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
On Big Day for Bike-Share, Boston Mayor Envisions World Class Cycling City
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Several American cities have made halting strides towards implementing bike-share systems recently, but which will be the first to launch the kind of robust network needed for public biking to go mainstream? Right now, the runaway favorite is Boston. In Montreal, the Bixi bike-share network is so popular that it’s slated to expand ahead of […]
Bus Tracking Sabotage: NYPD Clogs 34th Street Lane After Displays Go Live
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We’ve got two dispatches from the opening day of real-time bus arrival displays on 34th Street. First, the good photo: A reader sent the above shot of the display inside the shelter at Third Avenue. That’s a nice crisp presentation. Are the times accurate? None of the dailies ran blaring headlines about haywire displays today, […]
DOT: Sands Street Bike Path Not Quite Finished
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The Sands Street path runs from Navy Street to the foot of the Manhattan Bridge at Jay Street. This afternoon the DOT press office emailed a brief reply to our query about potential safety enhancements to the recently opened Sands Street bike path. They say some details of the path, which is rideable for cyclists, […]
Real-Time Bus Tracking Pilot Is Live on 34th Street [Updated]
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DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan announces the 34th Street pilot this morning. On the left are MTA Bus president Joseph Smith, Mayor Bloomberg, and acting MTA chief Helena Williams. Will the third time be the charm for reliable bus arrival displays in Manhattan? NYCDOT and the MTA announced today that, yes, they will deliver a tracking […]
The Sands Street Shuffle
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An evening commuter enters the Sands Street bike path at Jay Street, after descending from the Manhattan Bridge. Last month, the long-awaited Sands Street bike path officially opened, giving cyclists a much safer connection to the Brooklyn side of the Manhattan Bridge. From what I can tell so far, everyone loves the new protected space […]
Council Candidate’s Congestion Solution: Rush Hour Bike Bans
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The Lo-Down, a blog covering the Lower East Side and environs, just wrapped up a slate of interviews with all the candidates running for the 1st District seat in the City Council: Margaret Chin, Pete Gleason, Arthur Gregory, PJ Kim, and the incumbent Alan Gerson. Along with John Liu, Gerson has been one of the […]
Bloomberg 2009 Unveils a Transit Platform, But No Way to Pay for It
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Michael Bloomberg’s re-election campaign released a 33-point plan for transit today [PDF]. This being a campaign plank, the mayor’s transit agenda is full of ideas that few will oppose: lower fares, better service, and more efficient management. While there are some smart ideas on the list, the mayor has limited power to deliver on much […]
More Bike Parking News From City Council: 20,000 New Spaces on the Way
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Intro 780 will require commercial parking facilities to add spaces for bikes — and signs announcing the availability of bike parking. Photo: 12th St David/Flickr. Somewhat lost amid the excitement over the Bicycle Access Bill, last week the City Council passed a second law that will significantly expand options for bike commuters looking for a […]
So You Want Bicycle Access to Your Building. Now What?
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In the weeks ahead, cyclists will get plenty of tips about how to take advantage of the recently passed Bicycle Access Bill. If you feel like you can’t wait to reverse your building’s bike policy, here’s the best advice we can give at the moment: Bide your time and be prepared. The law doesn’t take […]
Driver, Seen Speeding, Injures Teenager on Fulton Street in Brooklyn
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A 17-year-old boy was struck by this car while walking near the corner of Fulton Street and Hudson Avenue today at around 10 a.m. The victim is in stable condition at Kings County Hospital, said the NYPD. The driver was seen traveling west on Fulton Street at a high rate of speed, according to the […]
Ratner’s Sidewalk Seizure: Marginalizing Pedestrians for Three Months
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Photo: Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn. After yesterday’s post showing the sidewalk appropriation going on at Pacific Street and Sixth Avenue as part of Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project, DOT sent an email explaining why this is happening: We approved a plan at this location to permit two-way traffic using a portion of the sidewalk […]
In Historic Vote, City Council Passes Bicycle Access Bill
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DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan speaks at a press event yesterday. That’s bill sponsor David Yassky in the green tie. The New York City Council voted 46-1 this afternoon in favor of Intro 871, the Bicycle Access Bill, opening the door to significant gains in commuter cycling. Cyclists who do not commute by bike have long […]