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

WINNERS

President Barack Obama – While visiting the Tappan Zee Bridge today to urge congressional action for transportation infrastructure funding, President Obama said that “Rebuilding America shouldn’t be a partisan issue.”

NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan – In response to media inquiries about whether NYPD would be cracking down on distracted pedestrians, Chief Chan said: “Motorists are operating a 4,000 pound vehicle. And we cannot be distracted while we’re operating that vehicle. When a collision occurs between a motorist and a pedestrian, the pedestrian loses 100 percent of the time.”

Suffolk County Transit Riders Octavia Clarkson and Dawn Wing – Octavia and Dawn led a grassroots effort to collect nearly 1,500 signatures calling on Suffolk County’s state elected delegation to find additional funding for the county’s bus system.

New Brunswick , New Jersey – Just one week after three children were hit by a car, city officials announced a “road diet” for Livingston Avenue, slimming the road from four lanes to two in an effort to calm traffic and prevent future crashes.

LOSERS

Staten Island Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis – Not only has Assembly member Malliotakis hyperbolically compared speed cameras to waging “war on Staten Island’s drivers”, she is now disregarding all research that suggests slower speeds improves roadway safety and is fighting against lowering the speed limit to 20 mph, stating she bikes faster than that.

New York State Senator Tony Avella –  Senator Avella has come out in opposition to a bill proposing a citywide 20 mph speed limit because it would be an inconvenience to communities. His rationale? He doesn’t believe that there has been any community support for lowering the city’s speed limit in Queens.