A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
New York Assemblymember Deborah Glick, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, Councilmembers Helen Rosenthal and Jimmy Van Bramer and Brooklyn M.S. 51 students — This group of New York City electeds and students went to Albany to push legislation that would lift restrictions on operating hours and the number of speed cameras within city boundaries.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio — Mayor de Blasio instructed DOT to move forward with the street redesign anyway, overriding a Queens Community Board 4 vote.
Mujeres en Movimiento — Last Saturday, 111 mothers marched along 111th Street in Queens’ Corona neighborhood for 111 seconds in support of the city’s proposed redesign, which includes pedestrian islands and a protected two-way cycle track.
Wood-Ridge, NJ commuters — The Wesmont train station will officially open on Sunday, May 15.
LOSERS
New Jersey taxpayers — Reconstruction costs of Ocean County’s Route 35, which was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy, have reached $341 million–roughly $76 million above budget.
Hunterdon County Freeholders — With just 50 days left until the Transportation Trust Fund goes broke, Hunterdon County freeholders adopted a resolution expressing their opposition to a gas tax increase.
Connecticut General Assembly — Neither the House nor the Senate took a vote on a measure which would have given Nutmeg State voters the opportunity to constitutionally protect the state’s transportation funds.
NJ Transit — Yet another top-ranking official has left the agency: Deputy Executive Director Neil Yellin retired last week.
