A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
Winners
ConnDOT and Connecticut cyclists — Connecticut is funding the installation of 100 bike racks on Metro-North New Haven Line trains.
NYPD’s 78th Precinct — The Park Slope area precinct has been stepping up enforcement against the leading cause of pedestrian injuries, and “one of the city’s deadliest traffic violations — failing to yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk.” The precinct’s deputy inspector was also spotted shoveling snow out of a bike lane.
Vineland (NJ) Health Educator Emma Lopez and City Engineer Brian Myers — Thanks to the efforts of Lopez and Myers, the City is moving forward with plans to install Vineland’s first bike lanes.
NY Assemblyman James Brennan — Assemblyman Brennan said Governor Cuomo’s proposed diversion of MTA funds is “a grab and he shouldn’t do it.” Brennan suggested the $40 million could be used for improved maintenance, service restorations and fare hike mitigation.
Losers
Regional rail riders — More than 800 NJ Transit passengers were stranded on trains without heat in two separate incidents this morning, a power failure and a signal shutdown last week are threatening commuter faith in Metro-North, and another setback for the East Side Access project means Long Island Rail Road trains won’t be rolling into Grand Central Terminal until 2023.
NYPD’s 20th Precinct — While other precincts crack down on dangerous driving, the Upper West Side precinct is blaming pedestrians for “running out and being struck.”
Staten Island Borough President James Oddo — Oddo, who last month lobbied the New York City Department of Transportation to end its bus lane camera program altogether, is asking NYC DOT to lift bus lane restrictions during snow emergencies.
Jay walking pedestrians cause a lot of accidents and get a lot of people hurt or killed. I’ll accept that in some areas NYC makes it hard to get across the street at cross walks, but pedestrians have to take some responsibility.
Jay walking pedestrians DO NOT cause a lot of accidents and get a lot of people hurt or killed.