A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in tri-state transportation news.
Winners
Stamford Police Department — The Traffic Enforcement Unit, which was disbanded in the late 1990s under then-Mayor Dannel Malloy, is back on the streets in Stamford.
Long Island Rail Road commuters — New York State Senator Charles Fuschillo, who represents commuters who live along the much-maligned Babylon Branch, has been nominated by Senator Chuck Schumer to join Amtrak’s board of directors, giving a voice to LIRR commuters, who depend on the Amtrak-owned East River tunnels to access Manhattan.
New Jersey Department of Transportation — Despite pressure from local officials, NJDOT won’t widen Route 4 in Teaneck, because “congestion related projects compete directly with limited fiscal resources that are available to address safety and to maintain the State’s aging infrastructure.”
US Reps. Earl Blumenaeur, Howard Coble, Mike McCaul, and Peter DeFazio and Sens. Jeff Merkley, Kelly Ayotte, and Brian Schatz — This bipartisan coalition introduced the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act (HR 3494 & S 1708) last week in an effort to help reduce fatalities of pedestrians and cyclists on America’s roads.
Losers
New York’s 130 transit systems — Governor Cuomo vetoed the transit lockbox bill, which would have made it more difficult to raid dedicated transit revenue by making the legislative process more transparent. So much for open and accountable government.
Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance and Fernando Mateo — No charges — not even reckless endangerment — will be brought by DA Vance’s office against Mohammed Faysal Himon, the cab driver who struck a cyclist, jumped a curb and gravely injured tourist Sian Green. New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers President Fernando Mateo said in a statement that perhaps stricter regulation of cyclists is the solution.
NYPD — How did the NYPD respond to a series of violent bike thefts on the Willis Avenue Bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx? By ticketing cyclists for riding on the bridge’s shared bicycle-pedestrian path. The department is also recommending that you bring along a flashlight if you’re going to be out walking at night.
South Plainfield (NJ) Mayor Matthew Anesh — Mayor Anesh says “he’ll continue to fight to get [red light] cameras removed” from his community.
The bus stops along Route 4 are sometimes in unsafe locations. At one stop at Jones Road bus users must cross the exit ramp a short distance from the expressway to get to the bus stop. Route 4 should be studied for improved bus stop location as the overpasses are rebuilt.