to Oakland
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NYC DOT's top planner and a key figure in the ongoing evolution of New York City streets is moving on. Deputy Commissioner for Transportation Planning and Management Ryan Russo will be heading to Oakland as the city's first-ever DOT chief.
Reckless Driver and Poor Street Design Kill Skylar Perkins, Age 1, in Queens
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The intersection where Skylar was struck has not been identified by the city as a priority under the Vision Zero initiative, but conditions there invite drivers to take turns at dangerous speeds.
DOT Has a Fix for the Crummy Bike Connection Between Lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge
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The big change in DOT's plan is a two-way section of bike lane protected by a concrete barrier on Park Row, plus a short contraflow lane on Spruce Street. It's not a lot of bike lane mileage, but it's a key link in the network that will be dramatically improved.
Your Post-Stella Thread to Report Bridge Path/Bike Lane/Sidewalk Snow
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The city isn't taking 311 complaints about sidewalk conditions, but you can vent to Streetsblog. Tell us all about your post-Stella walking and biking travails.
Postal Truck Driver Kills 83-Year-Old Man on Amsterdam and 95th
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A postal truck driver struck and killed an 83-year-old man on Amsterdam Avenue and 95th Street at around 6:00 a.m. this morning. NYPD has yet to determine who had the right-of-way. While Amsterdam Avenue has a protected bike lane at this intersection, there is no pedestrian refuge in the north crosswalk, where the victim was struck.
While MTA Waffles on Proven Solutions, New Yorkers Continue to Abandon the Bus
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MTA ridership numbers for 2016 are in, and it's clear that New Yorkers continue to abandon slow, unreliable bus service. If the MTA and NYC DOT don't act urgently to improve bus speeds and reliability, warn transit advocates, they risk "a downward spiral of increasing congestion, slower travel speeds, and a slower New York."
Cuomo Breaks Another Promise to Transit Riders
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Five years ago, Cuomo promised to allocate $320 million annually to the MTA to make up for cutting one of the agency's dedicated revenue streams. At the time, advocates warned that Cuomo wouldn't keep his promise for long. They were right: This year the governor's draft budget calls for a $65 million cut to MTA funding.
Take a Ride on New York City’s Bike Lanes — in 2002
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New York still has a lot of work to do to create an all-ages, low-street citywide bike network, but let's pause for a moment to appreciate how far the city has come.
The Scarcer the Parking, the More Room for Things That Make Cities Tick
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More housing, more jobs, safer streets, less parking. Let's keep it up.
Will NYC DOT Test Out Protected Intersections in 2017?
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One of the line items in City Hall's recent Vision Zero budget announcement devotes about $650,000 per year to "targeted safety enhancements and upgrades" in the city's bike network. We followed up with NYC DOT to get more details.