This week, the Alliance for Biking and Walking released its 2012 Benchmarking Report, and the timing is impeccable. As Streetsblog points out, the release coincides with the soon-to-appear national surface transportation bill, and in the tri-state region, it comes just after state legislatures have gotten into full [...]]]>

Graphic: Alliance for Biking and Walking

This week, the Alliance for Biking and Walking released its 2012 Benchmarking Report, and the timing is impeccable. As Streetsblog points out, the release coincides with the soon-to-appear national surface transportation bill, and in the tri-state region, it comes just after state legislatures have gotten into full swing. With statistics, case studies and loads of other resources, the Benchmarking Report shows legislators where the nation’s biking and walking infrastructure stands.

After the jump, TSTC presents some of the report’s most interesting figures.

The report’s snapshot of the tri-state region highlighted some remarkable facts:

• New York State has the third highest share of people who walk and bike to work, and the state ranks second (after Alaska) in the number of people who walk to work.

• Connecticut is the 22nd-safest state for walkers, and 12.8% of its traffic fatalities are pedestrians.

• New Jersey spent .86% of its federal transportation dollars on bicycle or pedestrian projects from 2006-2010, a figure that ranks them below the national average of 1.6%. To be fair, New Jersey does contribute state money, though we have argued that it’s not enough.

Nationwide, there have been some commendable advances in cyclist and pedestrian welfare:

• A growing number of city and state policies have promoted biking and walking. These include complete streets legislation, goals for increased biking and walking, and bike/ped master plans. 19 of the 51 cities surveyed have complete streets policies.

• In 2009-2010, states and cities spent more on bike/ped improvements than they did in 2007-2008 (but they’re still not spending as much as they did in 2005-2006). Over the same period, state per capita funding for bike/ped has increased from $1.29 to $2.17 per person, and city funding for bike/ped has increased from $1.49 to $1.80.

There are also some worrying trends in the report, though:

• Traffic fatalities have decreased, but pedestrian traffic fatalities have increased from 11.3% to 11.7%. This means that, although there are fewer car accidents, pedestrians make up a larger share of accident victims. TSTC saw this trend in an NHSTSA report as well.

• States are disproportionally giving back Transportation Enhancements (TE) funds when the federal government issues rescissions (the term refers to the annual process in which Washington asks states to return unallocated federal transit funds). The trend is troublesome because TE money is used to fund bike/ped projects. In 2009, the average state gave back 21.9% of TE funds to the federal government, while in 2010, the figure was 26.4% (each year TE made up 2.3% of federal apportionments).

The Report aggregates data from federal sources, state DOTs, MPOs and non-profits to assemble a detailed analysis of biking and walking in the United States. Spanning all 50 states and the 51 largest U.S. cities, it covers biking and walking levels, cyclist and pedestrian demographics, safety, policy, and federal funding. The document also details the economic and public health benefits of investing in bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, linking these kinds of projects to job creation, increased property values, cleaner air, and better personal health.

To see the full report, click here.

This week, a number of New York’s transportation agencies unveiled technological initiatives that promise to help people get around without cars.

On Staten Island, the MTA’s real time bus tracking service went live. The program, which is known as Bus Time, was developed with OpenPlans at the urging of [...]]]>

photo: The Eyes Of New York

This week, a number of New York’s transportation agencies unveiled technological initiatives that promise to help people get around without cars.

On Staten Island, the MTA’s real time bus tracking service went live. The program, which is known as Bus Time, was developed with OpenPlans at the urging of Straphangers and other advocacy groups. Riders can now text the MTA with a station code or intersection to get their bus’ location (they can also visit the Bus Time site). The pilot program on Brooklyn’s B63 line was deemed successful, and the MTA may roll out the service to all five boroughs by the end of 2012 (Crain’s says that the service will “include the entire city by the end of 2013”). Software developers will have access to vehicle data.

Elsewhere in New York, NYSDOT released an interactive map that shows bike routes across the state. Users can find information about lane layout and search for bike-friendly roads by region.

The New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) has also gotten involved: a recent Streetsblog post reminds us that the city’s incoming bike share program will track trips with GPS, which will give the city all-too-rare bike traffic data.

On Friday, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) announced a request for $18.6 million in federal transportation funds to begin preliminary engineering work on the Tappan Zee Bridge project.

The amendment to the [...]]]>

Governor Cuomo and NYMTC still have the opportunity to make transit part of the Tappan Zee project. Photo: Patja

On Friday, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) announced a request for $18.6 million in federal transportation funds to begin preliminary engineering work on the Tappan Zee Bridge project.

The amendment to the downstate New York Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)—the basic blueprint for downstate transportation spending—would “program funding for preliminary engineering work for the Tappan Zee Hudson River Crossing Project in Westchester and Rockland counties to include steel pile procurement, installation, testing and removal.” The plan calls for $18.6 million in federal “Interstate Maintenance” support.

This means that the project is moving forward despite the elimination of public transportation, which the County Executives of Westchester and Rockland originally wanted on the bridge. Officially, the project is in the first phase of the environmental review, but there’s clearly a lot going on behind closed doors.

In order for the amendment to make it onto the TIP (and thereby get federal funding), there must be a consensus among the voting members of NYMTC. Although the NYMTC typically approves all of its members’ proposals, council members have previously vetoed particularly objectionable plans.

A public comment period runs from Dec. 12-21. Those interested in seeing changes to the project should contact Governor Cuomo and their local elected officials.

The tax reform bill currently moving through Albany includes several provisions that could hurt transit riders.

First, the bill would whittle down the payroll tax that currently helps fund the MTA – under the terms of the bill, private [...]]]>

The W train was cut during MTA's service reductions in 2010. Photo: Heath Brandon.

The tax reform bill currently moving through Albany includes several provisions that could hurt transit riders.

First, the bill would whittle down the payroll tax that currently helps fund the MTA – under the terms of the bill, private schools don’t pay the MTA payroll tax and small business’ rates are lowered. This would reduce MTA revenues by up to $320 million, according to some estimates, if promised reimbursements from the state don’t come through.  Given that the service cuts that went through in 2010 saved the agency less than $100 million, it’s easy to understand the potential ramifications of such a cut. The New York Times‘ Clyde Haberman has more.

Second, buried in the bill is the nullification of “transit lockbox” legislation that was supposed to protect transit funds from being swept for other purposes. The TSTC and dozens of other advocacy groups joined together to express their disappointment in Albany’s recent tack:

The original [lockbox] legislation made it more difficult for the governor to unilaterally divert MTA dedicated transit funds, and required an impact statement detailing the effects on transit service if dedicated funds were taken. The “lockbox” bill (S.4257C/A. 6766C) was a reaction to the diversion of $260 million in dedicated transit funds over the last three years. These diversions contributed to the worst metropolitan-area transit service cuts in memory.

Third, the tax package reportedly sets up a state infrastructure bank for public private partnerships (though few details are available in the bill). Such “PPPs” have been widely reported as a method of paying for the replacement of the Tappan Zee Bridge. But to the surprise and disappointment of local officials and civic organizations, Governor Cuomo eliminated public transportation from that project in October. Groups have been working to get the bus rapid transit back into place.

This Saturday, October 15 from 9:30am to 2:00pm, the NYC Department of City Planning will host a public charrette at Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School - 1021 Jennings Street, Bronx, NY [...]]]>

The Sheridan Expressway in the South Bronx, which advocates have said should be removed and replaced with parks and mixed-use development.

This Saturday, October 15 from 9:30am to 2:00pm, the NYC Department of City Planning will host a public charrette at Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School - 1021 Jennings Street, Bronx, NY – 10460. Bronx residents and anyone interested in the future of the South Bronx should plan on attending.

A public charrette is essentially a workshop that allows citizens to get involved in the planning process by helping the City better understand the community and their visions of what the future of the community should look like.

The focus of the charrette will be to develop land use and transportation scenarios for the future of the Sheridan Expressway.  From the City’s website:

The charrette will begin at 9:30 with an overview presentation made by the city agencies to provide background on the study and establish the framework for discussion to follow during the day. The work and research builds on ideas that surfaced during the walking tours and Community Working Group discussions. Charrette attendees will break into smaller groups and join in a guided substantive planning discussion focused on land use and transportation in the neighborhoods surrounding the Sheridan Expressway and Hunts Point. Groups will reconvene at the end of the event to share their ideas. The results of the charrette will help form different land use and transportation scenarios that will be studied in more detail. Feedback and comment on the scenarios will be presented for further comment in an open house setting in late 2011/early 2012. The planning process will help prioritize the land use and transportation needs of the City, local residents, business community, and broader region and plan for the area’s future.

Basically, the City wants to hear from you. It wants to know what you think is the best way to use the Sheridan and surrounding land, and the best way for getting around the South Bronx more safely and efficiently.

The city will provide breakfast, lunch and childcare for children 3 and up.

Photo: NYC Dept. of City Planning.

Mayor Bloomberg, NY state legislative leaders, and elected officials representing Manhattan’s East Side announced at a Wednesday City Hall press conference that the city and state had signed an agreement to [...]]]>

This graphic from the Wall Street Journal shows the city's timeline for filling in the Midtown gap in the East River Greenway.

Mayor Bloomberg, NY state legislative leaders, and elected officials representing Manhattan’s East Side announced at a Wednesday City Hall press conference that the city and state had signed an agreement to close the gap in the East River Greenway between 38th and 60th Streets and improve other open spaces in the area. State Senator Liz Krueger, Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, City Councilman Dan Garodnick, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney were instrumental in brokering the agreement, which they hailed as a victory for the East Side and the entire city.

Under the terms of a signed memorandum of understanding, the United Nations will be allowed to construct a new building on the western end of what is now Robert Moses Playground, on First Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets. Replacement park space would be provided before the playground is taken, according to Assm. Kavanagh. The UN’s new building would also need to clear the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Process.

In return, the UN would pay the city $73 million and move out of two city-owned buildings that would then be sold on the market, eventually providing a total of $200 million, according to city estimates. These funds would be used to complete the Greenway and improve other parks. A new public committee, the Eastside Greenway and Park Board, would provide oversight and input into how the open space funds are spent. In addition, ConEdison has agreed to convert an old pier between 38th and 41st Streets into a park.

A land-swap proposal of this type had been discussed for decades, but the process received a jolt after the State Legislature passed legislation creating what East Side officials said was an ironclad framework guaranteeing that funds from a deal would go to open space improvements. East Side elected officials convened three public forums this summer to receive public testimony, and also received thousands of comments online. The community response was not unanimous, but was “overwhelmingly supportive,” Councilmember Garodnick said at the press conference.

The ConEd pier improvements will start immediately, with the rest of the construction timeline dependent on when the United Nations moves forward with a new building. The UN hasn’t yet committed to doing so, though it has expressed interest in a new building for many years. If all goes according to plan, construction of a second portion of the Greenway will start in 2016, and work on the final piece will begin in 2020 (see map at right).

Graphic: Wall Street Journal.

[Update 9/26: For further reading, see last week's City Room article about how this study has been critiqued by other members [...]]]>

Data from a Hunter College study shows fewer pedestrians being injured by cyclists between 2007 and 2010, the same time frame in which NYC has improved bike infrastructure and cycling has grown.

[Update 9/26: For further reading, see last week's City Room article about how this study has been critiqued by other members of the Hunter College's urban planning faculty.]

Earlier this week, two Hunter College professors released a study showing that between 2007 and 2010, approximately 1,000 pedestrians were injured by cyclists. Those so inclined have heralded this study as proof that bicycles on streets mean less safe streets. Though the number of injuries is higher than previous academic estimates, as Streetsblog and others have pointed out, the study also shows that the number of pedestrian injuries has decreased even as the number of bicyclists has increased.

Furthermore, looking at bike/pedestrian crashes in New York City, the study uncovers an interesting pattern. The authors note that the “place of residence of individuals involved in pedestrian-cyclist accidents parallels exactly the ranking of the location of all pedestrian deaths in New York City.” This suggests that unsafe places are unsafe places: it’s likely that streets with large numbers of pedestrian/bicycle crashes also have large numbers of pedestrian/vehicle crashes; they are simply unsafe places to walk.

The study finds Brooklyn and Manhattan to have the highest pedestrian/bike accidents, with 34.4% and 28.1%, respectively, of New York City’s share. The study does not provide information on the crashes at an individual roadway level, but many of the roads in the neighborhoods with the highest number of crashes — East Harlem and the Lower East Side — are wide, fast roads that currently lack adequate bike/ped infrastructure.

Viewed in this light, the study shows the need for greater bike and pedestrian infrastructure throughout the City. In fact, Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito has already made this link, saying via Twitter that the study underscores the need for more protected bike lanes above 96th Street. The connection between safer streets and bicycle and pedestrian improvements is well-supported. A NYCDOT study found that pedestrian improvements in Midtown and lower Broadway have reduced pedestrian injuries by 35%, and injuries to motorists and passengers were down 63% since implementation in 2009.

While some have suggested that the Hunter study gives New Yorkers a reason to be wary of the City’s bike policies including the recently-announced bike share program, those pedestrians most at risk seem to understand that better bike infrastructure means safety for all. The study finds that Hispanic residents are “overrepresented among [pedestrians] involved in pedestrian-cyclist accidents.”  They are also the ethnic group which has been most supportive of bike lanes in recent citywide polls. It looks there’s some light at the end of this bike path.

Chart: From Hunter College study.

The last of three public forums on a proposal to finally fill in a gap in the East River Greenway on NYC’s East Side is this Tuesday. Elected officials organizing the forums — City Councilmember Dan Garodnick, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, State [...]]]>

A concept rendering of a potential new East River esplanade and greenway.

The last of three public forums on a proposal to finally fill in a gap in the East River Greenway on NYC’s East Side is this Tuesday. Elected officials organizing the forums — City Councilmember Dan Garodnick, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, State Senator Liz Krueger, and Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney — have been in attendance to gather public input, and it’s important that anyone who supports a completed Greenway, especially East Side residents, turn out and express support.

Manhattan’s East River Greenway has long been a poor cousin to the Hudson River Greenway on the city’s West Side, which has become an essential recreational asset and commuting link. The East Side’s riverside pedestrian and bicycle path hasn’t been as successful due to deficiencies including a gap between 38th and 60th Streets in Midtown. In the last state legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill which outlines a proposal that could finally fill in this gap.

As part of the proposal, NYC would sell two buildings currently occupied by the United Nations, with the proceeds used to build a riverside esplanade that fills in the Greenway gap, create a maintenance endowment for the path, improve other parks in the neighborhood, and boost the city’s budget. The UN would be given part of Robert Moses Playground on First Avenue between 41st and 42nd Streets so it could build a new building. The deal will happen only if the city and state sign a binding memorandum of understanding by October 10 which clearly delineates how funding will be spent.

NYC is also converting the former ConEdison pier on 38th Street into a park. Along with the greenway, a potential new park created by demapping Asser Levy Place (a one-block street between 23rd and 25th Streets), and possible improvements to other parks in the area, there’s no question that the proposal would be a significant net gain of open space.

During the first forum on August 4, public comments were almost exclusively in favor of the proposal. At the second forum on September 8, comments were more mixed; residents and community groups from Roosevelt Island and Turtle Bay spoke in favor while residents and groups from Tudor City expressed concerns about the loss of the playground and impacts on views. (For more coverage of the second forum, see DNAinfo.) In a closing statement, Sen. Krueger said the proposal was the best opportunity that had come along to fill in the greenway gap.

The final forum is Tuesday, September 20, from 5 pm to 8 pm, at NYU Langone Medical Center’s Smiloh Seminar Room, on 550 First Avenue in Manhattan. Those unable to attend can also submit comments online at EastSideOpenSpace.com.

Image: Via EastSideOpenSpace.com.

New York City officials announced today that they had selected Alta Bike Share as the vendor for a bicycle-sharing system, with 10,000 bikes, that will launch next summer and initially stretch from 79th Street in Manhattan to Bedford-Stuyvesant and Windsor Terrace in [...]]]>

A bicycle-sharing station next to a rail stop in Washington, D.C.

New York City officials announced today that they had selected Alta Bike Share as the vendor for a bicycle-sharing system, with 10,000 bikes, that will launch next summer and initially stretch from 79th Street in Manhattan to Bedford-Stuyvesant and Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn. The city is asking residents to suggest locations for bike stations online.

The new system will make cycling a more convenient option for New Yorkers and change the way many get around the city. In a statement, Tri-State Transportation Campaign executive director Kate Slevin said that “In cities like Washington, people use bike share to get to the train station, pick up the groceries, and visit that park or restaurant that was always a little too far of a walk. Bike share will give New Yorkers another way to get around and improve everyone’s quality of life.”

A bike sharing system involves many stations, where people use a pass or credit card to unlock a bike, then drop it off at the station closest to their destination. Bike-share members will reportedly pay less than $100 annually for unlimited 45 minute trips between bike stations (longer trips will incur an additional charge; exact pricing is still being worked out). Visitors and those looking to try the system for shorter periods of time will also be able to buy daily, weekly, and monthly passes. NYCDOT also released a short video to explain how the system will work:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Alta manages Washington, D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare and Boston’s Hubway bike-sharing systems, both of which are widely regarded as successful. Capital Bikeshare has 1,100 bikes at 110 stations, and is currently the largest in the country.

Photo: James Parcell/Washington Post.

When New York City launches a bike-sharing system next year, it will revolutionize the way people get around in the city. If the experience of other cities in the Northeast is any indication, residents, workers, and visitors have a lot to look forward to.

A few hours [...]]]>

Capital Bikeshare riders in Washington, D.C.

When New York City launches a bike-sharing system next year, it will revolutionize the way people get around in the city. If the experience of other cities in the Northeast is any indication, residents, workers, and visitors have a lot to look forward to.

A few hours to the north, the Boston Globe reports that the “early success of Hub bike sharing” is surprising even its backers. The Hubway system has attracted 2,319 annual subscribers as of August 28, one month after its launch, and 36,612 trips have been made on it so far. Theft and vandalism have not been problems; planners say the biggest complaints they have received are from residents annoyed that their neighborhood doesn’t have a bike-share station yet.

In Boston, bike-share members pay $85 for a one-year membership which allows them unlimited 30-minute trips between bike stations; longer trips incur an additional charge. One-day and three-day memberships are also available for casual riders and tourists. Pricing for NYC’s system hasn’t been finalized yet, but will probably be similar in format and include daily, weekly, and annual memberships.

A few hours to the south, Washington, D.C. has announced plans to expand its Capital Bikeshare to the National Mall, filling in what had been a noticeable gap in its bike-share coverage. Capital Bikeshare is currently the largest bike-share in the country and has been widely regarded as a success since its launch last September. Earlier this year, the Washington Post took a look at how the system has become part of everyday life:

During last year’s nuclear summit meeting in Washington, when many workers were given a day off and everyone was discouraged from driving, because motorcades were roaring all over town, the depth of the cycling option became evident. With streets stripped of most cars, bikes that normally blend fairly invisibly into the street scape seemed to be everywhere.

The growth of bike-only lanes has served to embolden cyclists who might otherwise have feared doing battle with cars and trucks on congested streets. Office buildings in the District and elsewhere, and local governments, have made more bike racks available to those who ride their own bikes.

Sara Wilson said cycling has expanded horizons for her one-car household, and with parking scarce in her Northeast Washington neighborhood, it’s a better option for errands. “Yesterday I got my dry cleaning — there’s never any parking there — and today I got my rack of lamb.”

According to earlier reports, New York City’s bike-share system will include 10,000 bikes at 600 stations, making it the largest in the country. (Washington’s system currently has 1,100 bicycles at over 110 stations in the District of Columbia and Arlington, VA. Boston’s system has about 600 bikes at 53 stations, with significant expansion plans for hundreds of additional stations.)

Photo: Kevin Kovaleski for District of Columbia DOT.