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
Brooklyn CB Committees OK Un-protected 2-Way Bike Lane on Plaza Street
| | 8 Comments
NYC DOT presented plans last night for an un-protected two-way bike lane on Plaza Street, which would enhance a critical hub in the Brooklyn bike network by defining space for contraflow riding, but fall short of providing safe cycling infrastructure for all ages. The transportation committee of Community Board 6 voted in favor of the project […]
Plaza Street Bike Lane on the Agenda at Brooklyn CB 6 Tonight
| | 3 Comments
A quick reminder: Tonight’s meeting of the Brooklyn Community Board 6 transportation committee is an important one, with DOT presenting its proposal for a two-way bike lane on Plaza Street. The public is invited to participate in the meeting, so if you want to weigh in on this upgrade to the Brooklyn bike network and […]
Give to Streetsblog This Spring – You Could Win a Schwinn From Ride Brooklyn
| | 1 Comment
We’re launching our spring pledge drive here on Streetsblog today, and we have some exciting prizes to give away to contributors. Before I get to that, I thought I’d share a few points about the importance of reader donations to Streetsblog and the impact your gift will have… Thanks to support from our readers, we’ve […]
Vacca Calls for Thorough NYPD Inquiry Into Death of Cyclist David Oliveras
| | 8 Comments
A young Bronx man was killed by the driver of a BMW SUV just after 7 p.m. last Wednesday evening. The driver was traveling northbound on Williamsbridge Road when he struck cyclist David Oliveras, who was pronounced dead at Jacobi Hospital. Press accounts of the crash have been wildly inconsistent, and now City Council Member […]
Prepping for July Bike-Share Launch, DOT Shows Prelim Station Sites to CB 3
| | 11 Comments
After several months of public meetings and online feedback on bike-share station siting, NYC DOT is beginning to tour community boards with preliminary station maps in preparation for launching North America’s most expansive bike-share system this July. Yesterday evening, NYC DOT Policy Director Jon Orcutt walked the transportation and public safety committee of Manhattan Community […]
New A&E Series Mines Reckless NYC Driving for Ratings
| | 5 Comments
From the network that brought you “Parking Wars,” the reality TV show about Philadelphia parking scofflaws and the agents who put up with their abuse, comes “Last Chance Driving School,” the reality TV show about student drivers running amok on the streets of Western Queens. Premiering this weekend, the A&E series promises to show viewers […]
Waiting for Raymond: When Will NYPD Address Its Traffic Safety Failures?
| | 10 Comments
It should be good news that, on Ray Kelly’s orders, NYPD is going to start tracking bike-ped crashes. There’s a scarcity of information on the subject, and while the best available data indicates that the number of pedestrian injuries involving cyclists is dropping, the quality could be much better. Collecting information on these crashes with […]
Eyes on the Street: Protected Bike Lane Sighting on the Upper East Side
| | 10 Comments
Reader Liz Patek sends these shots of the new road markings on First Avenue in the 60s. The protected bike lane that Manhattan Community Board 8 approved last summer is going in. Until now there was no bike infrastructure at all on First Avenue between 60th Street and 72nd Street. Filling that gap is DOT’s […]
Cuomo Deal Could Clear the Way for a Transit-Oriented Tappan Zee
| | 8 Comments
Regrettably, this was an April Fool’s Day post. It should be noted that Streetsblog’s prior April Fool’s Day stories have a way of coming true, at least in part. A little-noticed piece of legislation, passed along with Albany’s budget deal at the Cuomo administration’s request, seems to open the door to building a Tappan Zee […]
Eyes on the Street: Incredible Reappearing Bike Lane
| | 5 Comments
We’ve been featuring this item from Streetsblog Flickr pool contributor ddartley on the sidebar for a few days, and it’s time for a promotion. On the First Avenue bike lane by 25th Street, construction has temporarily wiped out the parking-protected bike lane, and in its place is a highly-functional buffered bike lane. Bike traffic keeps […]
Cuomo Plows Ahead on Transit-Free TZB, Heedless of Basic Questions
| | 4 Comments
In its headlong rush to build a new Tappan Zee Bridge, the Cuomo administration still hasn’t answered basic questions about why the project won’t include transit or how it will be financed. Today is the last day the Cuomo administration will be accepting public comments on the draft EIS for the new Tappan Zee Bridge. […]
After 18 Months of Bike Lane, Columbus Ave Retail Looks as Strong as Ever
| | 14 Comments
You might remember a wave of news stories that broke around this time last year with headlines like: “Columbus Avenue Business Owners Say Bike Lanes Driving Down Bottom Line,” or “Lack of Parking Destroying Columbus Avenue Business,” or “Study: Street Redesign Hurting Upper West Side Businesses.” The Columbus Avenue bike lane, with its 28 pedestrian […]