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T.A. In the News Latest 3/18 Williamsburg Bridge Bike Bumps To Be Bumped Off?, Gothamist 3/7 B's and C's for NYC Cycling, Tri-State Transportation Campaign Bulletin
3/1 Smoother Sailing for Williamsburg Bridge Cyclists?, Tri-State Transportation Campaign Bulletin
2/24 Billy Burg Bridge Bumps Get Soundly Thumped, Greenpoint Star
2/22 New York City transit is Olympian, boosters say, The Journal News
2/15 Tripping on the Williamsburg Bridge, Block Magazine 2/14 Fed-up NYers ditch their cars, New York Business
2/10 Bicycle Legislation Idea, West Side Spirit
2/7 Rules of the Road, Metropolis Magazine 
2/7
Traffic ban should follow
New York City smoking ban, am New York
2/4 Bicycle Accidents Due to Bump on Bridge, North Brooklyn News 2/4 Happy Birthday "Walk/Don't Walk", WNew York City 2/3 Red Light Cameras Getting Green Light, West Side Spirit
T.A. News Time on your hands? Eager to
make a difference? T.A. needs folks who are retired, work part-time or
between jobs to help our top-notch advocacy staff make the city a better place for bicyclists,
pedestrians and transit riders. Valet Bike Parking Volunteers Needed Volunteer to provide valet bike parking at events throughout the year. Register online to express your interest in this opportunity. T.A. still has two open internships:
- Advocacy
(work with T.A. program staff) Please visit transalt.org/intern for more information. Donations Wish List Help cycling and walking and get a tax deduction. Donate to T.A. We need: -Pentium 4 or better
PCs Contact Marc: info@transalt.org
Do Your Part for Safer Streets! Report: Potholes
and Hazards: Sidewalk
obstructions: Mayor's Quality of Life Hotline at 888-677-LIFE/
Read more about T.A.'s work to reduce street hazards at transalt.org/haz Report Dangerous Cabs: 212-221-TAXI or report them online.
Read more about T.A.'s work to make cabs safer for pedestrians and cyclists at transalt.org/cabs The T.A. Bulletin is a bi-weekly publication of Transportation Alternatives. The Bulletin has 37,000 subscribers. Transportation Alternatives is a 5,000-member New York City-area non-profit citizens group working for better bicycling, walking and public transit, and fewer cars. We work for safer, calmer neighborhood streets and car-free parks. Join T.A. today!
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Thanks to the helpful readers who alerted us to the fact that our recent survey was not compatible with some e-mail programs. You can take the survey online and still win a free entry to the New York City Century Bike Tour. We will be drawing a winner on April 15th so please take a moment to fill out the E-Bulletin Reader's Survey today! Making the Grade: T.A.'s 8th Annual Bicycling Report Card
T.A.'s 8th annual Bicycling Report Card grades government efforts to improve biking in New York and the results, or cycling reality, of those efforts. The purpose of the Bicycling Report Card is to provoke and encourage politicians and government agencies to make streets safer and more attractive for bicycling. In 2004, New York City biking became a little safer and more convenient. As a result, the Department of Transportation's annual survey of bike riding counted more people pedaling on New York City streets, greenways and bridges than ever. Based on DOT counts, T.A. estimates that 113,000 people bike everyday in New York City, and, according to the DOT, on an average weekday 4,300 people bike across the four East River bridges. On the whole however, New York City streets are still too dangerous. Drivers injured 3,000 cyclists (a slight decline from 2003) and killed 15 people riding bikes (one more than in 2003). Bicyclists did benefit from successful government programs like the NYPD's TrafficStat, which cracked down on double parking vehicles that often block bike lanes; the State DOT and the City Parks and Planning Departments' greenway efforts; the City DOT's red light enforcement cameras; and the MTA's 24-hour bikes aboard policy on the subways. Yet neither the Mayor's agencies nor the City Council solved longstanding problems like the lack of indoor bike parking, the primary obstacle to would be bike commuters dangerous bridge and greenway access, dangerous drivers who threaten and disrespect bikers and parked in bike lanes. The full report card and analysis is available in the Winter 2005 issue of Transportation Alternatives magazine and on-line here. Fixing the Dangerous Entrances to Prospect Park
Local residents who live near the dangerous intersection at Parkside Avenue and Flatbush Avenue at the Pergola entrance to Prospect Park have long endured speeding vehicles and erratic turning traffic, as they have tried to cross to and from Prospect Park and the Q line subway. Currently, inadequate crossing time and wide streets put people on foot at risk of being hit by the constant stream of speeding motorists driving through the immense intersection, even during the "WALK" phase of the traffic signal. Thousands of local residents must use this intersection to get to Prospect Park and other community attractions in the area each day, including a child care center; residents are fed up with being cut off from the park by this dangerous intersection. After getting over 400 signatures from Flatbush locals, including the day care center, T.A. members and residents sent them to Council Member Yvette Clarke, along with a letter asking that she communicate our concerns to the City Department of Transportation. Councilmember Clarke responded by sending a letter to Lori Ardito, Brooklyn DOT Commissioner. Some weeks later, Ms. Ardito wrote a letter back: "DOT will now make some improvements like dedicated right and left turns, a parking ban, and the refurbishment of road directional signs. All to be completed by the end of Spring 2005." Look out for details about an inaugural celebration, when the work has been completed! Hudson River Greenway Construction Alert!According to the New York City Parks Department the New York City Department of Environmental Protection is doing construction and building a new biking and walking path on the Hudson River Greenway between 135th and 145th Streets (behind Riverbank State Park) through the end of April. Expect periodic closings on this section of the greenway. Use the 158th Street entrance to detour around the construction. Honoring a New York City Hero
If you are enjoying the new and improved Central Park (with more car-free hours and entrances permanently closed to traffic) then thank Ken Coughlin, the Chair of Transportation Alternatives' Central Park Committee. A great way to show your appreciation is to help induct Ken into the New York City People's Hall of Fame. Since 1993, City Lore's People's Hall of Fame has honored those special few who have made significant grassroots contributions to New York's cultural and neighborhood life. Past honorees have included Peter Schumann, the founder of Bread and Puppet Theater and Kool D.J. Herc, the "Godfather of Hip Hop."
Send your support for Ken's candidacy to: citylore@citylore.org A simple "I support Ken
Coughlin!" or "Ken Coughlin is my hero!" will do. The T.A. E-Bulletin Reader Survey
*In order to enter you into the drawing we need your name and complete address. Transportation Alternatives does
not share your contact information. One entry per person. [an error occurred while processing this directive] Take Action
T.A. has many volunteer opportunities. Please visit our site to learn more about how you can help. Come to the Volunteer Mailing Party on Wednesday, March 30th at 6 pm at the T.A. Office (115 West 30th, #1207)! Free beer, soda, snacks and scintillating conversation. Advocacy Committees Brooklyn@transalt.org Centralpark@transalt.org Gowanus@transalt.org Citywide:
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Dear Reader, When you bike or walk you are improving quality of life for all New Yorkers. We all benefit from the clean air and quiet streets that you preserve by not driving. So why are you treated as a second class citizen? T.A. is reshaping New York City streets so that bicycling and walking New Yorkers get the safety and priority we deserve. Support T.A. today by becoming a contributing member. Sincerely, Paul S.
White P.S. Contributing members of Transportation Alternatives receive T.A.'s award-winning quarterly magazine, discounts at 100 New York City-area bike shops, a New York City bicycling map, and a discount of over $30 on a Kryptonite New York chain and Molly lock
Come to the Volunteer Mailing Party, Wednesday, March 30th at 6 pm at the T.A. Office (115 West 30th, #1207)! Free beer, soda, snacks and scintillating conversation.
Join T.A.
today to start receiving Transportation
Alternatives Magazine, our members-only in-depth quarterly
magazine— Selected articles
"Safety in Numbers" Redefines Road Safety
Bike Lanes Coming to Park Slope's 5th Ave
TA Fights for More Safety, Less Harassment
Restoring Vital Habitat: New York City Kids Need Car-Free Parks, Playgrounds and Side Streets
The Just Desserts of DOT's Piecemeal Policy
Governor Pataki's Low Capital Crime: Will He Commit it Again? TAKE
THE TOUR!
POTHOLES, STREET HAZARDS GOT YOU IN A RUT? Call DOT at 212-225-5368 and hit 0 to skip the message and speak with a
human. You can also report them online at transalt.org/ STAY SMART & INFORMED Savvy
transit riders get their lowdown on the subways here: Sensible
Transport Junkies:  The daily Gotham Gazette: gothamgazette .org New York City News summaries and savvy commentary. Bikes
in Bogota? Car-Free Cartagena? Tel-Aviv by Train?
Give on-line at transalt.org/join Quick!
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Check our maps page for links to New York City-area bicycle and transit maps. RIDES AND WALKS See the Rides and Walks page on our web site. |
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