A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
Metropolitan Transportation Authority — The agency will carry out a two-week track cleaning initiative at all 469 subway stations to reduce track fires and delays.
Burlington County bicyclists and pedestrians — The county received a $2.3 million federal grant to continue construction of a 60-mile biking and walking path along the Delaware River.
Brooklyn Bridge bicyclists and pedestrians — The New York City Department of Transportation is commissioning a feasibility study to assess potentially widening the Brooklyn Bridge’s perpetually-cramped walking and biking path.
Dutch Olympians — Dutch athletes, delegation members and volunteers are beating Rio’s notorious gridlock this Olympic season the best way they know how: on bicycle.
LOSERS
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto — New Jersey is now six weeks into the Transportation Trust Fund shutdown, and according to Senate President Sweeney, no progress has been made by lawmakers or the governor. Speaker Prieto has called for a transportation funding summit to end the stalemate, which is costing New Jersey $9 million every week.
Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone — Bellone announced plans to cut nine Suffolk County Transit bus routes to help close a $78 million county deficit and noted there may be more cuts next year.
Connecticut — A recent study found that 168 Connecticut residents die of air pollution-related causes every year. Throughout the Northeast, Connecticut had the highest levels of ozone, a pollutant that can be formed from car exhaust.
New York drivers — New Yorkers recently ranked eighth worst when it came to taking selfies while driving.