10 Things T.A. Would Like to See in 1999

Thirty years ago, the New York Times was editorializing about the inevitability of a car-free Midtown Manhattan. History has not turned out that way, and pedestrian barricades rather than pedestrian-friendly streets are now the dominant feature of Midtown transportation planning. It goes to show that it is tough to know what is possible and what is fantastical. Following is T.A.'s best shot at a 10-item wish list for 1999 that we think is achievable given the dominant political leaders and social attitudes prevalent in fin-de-millennium New York.

1. Statewide Traffic Calming Legislation
Cities, towns and counties in New York State are hamstrung by an archaic state law that requires a 30-mph minimum on local streets. This nonsensical law has hampered efforts to improve local quality of life and pedestrian safety through the use of traffic calming. It is time for the NY State legislature to promote local traffic calming, instead of hindering it, by passing T.A.-crafted legislation that has been endorsed by leading environmental groups, the mayor and all the borough presidents of NYC, and numerous other town and county officials across the state.

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2. A Fair Share of Safety Funding For NYC Pedestrians and Cyclists
In 1995, Transportation Alternatives and the Tri-State Transportation Campaign documented the fact that 92% of the Federal safety funds spent in NYC go to area highways, even though 55% of traffic fatalities occur on city streets. T.A. has pushed the State and City into acknowledging this disparity and now the State seems ready to do the right thing and work with the City to achieve more equitable safety funding. T.A. challenges NYC DOT chief Wilbur Chapman to sit down with State DOT Region 11 head Richard Maitino and work out an agreement. The ball is in the City's court.

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3. Resurrection of the City's 'Safe Schools' Program
Then-acting DOT Commissioner Richard Malchow hit a home run in April 1998 when he told the City Council that the City was embarking on a five-year, $60-$80 million Safe Schools program. The ambitious plan featured traffic calming improvements at many of the City's 1,300 schools, and was hailed by T.A. advocates as putting NYC in the same league as pedestrian-friendly cities like Amsterdam. A scant eight months later, the program seems to have shrunk to about 1/100 of its former size and is now an unimaginative, routine sign replacement program coordinated out of the DOT's Sign Workshop. What a dismal ending to one of the best ideas coming out of DOT in ages. We urge DOT Commissioner Chapman to pull this program to its feet using Federal safety funds transferred from the State and proudly highlight it as the centerpiece of his tenure at DOT.

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4. A Three-Month Trial Closing of Prospect Park to Automobiles
What will it take to get the cars out of Prospect Park? Mass civil insurrection? Armed rebellion? DOT's traffic projections show little or no traffic impacts. Thousands and thousands of letters and postcards have been sent to elected officials, and public meetings have been completely one-sided in favor of getting cars out. Additionally, all four city councilmembers bordering Brooklyn's green oasis have endorsed a trial closing. Yet, nothing has been forthcoming from the mayor, DOT or Parks Department. Mayor Giuliani needs to make a decision here that shows his rhetoric about improving quality of life extends to the city's parks. We call on him to conduct a carefully monitored three-month trial closing in 1999 or issue a clear "no" to auto-free advocates.

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5. "Speed Kills" Campaign and More Red Light Cameras
The police should be feeling good about the big decline in traffic fatalities resulting from their huge traffic enforcement push in 1998. Yet much needs to be done to make NYC streets truly safe and tolerable places for pedestrians and cyclists. A next step is for the NYPD to mount an aggressive "Speed Kills" campaign. Along with advertising and heightened speed enforcement, the cops should seek state legislation allowing automated speed radar cameras, and then test and deploy the devices. These cameras automatically take a picture of a speeding vehicle's license plate, the same way that red light cameras do. Additionally, the DOT should get all 35 red light cameras it is permitted by state law out on the streets and plan on expanding the program to 100 cameras over the next five years.

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6. DOT Commitment To Permanent Bicycle / Pedestrian Path on the South Outer Roadway of the Queensboro Bridge
The twenty-year saga of the Queensboro Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path features more twists and turns and broken promises than a bad day at the Clinton White House. The city Department of Transportation has done a disservice to itself and the bicycling public by constantly and secretively changing plans for the bridge path. T.A. has made a clear and compelling case many times over for putting a permanently car-free path on the bridge's South Outer Roadway. That the DOT felt comfortable tearing down the South Outer Roadway completely during the peak traffic season in late 1998 should be evidence enough that a permanent path on that lane is feasible. It is time for DOT to stop jerking around the cyclists using the bridge and commit to a real path on the bridge. We like the sound of a "Wilbur Chapman Bike Path" on the South Outer Roadway. What do you say Commissioner?

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7. Expansion of NYC Traffic Calming Program
Hey DOT! Do not retreat from traffic calming. Speed humps work and the public wants them. It is a mistake for the DOT to put its speed hump program on hold because of the complaints of a small number of motorists and turf-conscious community boards. Across the city, neighborhood groups and PTAs have requested speed humps to stop speeding and excessive traffic. Speed humps make communities safer and more livable. Given the exhaustive review and analysis DOT conducted on speed hump design and methods, the agency should have confidence in its conclusions and move full speed ahead on this popular program. Similarly, the agency should begin installing mini-traffic circles and temporary sidewalk extensions.

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8. Creation of an Interim Hudson River Greenway Path on Trump Property between 60th and 72nd Streets
The State Department of Transportation is making rapid progress on the Hudson River Greenway segment between the Battery and 59th Street, and should be done by 2002. North of 72nd Street, the city Parks Department is filling in the path's gaps in Riverside Park, and will have a continuous greenway path built between 72nd and 133rd Streets by 2003 or so. The critical link in what will be the country's busiest greenway is an 18-foot-wide swath of city land alongside the massive Trump City project. The Parks Department must work with Mr. Trump to create an interim greenway path to keep the vision of a continuous Hudson River Greenway alive.

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9. Secure Bicycle Parking Installed at One NYC Subway Station and Grand Central Station or Penn Station
Judging by the bikes locked to just about everything around NYC subway stops, New Yorkers have embraced the concept of bike to transit. As part of a comprehensive strategy for reducing automobile use, transit agencies in Germany and Holland have long encouraged bike to transit trips by providing secure parking. The enormous growth in cycling in NYC over the last five years (from 75,000 to 105,000 everyday cyclists) lends impetus to NYC Transit testing bicycle parking at one or more of its subway stops. The Bedford Avenue stop on the "L" line in North Williamsburg is an ideal test site. Likewise, there is strong demand for secure parking at major terminals like Grand Central and Penn Station. Metro North officials have expressed interest in Grand Central Parking, but are moving too slowly. (See Sept./ Oct. '98 T.A. Magazine.)

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10. Passage of a City Law Guaranteeing Bicyclists Access to Freight Elevators in Their Workplaces
The only really secure bike parking is indoor parking. According to a 1992 T.A. survey, 67% of bicycle commuters park their bikes in their workplace. Conversely, the largest single factor cited by those who would like to bike commute but don't (48%), is the lack of secure parking. In our experience, the problem is not employers but building owners and managers. Building owners hate bicycles for a variety of reasons, but they especially dislike them in passenger elevators. Since virtually all big buildings have freight elevators, the solution to the problem of "unsightly" bicycles in lobbies and elevators is allowing bikes on freight elevators. Some buildings already do, and there are few reports of problems. However, the vast majority of buildings do not allow bikes on freight elevators. The reasoning is often bizarre. The manager of one building claimed that the lubricating grease in bicycles can explode. T.A. hopes to get beyond the irrational prejudice against bicycles with this new law.

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Runner-Ups:

• Innovative lane redesign for an existing bike lane
• Reconstitute Mayor's Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC): it worked well.
• Emergency vehicle override of red lights: sensible, inexpensive and proven.