A weekly roundup of good deeds, missteps, heroic feats and epic failures in the tri-state region and beyond.
WINNERS
New York Assemblymember Robert Rodriguez — Assemblymember Rodriguez introduced legislation to reform tolls on New York City bridges with 14 Assembly co-sponsors.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo — Governor Cuomo announced a $40 million plan to replace two miles of the four-lane Robert Moses Parkway in Niagara Falls with a park.
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy — Governor Malloy was an instrumental proponent of CTfastrak leading up to its launch. Now, after one year of operation, CTfastrak has served more than 3 million riders.
NJ Transit bus commuters — The Port Authority committed to building a new bus terminal in Manhattan, ensuring a one-seat ride for many New Jersey commuters.
Portland bicyclists — Rose City transportation officials restriped the 3rd Avenue bike lane just one day after an anonymous group of safe streets advocates placed cones along the fading corridor.
LOSERS
Long Island Rail Road riders — Late, cancelled and terminated LIRR trains cost riders 1,852,778 hours in lost time and $106,071,541 in lost economic productivity last year.
New York City bicyclists — In its 2016 bike map, the city Department of Transportation incorrectly marked several streets as having bike lanes where there are none, and failed to update upper Central Park’s car-free hours. Citi Bike also plans to take 1,000 bikes out of circulation for “a few weeks” to inspect and repair faulty forks.
New Jersey Transit — The agency is now facing a $57 million budget deficit less than one year after hiking fares by 9 percent to close a $56 million gap.
Madonna — Celebrities, they’re just like us: they feel entitled to free parking, too!
