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
MTA Unveils Open Data Policy, Clearing a Path for NYC Transit Apps
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In a big turnaround, the MTA now touts third-party transit applications on its website. The MTA took an important step toward improving the rider experience today, announcing that the agency will open its route and schedule data to third party software developers. The policy change — a major turnaround — promises to take some of […]
DA Offers Plea to Road Rager Gonzalez
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The DA’s office has not contacted the witness who took this photograph of Gus Gonzalez last May. At a hearing in criminal court on Monday, Manhattan prosecutors offered a plea deal to Gus Gonzalez, the driver who assaulted cyclist Ray Bengen in the Ninth Avenue bike lane last May. Gonzalez had been charged with third […]
State Moves to Disrupt Street Grid in Atlantic Yards Footprint
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State officials announced yesterday that, starting sometime around February 1, they intend to close three blocks of the Brooklyn street grid to accommodate construction of Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards arena project. Fifth Avenue between Flatbush and Atlantic and two non-consecutive blocks of Pacific Street are slated to be condemned. An announcement circulated by Brooklyn CB […]
Tonight: Learn How to Infiltrate Your Community Board
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If you live in Manhattan and you’ve been represented by a community board that seems more concerned with parking spots than creating safe streets and great public spaces, you may want to head uptown tonight. Borough President Scott Stringer’s office is putting on an event for prospective community board members. If you decide to join, […]
Garage Managers Flout Bike Parking Law, Fool DCA Inspectors
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It’s been about two months since the Bicycle Access to Garages Law took effect, requiring parking facilities with more than 100 car parking spots to provide bike parking too. So far, it appears, a lot of those garages are violating the law and turning away potential customers who want to park their bikes. How easily […]
The Unofficial Word: Vacca to Head Transportation Committee
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Politicker’s Azi Paybarah has the scoop on which City Council members Speaker Christine Quinn will likely choose for the most high-profile committee chairmanships. The assignments have yet to be made official, but it looks like the transportation committee, as rumored, will go to Jimmy Vacca, who represents the most suburban part of the Bronx. A […]
NYPD on Fatal Delancey Street Crash: “Looks Like It Was Just an Accident”
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Photo: CS Muncy/Flickr via Gothamist. The police department confirmed this morning that no criminal charges have been filed against the bus driver who struck and killed a woman riding a bike on Delancey Street Tuesday afternoon. (The police have not released the identity of the victim, since the family hasn’t been notified yet.) "I don’t […]
Witness: Bus Driver Backed Over Cyclist in Fatal Crash
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According to an eyewitness account on NY1, the bus driver who killed a cyclist on Delancey Street yesterday afternoon was driving in reverse and did not respond to verbal warnings prior to the fatal crash: A witness says the woman was riding her bicycle on Delancey when she hit a pothole and fell behind the […]
Bus Driver Hits and Kills Cyclist on Delancey Street
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Image: ABC 7. WABC is reporting that a woman riding a bike was struck and killed by a school bus driver at the intersection of Delancey and Ludlow at around 4:00 p.m. this afternoon. Streetsblog has a request in with NYPD for more information. From ABC’s aerial picture of the crash scene, it appears as […]
Who Will Be NYC’s Next Transpo Committee Chair?
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Now that Michael Bloomberg, Bill de Blasio, John Liu, and the City Council have been sworn in, attention turns to speaker Christine Quinn’s choices to head legislative committees. For New Yorkers who care about street safety and sustainable transportation, the big question is who will run the City Council transportation committee. James Vacca, left, and […]
The 2009 Streetsie Awards, Part 3
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This post wraps up the Aughts for Streetsblog. For more year-in-review flavor, Clarence has a real treat over at Streetfilms. Have a great New Year everyone. Best Legislator: Brooklyn’s David Yassky capped off a very pro-livable streets tenure in City Council by carrying the banner for the Bicycle Access Bill. After a legislative win that […]
The 2009 Streetsie Awards, Part 2
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Worst City Agency: Aching to build a huge parking deck but don’t have enough cash? The NYC Economic Development Corporation is here to help. This quasi-public agency’s predilection for financing suburban-style development was on full display in 2009. Two EDC specials held grand openings: The Gateway Center Mall on the South Bronx waterfront, with its […]