Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Lower East Side

Safer Streets Under Fire at Gerson “Town Hall”

By Ben Fried | May 6, 2009 | 29 Comments

It’s safer to cross Grand Street. The arrogance! Lower Manhattan City Council rep Alan Gerson held a "transportation town hall" Monday night, following up on his pledge last year to closely monitor creeping safety enhancements to New York streets. Fellow City Council member John Liu, a candidate for comptroller, also made an appearance at the […]

Despite Bowery Death Toll, NYPD Decides Cyclists are the Real Menace

By Brad Aaron | May 1, 2009 | 13 Comments

A reader reports of another NYPD cyclist crackdown, this time on the Lower East Side. This tip is a little overdue, but 2-3 weeks ago I was pulled over on my bike by a traffic cop hiding behind a van on the east side of the Bowery, between Rivington and Prince St. He had also […]

Bigger Sidewalks But No Protected Bike Lane for Houston Street

By Ben Fried | Apr 3, 2009 | 14 Comments

A photosim of the East Houston Street plan; existing condition shown inset. Image: DCP. The reconstruction of East Houston Street will include wider medians, bigger sidewalks, fewer traffic lanes, and a new bike lane. But instead of installing a physically protected path for cyclists, the city plans to paint a buffered, Class 2 lane. The […]

Cops Ticketing Cyclists on Delancey Side of Willy-B

By Ben Fried | Apr 2, 2009 | 27 Comments

A reader sends this note about today’s commute: Cops ticketing bikers on Delancey by the Williamsburg Bridge this morning. They claimed it wasn’t us, that they were sent out because of community board complaints about bikers. "The community board made us do it." If that’s the case, then can we also get ramped up enforcement […]

Impromptu Shared Space Calms Soho Intersection

By Ben Fried | Mar 5, 2009 | 6 Comments

Reader Tim Koelle sends this report of a busted traffic signal gone terribly right at the intersection of West Broadway and Grand yesterday morning: I watched for an hour while cars, trucks and pedestrians shared this space quietly… with civility! Little honking, no aggressive driving, no traffic cop. Why? Because the light was out. No […]

Tonight: Support Major Ped and Bike Improvements at CB3 Meeting

By Ben Fried | Feb 11, 2009 | 5 Comments

Pedestrian plazas would reclaim six intersections connecting the Allen and Pike Street malls. Apologies for the last-minute heads up, but livable streets supporters in Chinatown and the Lower East Side won’t want to miss this action at Community Board 3 tonight. A DOT project to expand pedestrian space and add center median protected bike paths […]

Show More Stories