A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (NY) — Thanks to Senator Schumer, the East River tunnels used by Amtrak and LIRR will receive $432 million in federal funds to complete Sandy repairs.
New Jersey Assemblymember John Wisniewski — Assemblymember Wisniewski questioned a plan to couple a 23-cent gas tax increase with a 1-cent sales tax cut, which potentially could lead to a $1.6 billion deficit in the general fund.
New York City Department of Transportation — After Manhattan Community Board 8 rejected the plan, the NYC Department of Transportation said it will install painted bike lanes on 70th, 71st, 77th and 78th Streets anyway.
CTTransit riders — As early as next March, CTTransit will begin replacing its bus fleet with new models featuring automatic stop announcements, smartphone- and smartcard-compatible fare boxes and mobile GPS tracking.
LOSERS
Queens Criminal Court Judge Gia L. Morris — Morris ruled that the Right of Way Law–a critical component of Vision Zero–is unconstitutional, despite the law having been previously upheld in court.
Suffolk County bus riders — Suffolk County will cut 10 to 20 bus routes this September to fill a $3 million budget gap.
Long Island Rail Road riders — A truck driver crashed into an LIRR overpass in Queens yesterday, inciting several hours worth of delays for rush-hour commuters.
The planet — More Americans will travel this July Fourth weekend than ever before in recorded history. Of those 43 million travelers, 84 percent will be hitting the roads and taking advantage of the lowest gas prices in over a decade.
