Letters

Open the Hudson Greenway
I second your demand to open the Hudson Greenway! I now have to fight traffic from 58th Street south, even though the Greenway was the reason I began biking in the first place. I felt a little guilty for complaining about the inconvenience in the wake of the WTC attacks but it makes no sense to have the bike path closed when cars are whizzing by there everyday. The police act like they own that little strip of concrete when, in fact, we, the public, do. Is there someone I can write to express my desire to see the Greenway opened?
Thanks,
Larry Zuckerman

[Editor's note: It's open! In December, eight hundred plus T.A. members e-mailed the Office of Emergency Operations following our coverage of the issue in the T.A. e-bulletin. See article page 6.]

Rising out of the Ashes of 9/11
If one good thing could come out of the 9/11 event, it would certainly be car-pooling. This old New Yorker would like to buy a round of drinks and metro cards for the Transportation Alternatives Staff.
Thanks,
Sam Henriques

Closed Sidewalk at Foley Square
I can understand that present conditions require the extra security of closing the sidewalk in front of the Federal Court House. However, use of the entire bike lane for pedestrians forces cyclists into traffic for the block in question. It seems that the bike lane is sufficiently wide to be shared by pedestrians and cyclists by setting up the cones at the inner edge of the buffer zone, leaving the buffer zone itself for cyclists and the actual bike lane for pedestrians. Better yet, two sets of cones can be used to create a pedestrian and cycling lane separated from traffic. Even a concrete barricade could be put in place between the outer edge of the buffer zone and traffic to improve the situation.
Thanks,
Gary Eckstein

Cheers for Central Park West
The Central Park West bike lane is wonderful. Yes, curbside would have been better. But we're more likely to get that when more people are riding along CPW. More will now because there's now some kind of bike lane.
The new CPW bike lane is great for my morning commute. In the evenings I was afraid to go through the Park but also afraid to ride squeezed between the killer cars. So I confess, I used to ride on the sidewalk. Now I'm off the sidewalk, and riding in Commissioner Salkin's new bike lane. The CPW bike lane helps cyclists and it helps pedestrians.
Doubly good work!
Wilton Woods

Staten Island Right on Red
Governor Pataki,
I am a little concerned regarding the possibility of "Right on Red" in the borough of Staten Island. I am an avid cyclist as well as someone who drives often. I have seen way too many near misses involving normal stop signs, where drivers do not stop at the sign, as well as drivers turning, looking for vehicle traffic and not pedestrian traffic. By passing this legislature I feel that you will be making a grave mistake and inviting more pedestrian accidents.
Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
George Mattera

[Editor's note: Governor Pataki vetoed the Staten Island Right on Red on November 21, a victory for NYC's cyclists and pedestrians.]

Greetings from Florida
I'm so very proud of what you are doing with and for bicyclists in New York. I'm a 79 year-old retired NYCPD detective. I rode and raced on bikes starting at age 14. In the old days, we (our club, the Kings Wheelers of Brooklyn) did our monthly centuries year round, in snow, rain or whatever. We respected automobiles and they gave us our due space. The reports you e-mail today are awesome. Though I ride daily on the trails in Florida, I miss the action of New York City. Reading what you're doing for bicyclists makes me proud to think people still care for one another.
Keep up the wonderful work!!
Robert MICHELMAN