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
Bratton, de Blasio Release Guidelines on How to Use Fake Parking Placards
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Standing outside 1 Police Plaza this morning, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a sweeping expansion of New York City’s fake parking placard program. “It is deeply, profoundly unfair that an insular cadre of entitled jerks can park in bus stops with impunity, forcing old ladies with canes to shuffle awkwardly into the […]
The 30-Second Silent Video That Every MTA Rider Should See
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The next time you hear a friend talking about the time their train stayed still for 30 minutes because of signal problems, or the time they waited 45 minutes for a bus then watched four buses pull up simultaneously, or the time they almost got pushed onto the tracks because the platform was so crowded, point them […]
Before You Get Too Excited About Seattle’s Big Transit Expansion…
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Read Doug Trumm’s post at the Urbanist about Sound Transit’s $50 billion, 25-year expansion plan, known as ST3, which the agency revealed yesterday. It’s ambitious in scope, but will the new lines meet the region’s most pressing transit needs? Piecing together the project list has been an exercise in regional politics, since voters will decide this November whether […]
Robert Rodriguez Introduces Toll Reform Bill in State Assembly
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For the first time, a state legislator is sponsoring legislation in Albany to enact the Move NY toll reform plan. By creating a more rational toll system in New York City, the plan would significantly reduce traffic and raise revenue to invest in improving transit. Assembly Member Robert Rodriguez introduced a bill today, A09633, that would […]
Cuomo’s Capital Budget: $3,400,000,000 for Roads, $0 for MTA
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Here’s something NYC representatives should be screaming about in Albany: Governor Cuomo’s budget allocates more than $3 billion to roads and bridges but nothing to the MTA’s capital program, according to an analysis released today by the Riders Alliance. The discrepancy amounts to a gigantic transfer of resources from the New York City region to […]
Sneckdowns: The Comic Strip
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Clarence Eckerson, Jr. is not the only talented Eckerson in New York. There’s one more winter storm expected to hit the city this weekend, and Gary Eckerson of Bay Ridge (Clarence’s brother), has six panels in anticipation of the occasion. Enjoy. Word is the Eckersons are searching for an off-Broadway venue to stage “Sneckdowns: The Musical” in winter […]
Parking Requirements Will Be Reduced in a Huge Chunk of NYC
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The de Blasio administration and the City Council released more details of their agreed-upon housing plan this afternoon, including a map showing where parking requirements will be reduced. For the most part, it’s very good news: Parking requirements will be eliminated for subsidized housing and senior housing in 90 percent of the area originally proposed by City […]
PPW Bike Lane Lawsuit Will Be Decided on the Merits — Bring It On
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Judge says Prospect Park West bike lane case to proceed. I think the case’s merits speak for themselves. pic.twitter.com/d92runmfZk — Janette Sadik-Khan (@JSadikKhan) March 15, 2016 Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Bert Bunyan ruled yesterday that Prospect Park West bike lane opponents did indeed file suit before the six-month statute of limitations had run out. The […]
Will Citi Bike Riders Get a More Convenient Network for Their Higher Fares?
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You thought you were going to get a @CitiBikeNYC ? On the #upperwestside? At 9am? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA pic.twitter.com/h9y9IwhTqQ — Kate Hinds (@katehinds) March 10, 2016 Last week, the price of a Citi Bike annual membership rose from $149 to $155. It’s still a good deal for people who make more than a few bike-share trips per month, but […]
Rescuing New Ideas From the Purgatory of Old Bureaucracy
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Your city may have a complete streets policy. Your mayor may say all the right things about making streets work for walking, biking, and transit. But if the inner workings of government — city budgets, agency protocols — aren’t set up to enable big street design breakthroughs, all you’ll get are scattershot improvements. Writing for Network blog Broken Sidewalk, Chris […]
It’s Happening: Construction of Maryland’s Purple Line Set to Start This Year
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Yesterday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that a contractor has been selected to build the 14-mile Purple Line light rail in DC’s Maryland suburbs. It’s a milestone and a major relief following Hogan’s long history of brinkmanship with the project. Kelli Raboy at Greater Greater Washington posted the happy news: After Marylanders elected Governor Larry Hogan […]
A Car-Free Downtown and Other Ideas From Portland’s Mayoral Debate
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It’s always interesting to see what mayoral candidates say about streets and transportation in a public debate. Who’s done their homework on transportation policy? Who understands in their gut why better streets for walking, biking, and transit are good for the city? Which candidates are willing to take a stand on these issues while making their case to voters? Most […]