May is Bike Month! So many great events, so little time… check our calendar for a somewhat Brooklyn-centric assortment of great stuff to do on a bike this month. Look for the events marked “BIKE MONTH”… can’t say we don’t make it easy!
Don’t forget to register for Tour de Brooklyn on May 25th!
Tour de Brooklyn 2005
I’ve recently learned from Streetsblog that a church choir director from the suburbs of Washington DC is leading groups around the nation in prayers for lower gas prices.
“God, deliver us from these high gas prices,” Twyman said. “That’s all they have to say.”
THAT should work, right?
According to a San Franciso Chronicle article, Rocky Twyman has been traveling around the country staging pray-ins: “God is the only one we can turn to at this point,” said Twyman, 59. “Our leaders don’t seem to be able to do anything about it. The prices keep soaring and soaring.”
To his credit, Twyman also points out that we mortals have to take some responsibility for ourselves:
Twyman knows his approach to gasoline prices may sound simplistic. He’s quick to point out that anyone praying for cheaper fuel also has an obligation to do something more active about the problem.
“People have to walk more, leave those cars at home, and carpool, man,” he said. “We have to become more practical.”
Well, yeah. And for a few extra spiritual points, how about this:
photo by ACUPOFGREENTEA
Have I mentioned that I’m a huge fan of New York City’s Department of Transportation Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan? (Answer: yes, you’ve mentioned it.) She’s more like a rock star than a public official. She bikes to work, is a great speaker, and has traveled to cities all over the world in search of best-practice ideas for improving our streets and transportation systems.
Yesterday Sadik-Khan gave a talk at the Municipal Arts Society to unveil a new strategic plan for 2008 and beyond called “Sustainable Streets”. Many people were unable to attend because the reservations were at capacity a week before the event (it’s that rock star thing). Fortunately Clarence Eckerson of Streetfilms was able to wangle entrance for himself and his camera to record the event for posterity:
Streets
Thanks Clarence! You rock too!
… a few selected quotes from yesterday’s wreckage…
• “While some Queens politicians are claiming that the plan is elitist, the reality of it is that the elites killed this plan. With money going toward transit and a better environment for our city as part of the payoff, congestion pricing was and always will be a populist plan.”
(Second Avenue Sagas)
• “The ball is in your court Mr. Silver. The city needs tens of billions of dollars in new transit infrastructure investment. This plan has died on your doorstep. Now it’s up to you to FIND THE MONEY.”
(Brooklyn Streets, Carroll Gardens)
(And how about Silver’s statement: “Let me be clear: If I were making the decision alone, I might have made a different decision,” Mr. Silver said. Actually, he’s being as UNclear as possible, so that when budget deficits and fare hikes rear their ugly heads he can always say he MIGHT have made a different decision! What a coward…)
• “The fundamental facts remain the same. The traffic problem and air pollution problems are real. The need for better transit is real. Two-thirds of New Yorkers support congestion pricing if the funds are used for transit. The success of congestion pricing in other cities is real. The reality is that we have to come up with a plan to solve our traffic and transit crisis, if not today then tomorrow.”
(Michael O’Loughlin, Campaign for New York’s Future)
• “It will be interesting to see how the country’s most worthless and corrupt state legislative body will justify raising transit fares (a “TAX” on the working class if ever there was one). They seem perfectly comfortable voting for a 22% pay raise for themselves- for a part time job. How can they justify turning down 350 million in federal money for the rest of us??”
(Streetsblog comment)
• “More important than the cost to a small percentage of commuters is the cost of maintaining the status quo and not implementing a congestion pricing plan. Millions more people will clog our roads over the next few decades without viable alternative mass transportation options, making daily commutes far more unbearable.”
(Nassau County Assembly Democrat Michelle Schimel, via Streetsblog)
As a supporter of Congestion Pricing, I felt that this week was the time to do whatever I can to help get this legislation passed. So last Saturday I spent some time in Crown Heights (Brooklyn) asking people to take the time to compose a personal letter in their own handwriting to their local representatives (in that case State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries and State Senator Eric Adams). I was quite amazed at how many people were willing to do this (it’s not an easy thing to ask for!). On Monday morning I went to City Hall for the Council hearings (wearing the green t-shirt pictured below) and heard testimonies from Speaker Quinn and DOT Commissioner Sadik Khan. Yesterday morning I was part of a small group that met with an aide to City Council member Kendall Stewart, who represents the 45th District (Flatbush, East Flatbush, Flatlands), and I also spoke briefly with Stewart himself afterwards.
What I can attest to from talking to ordinary citizens (meaning, NOT politicians) is that even those who weren’t sure where they stood on Congestion Pricing (or knew nothing at all about it) were in favor when told that the revenue would be dedicated to improving subway and bus service. A few expressed understandable skepticism that the money would actually be used for transit improvements, but were somewhat reassured when told that it would go to a dedicated lockbox.
As for our elected officials, many of them seem to be earnestly asking for the data and information that will enable them to answer their constituents’ doubts. Questions about neighborhood parking permits and whether New Jersey and Long Island commuters should pay more than those from the five boroughs seem to be sticking points for some people. But for those of us who don’t drive – a solid majority in all five boroughs – the need for better bus and subway service is not in question.
More posts on Congestion Pricing and Transit Equity in New York City:
• Obama Supports Congestion Pricing!
• Enrique Peñalosa on Transit Equity for NYC
• A Brooklyn Youth’s View on Congestion Pricing
• More Supporters for Congestion Pricing
• Brooklyn and Congestion Pricing: The Numbers
Check out coverage at the NY Observer here, NY Times City Room blog here, and WNYC here…
from City Room:
“I think Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal for congestion pricing is a thoughtful and innovative approach to the problem,” Mr. Obama told Bob Hennelly of WNYC, in an interview that is scheduled to be broadcast during National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” at 4 p.m. Mr. Obama said that revenue from congestion pricing should not replace federal financing for mass transit, WNYC said in a statement describing the interview.
A fellow Brooklyn blogger tells the story of ditching the family car and breathing a sigh of relief. My favorite line:
“When I sold my car I wanted to throw a party,” the DMV employee who took my plates told me.
Just sayin’.
Several weeks ago I was filmed for an episode of A Walk Around the Blog, a series that profiles Brooklyn bloggers as part of the news magazine program Brooklyn Review that airs on Brooklyn Independent Television. We checked out the neighborhood (by bike, of course!), spoke about some of Sustainable Flatbush’s past, present and future exploits on Cortelyou Road, and visited the Gardening Committee’s planning meeting.
At last week’s Sustainable Flatbush Monthly Meeting, some collective decisions were made to change our organizational structure. Here’s how the change was described to everyone who has signed up for our committees’ listserv groups:
Based on discussion at Monday’s general meeting, we’re going to pilot using a single, unified group to coordinate planning for all Sustainable Flatbush events. The goal is to provide more support for each event across the Sustainable Flatbush membership, and to provide greatest awareness and involvement of all the events being planned. I believe this approach is also more reflective of the synergistic nature of sustainability itself, where one objective supports and enhances another. What I’m saying is, It’s All Good!
For example, the Gardening Committee has already begun planning for a whole weekend of activities on Arbor Day Weekend (April 25-27); yes, it’s about trees, but trees and neighborhood “greening” are also Livable Streets issues, they affect energy use, are proven to be good for business, and are healthy for children and other living things. As well, on behalf of the Livable Streets committee, Stacy has applied (and been approved!) for a Block Party grant (event date TBA), which is a great project that everyone can get involved with. In addition to the traffic-calming and community building aspects of closing the street for a party (complete with NYC street games!), we can also have information tables with literature on Recycling and Composting, we can have CFL bulbs available for sale, local businesses can get involved…. many many possibilities.
If YOU would like to get involved with Sustainable Flatbush events and projects, sign up for the Planning Group HERE.
Here’s something I love to see: ordinary people cycling in the snow, photo courtesy of Copenhagen blog Cycleiciousness.
When discussing the possibility of New York City becoming a truly bike-friendly city, one of the most common reasons offered for why This Could Never Happen Here is “The Weather”. Well, check it out, folks:
I maintain that NYC’s biggest obstacle to becoming a Bicycle Utopia has nothing to do with temperature or precipitation. As our Copenhagen biking blogger friend points out:
“Snow isn’t slippery when you’re just riding straight. And on a segregrated bike lane, you don’t have any other traffic to worry about.”
YES. It’s The Bike Lanes. Give Us Real Bike Lanes With NO CARS In Them.
