A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.

Winners

New York City Council — The NYC Council undertook a forward-thinking slate of 14 bills and eight resolutions aimed at protecting the most vulnerable users of our roadways: pedestrians and bicyclists.

New York State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol — In a guest op-ed this week, Assemblymember Lentol called for his “colleagues in Albany to realize the importance of [traffic safety] policies and make the right choice in making our streets safer, while also saving lives.” A few days later both the Assembly and Senate passed speed camera legislation for New York City and Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

New York City Councilmember Dan Garodnick — At a rally last Sunday, Councilmember Garodnick announced that he will introduce legislation that would require employers with 20 or more workers to offer a federal transit pre-tax benefit. According to a report by Riders Alliance, both employers and their commuting employees stand to save hundreds of dollars per year if the legislation is adopted.

New York Senator Chuck Schumer — At a press conference on Monday, Senator Schumer issued a seven-point plan for reform for the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, and cited the agency’s need to return to its core mission of “improving and maintaining critical transportation infrastructure.”

Losers

New Haven Board of Alders — In a unanimous vote last week, the Board approved the sale of 5.5 acres near downtown New Haven to make way for a car-centric commercial plaza and 1,300 parking spaces.

New Jersey Transportation Commissioner James Simpson — Commissioner Simpson disputed the need to raise New Jersey’s gas tax, asserting that the state’s Transportation Trust Fund is not broke, and that it has enough money to last until July 2015. One year of funding doesn’t sound like a reliable long-term funding platform to us.