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
Eyes on the Street: Union Street Trolley Tracks Exposed!
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Construction is moving ahead on one of the summer’s blockbuster livable streets projects, the addition of new pedestrian and bicycle amenities at Grand Army Plaza. As often happens in Brooklyn, in the course of digging up the pavement the crew unearthed some remains from the previous incarnation of the street. Susan Kille posted this shot […]
Fun Routes to Transit
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“Why I Ride” is on hiatus this week. Instead we bring you the latest transit innovation from the Dutch city of Utrecht — the “transfer accelerator.” Translation courtesy of The Pop-Up City: The designers explain that their slide is meant to be a nice gesture to the travellers. They brilliantly foresaw that such a playful […]
Jay Walder Resigns as MTA Chief, Effective October 21 [Updated]
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After a two-year tenure during which he earned the praise of transit advocates as a skilled and innovative leader, MTA Chair Jay Walder has announced that he will step down effective October 21. Walder, who was appointed by governor David Paterson in July 2009 and took the CEO position that October, will be taking the […]
Vacca Watch: Traffic and Parking Über Alles
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This double Q & A in City Hall News with Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and City Council Transportation Committee chair James Vacca has a lot of revealing moments. There’s Vacca’s desire for better cross-Bronx bus service, combined with his assessment that the MTA will have to “do more with less” and his observation that “I […]
When Will the NBBL PR Stunt Come to an End?
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We are now well into the fifth month of the attack on street safety improvements known as the Prospect Park West lawsuit. There was no conclusion in court today, so the Jim Walden media tour will go on at least a little while longer. Transportation Alternatives Executive Director Paul Steely White had this to say […]
JSK Counters Markowitz Affidavit; No Decision on PPW Bike Lane Case Today
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Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan has submitted an affidavit countering Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz’s assertion that the Prospect Park West bike lane was installed as a trial. The rest of the news coming from today’s hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court once again centers on procedural maneuvering. There was no decision on the Prospect Park West […]
Marty Markowitz Chooses the Perfect Moment to Jump Into PPW Lawsuit
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How’s this for some impeccable timing? Less than 48 hours before the next scheduled court date in the Prospect Park West case, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is inserting himself into the proceedings in an attempt to keep the tenuous suit from being thrown out. Yesterday afternoon LCG Communications, the PR firm representing bike lane […]
Curb-Jumping Motorist Severs Leg of Pedestrian in Midtown
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Reader Liz Patek sends this account from a crash scene in Midtown this morning: As I was biking through Midtown, I came across this scene on West 58th Street between Seventh and Sixth Ave. It happened before I got there, I am guessing about 9/9:30 a.m. A pedestrian, a woman, was hit by the car. […]
On Progressive Transportation, Bill de Blasio Has Some Catching Up to Do
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Tomorrow evening, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio will deliver the keynote address at the Transportation Alternatives summer benefit. When de Blasio’s name was announced as a headliner, it was somewhat surprising. As a City Council member, he was an early backer of making Prospect Park car-free. But as a citywide office holder and presumed 2013 […]
Wanted: Better Protection for Thousands of Cyclists Dumped Onto the Bowery
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Today was the first day of a construction detour expected to send thousands of cyclists onto the Bowery from the Manhattan Bridge every day. A temporary bike route extending from the south side of Canal Street to Prince Street was constantly blocked by parked police vehicles, trucks, and cars during the morning rush, forcing cyclists […]
Eyes on the Street: Brand New Pop-Up Café on Sullivan Street
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Reader Ian Dutton sends these shots of the pop-up café that just went up at “local” — a coffee shop on Sullivan Street in SoHo. Ian says owners Craig and Liz Walker worked hard to make this public space enhancement happen. Among other things, they had to bring a crew of supporters with them to […]
The Times Invites Drivers to Take a Spin Through the Central Park Loop
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Say what you will about yesterday’s Corey Kilgannon piece extolling the “guilty pleasure” of driving on the Central Park loop, it’s refreshing to see the New York Times veil of objectivity stripped away, revealing the naked windshield perspective beneath. I mean, here it is, raw and unfiltered. Driving on city streets is miserable (“the doldrums […]