Project for Public Spaces » New York City Streets Renaissance http://www.pps.org Placemaking for Communities Mon, 13 May 2013 20:45:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5 ‘Streets For People’ Campaign Kicks off in Seattle http://www.pps.org/blog/streets-for-people-campaign-kicks-off-in-seattle/ http://www.pps.org/blog/streets-for-people-campaign-kicks-off-in-seattle/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:05:20 +0000 Brian Geraghty http://blog.pps.org/?p=1714 ‘What’s your street for?’ is the motto of Seattle’s new Streets for People Campaign.  Modeled in many ways after the ‘Open source’ NYC Street Renaissance Campaign that PPS helped to found, Streets for People’s approach to advocacy is to connect, convene and inspire a new conversation about how streets can best [...]]]> Seattles Skyline

Known for its skyline and natural setting, Seattle is organizing to re-envision its streets as places for people.

‘What’s your street for?’ is the motto of Seattle’s new Streets for People Campaign.  Modeled in many ways after the ‘Open source’ NYC Street Renaissance Campaign that PPS helped to found, Streets for People’s approach to advocacy is to connect, convene and inspire a new conversation about how streets can best be used as public spaces for people.

The campaign will be coordinating with a broad range of local organizations, as well as with the city, on bike and pedestrian Master Plans, a Summer Streets program, Seattle’s new plan for light rail transit (LRT), as well as a Low Impact Vehicle Exhibition (aLIVE) which invites the public to submit installations for display and demonstrations during a one day exhibition.

PPS’ Renee Espiau traveled to Seattle to help launch the Streets for People campaign in February.  Espiau gave a presentation on PPS’s work and approach to generating demand and creativity for the higher use of our road space and how that placemaking approach translates into city-wide advocacy.  The event was covered by the Worldchanging blog.

In New York City, PPS partnered with The Open Planning Project and Transportation Alternatives to create the New York City Streets Renaissance (NYCSR) which has ignited a powerhouse of change for pedestrian oriented redevelopment in various NYC locations such as Gansevoort Plaza and Madison Square. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently announced plans to reclaim vast stretches of Broadway through Times Square and Herald Square which realizes dreams set early in the campaign.  Look out for more reclaimed pedestrian space and great streets in Seattle.

This momentum in Seattle further reflects the ripe Placemaking movement that PPS has participated in and chronicled over recent years.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/streets-for-people-campaign-kicks-off-in-seattle/feed/ 5 Streetsblog gets credit for its influence as a new breed of advocacy journalism. http://www.pps.org/blog/born-of-a-pps-partnership-in-the-nycsr-streetsblog-gets-credit-for-its-influence-as-a-new-breed-of-advocacy-journalism/ http://www.pps.org/blog/born-of-a-pps-partnership-in-the-nycsr-streetsblog-gets-credit-for-its-influence-as-a-new-breed-of-advocacy-journalism/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:17:21 +0000 Brian Geraghty http://blog.pps.org/?p=1489 At the dawn of a revolution in transportation planning policy, there stands an influential engine that has bridged the divide between advocacy and government, moving towards a common goal. Streetsblog – an advocacy website at the forefront of the livable streets movement and the golden goose of their lesser known parent organization called Madison Square before and after NYCSR led redevelopment

Madison Square before and after the public plaza program

At the dawn of a revolution in transportation planning policy, there stands an influential engine that has bridged the divide between advocacy and government, moving towards a common goal. Streetsblog – an advocacy website at the forefront of the livable streets movement and the golden goose of their lesser known parent organization called The Open Planning Project (TOPP) – has teamed with PPS as well as Transportation Alternatives, another well known transportation advocacy group to form a juggernaut of  change for pedestrian, transit and cyclist oriented transportation policy. The three organizations formed a partnership called The New York City Streets Renaissance (NYCSR) in 2005 that has made a powerful and lasting impact on the built environment of the City in just a few short years. If you live in New York City or visit frequently then you most likely noticed some of the results last summer. Lanes of traffic and pavement in Madison Square were reclaimed for pedestrians and cyclists, creating a beautiful and social place. NYCSR also helped to transform the appearance and function of Gansevoort Plaza in the Meat Packing District, among many other places, and the partnership has spawned a new corps of planners in the NYC DOT, dedicated to transforming streets for the benefit of pedestrians and cyclists.

Read More about NYCSR at their official website, here.

Read the whole article on the background of Streetsblog here.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/born-of-a-pps-partnership-in-the-nycsr-streetsblog-gets-credit-for-its-influence-as-a-new-breed-of-advocacy-journalism/feed/ 4 Cyclists Take to the Streets in NYC http://www.pps.org/blog/cyclists-take-to-the-streets-in-nyc/ http://www.pps.org/blog/cyclists-take-to-the-streets-in-nyc/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:21:07 +0000 Robin Lester Following the lead of innovative cities such as Bogota, El Paso, Ottowa, Guadalajara and Paris, New York City is shifting its focus from cars to people on its streets.  Through its Summer Streets program, the city will close down a 6.9-mile stretch of road to cars on three consecutive Saturdays between the Brooklyn Bridge [...]]]> Following the lead of innovative cities such as Bogota, El Paso, Ottowa, Guadalajara and Paris, New York City is shifting its focus from cars to people on its streets.  Through its Summer Streets program, the city will close down a 6.9-mile stretch of road to cars on three consecutive Saturdays between the Brooklyn Bridge and East 72nd Street, creating an opportunity for safe cycling, walking and exploring.

The program is modeled off of Ciclovia, a similar initiative in Bogota, Colombia, that provides 70 miles worth of car-free streets each weekend to pedestrians and cyclists.  Now in its 32nd year, Ciclovia is considered to be an enormous success.

The road closure isn’t favored by all.  Taxi drivers and business owners alike are concerned about the financial impact of their livelihoods.

The Summer Streets route will include stretches of Centre Street, Lafayette, Fourth Avenue and Park Avenue and will take place on August 9, 16 and 23 from 7am until 1pm.

Further Reading:

  • Car-Free Streets, a Colombian Import, Inspire Debate [NY Times]
  • City to Experiment with Car-Free Streets [CityRoom] 
]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/cyclists-take-to-the-streets-in-nyc/feed/ 0 Before + After: NYC’s Gansevoort Plaza Welcomes Pedestrians http://www.pps.org/blog/before-after-nycs-gansevoort-plaza-welcomes-pedestrians/ http://www.pps.org/blog/before-after-nycs-gansevoort-plaza-welcomes-pedestrians/#comments Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:56:48 +0000 Robin Lester

Just a few weeks ago, the Meatpacking District’s Gansevoort Plaza was an urban wasteland.  Cars and cabs pealed through the area without regard to their surroundings, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2005, PPS met with local community leaders to develop a vision for the area.  Recently, several simple changes were [...]]]>

Just a few weeks ago, the Meatpacking District’s Gansevoort Plaza was an urban wasteland.  Cars and cabs pealed through the area without regard to their surroundings, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2005, PPS met with local community leaders to develop a vision for the area.  Recently, several simple changes were implemented that have changed the streetscape.

Photo by Lily Bernheimer

Traffic has been significantly slowed and pedestrians now have a place to sit in this now-bustling neighborhood!

Previous Posts:

Eve on the Street: Gansevoort Plaza Open for Business [Streetsblog]

PPS Projects: Gansevoort Plaza [PPS Transportation Projects]

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/before-after-nycs-gansevoort-plaza-welcomes-pedestrians/feed/ 0 New Gansevoort Plaza in Meatpacking District http://www.pps.org/blog/new-gansevoort-plaza-in-meatpacking-district/ http://www.pps.org/blog/new-gansevoort-plaza-in-meatpacking-district/#comments Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:02:20 +0000 mkodransky@pps.org  

   Photo Credit (left): Lily Bernheimer

The NYC DOT appears to be moving ahead with changes that will make Gansevoort Plaza, a massive intersection at the heart of the Meatpacking District, into a comfortable pedestrian area.

While everyone is wondering how the space will shape [...]]]>  

   Photo Credit (left): Lily Bernheimer

The NYC DOT appears to be moving ahead with changes that will make Gansevoort Plaza, a massive intersection at the heart of the Meatpacking District, into a comfortable pedestrian area.

While everyone is wondering how the space will shape up in the long-run, comment postings on Streetsblog show that there is no shortage of good ideas. Recommendations from readers range from the installation of a central fountain to allocating the space for a green or flea market.

Related Posts:

Community Vision for Gansevoort Plaza [PPS Project Experience]

Meat Market Traffic Patterns [The Villager]

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/new-gansevoort-plaza-in-meatpacking-district/feed/ 0 Taking Back the Streets in NYC http://www.pps.org/blog/taking-back-the-streets-in-nyc/ http://www.pps.org/blog/taking-back-the-streets-in-nyc/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:43:12 +0000 mkodransky@pps.org Photo: Woonerf in Copenhagen, Denmark

The New York Times reports on ten progressive street designs that are challenging the traditional “street-curb-sidewalk motif,” which has defined so many streets in NYC and around the world by giving priority to automobiles. The ten designs are:

Woonerfs Play Streets  Bicycle [...]]]> Photo: Woonerf in Copenhagen, Denmark

The New York Times reports on ten progressive street designs that are challenging the traditional “street-curb-sidewalk motif,” which has defined so many streets in NYC and around the world by giving priority to automobiles. The ten designs are:

  1. Woonerfs
  2. Play Streets 
  3. Bicycle Boulevards  
  4. Pavement Hierarchy 
  5. Green Grid 
  6. Mental Speed Bumps
  7. Swaled Streets
  8. Lanescapes 
  9. Gentle Congestion 
  10. Urban Acupuncture

Ethan Kent, PPS Vice President, who has been involved with the NYC Streets Renaissance Campaign, remarks:

“Let’s go to the next level to create great streets that really draw the life of the communities they are meant to serve.”

Some of the transportation reforms, like the conversion of a parking lot to a public plaza in DUMBO, have been met with overwhelming community support, while other proposals stir mixed reactions.   

More On Great Streets:

APA Great Streets in America

Book by Alan Jacobs

Greatstreets.org

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/taking-back-the-streets-in-nyc/feed/ 0 U.S. Presidential Candidates Ignoring Urban Issues http://www.pps.org/blog/u-s-presidential-candidates-ignoring-urban-issues/ http://www.pps.org/blog/u-s-presidential-candidates-ignoring-urban-issues/#comments Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:15:32 +0000 mkodransky@pps.org

Despite the large number of Americans now living in cities, urban issues have been astonishingly absent from the U.S. presidential debates. PPS did a spoof article for Faking Places, the annual April Fool’s Newsletter, in which Hillary, McCain and Obama make promises for more livable [...]]]>

Despite the large number of Americans now living in cities, urban issues have been astonishingly absent from the U.S. presidential debates. PPS did a spoof article for Faking Places, the annual April Fool’s Newsletter, in which Hillary, McCain and Obama make promises for more livable neighborhoods. The glaring omission of urban issues from the national discourse is actually no laughing matter.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

“There are three times as many urbanites in America as country folk, yet you wouldn’t know it listening to the three main presidential candidates, or perusing their Web sites. Instead, you might come away thinking the United States is a collection of Norman Rockwell small towns surrounded by picture-book farms.”

Related Stories: 

The Candidates and the City [Gotham Gazette]

Urban Issues Get Short Shrift [Politico]

Candidates Largely Ignore Urban Issues [City Mayors]

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/u-s-presidential-candidates-ignoring-urban-issues/feed/ 1 Envisioning A More Livable Columbus Avenue http://www.pps.org/blog/envisioning-a-more-livable-columbus-avenue/ http://www.pps.org/blog/envisioning-a-more-livable-columbus-avenue/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:26:36 +0000 mkodransky@pps.org

Streetsblog reports on the changes that have been taking place along Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. PPS worked with the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) to develop a new vision for a 15-block area last year. Some of the improvements suggested include improved parking management, higher quality design [...]]]>

Streetsblog reports on the changes that have been taking place along Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side in Manhattan. PPS worked with the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) to develop a new vision for a 15-block area last year. Some of the improvements suggested include improved parking management, higher quality design materials and more amenities for pedestrians.

The findings of the BID’s comprehensive vision will be presented by Phil Myrick to Manhattan Community Board 7′s Green Committee and members of the Parks and Transportation Committees on Monday, March 24th at 7pm. The meeting will take place at 250 West 87th Street, 2nd Floor.

Download the BID Vision Report here.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/envisioning-a-more-livable-columbus-avenue/feed/ 0 Completing NYC Streets For The Next Century http://www.pps.org/blog/completing-nyc-streets-for-the-next-century/ http://www.pps.org/blog/completing-nyc-streets-for-the-next-century/#comments Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:08:03 +0000 keenan “For four decades, activists for greener, safer NYC streets have scrounged at the margins of this automobilized streetscape. A few feet of traffic lanes converted to bike lanes, the occasional sidewalk extended to relieve a dangerous intersection — all important changes, but all within the context of streets that serve cars, first and foremost. But [...]]]> “For four decades, activists for greener, safer NYC streets have scrounged at the margins of this automobilized streetscape. A few feet of traffic lanes converted to bike lanes, the occasional sidewalk extended to relieve a dangerous intersection — all important changes, but all within the context of streets that serve cars, first and foremost. But what would our streets look like if they were redesigned, building-to-building, to first accommodate walkers, bicyclists, the disabled and surface transit? The days of living at the margins are over: the Complete Streets revolution has begun.

The Complete Streets movement represents a newer, bolder approach to making streets safe, accessible and multi-modal. Advocates have shifted their tactics: Instead of improving streets one block or intersection at time, they are working towards new design standards that can be implemented on a grand scale as streets come up for reconstruction or resurfacing. In much the same way that the motor-vehicle lobby irrevocably altered streetscapes in the early 20th century, Complete Streets advocates are creating the blueprints for 21st century streets.”

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/completing-nyc-streets-for-the-next-century/feed/ 0 Searching for the Soul of Times Square http://www.pps.org/blog/searching-for-the-soul-of-times-square/ http://www.pps.org/blog/searching-for-the-soul-of-times-square/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:55:00 +0000 keenan You know that scene in the movie I Am Legend where Will Smith (playing the last man on Earth) and his German shepherd (playing the world’s last good dog) go deer hunting in a depopulated Times Square? Well, to my urbanist-geek way of thinking, the most impressive aspect of this masterpiece of computer-generated cityscape is [...]]]> You know that scene in the movie I Am Legend where Will Smith (playing the last man on Earth) and his German shepherd (playing the world’s last good dog) go deer hunting in a depopulated Times Square? Well, to my urbanist-geek way of thinking, the most impressive aspect of this masterpiece of computer-generated cityscape is that the new TKTS booth, currently under construction, plays a pivotal role in the action. How is it that before the whole human race perished from a nasty viral infection (or was transformed into obnoxious zombies) we still had the presence of mind to complete a lovely public amenity, the long-neglected winner of a 1999 design competition?

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/searching-for-the-soul-of-times-square/feed/ 0 The Great Neighborhood Book Voted in the Top 10 Planning Books for 2007 by Planetizen http://www.pps.org/blog/the-great-neighborhood-book-voted-in-the-top-10-planning-books-for-2007-by-planetizen/ http://www.pps.org/blog/the-great-neighborhood-book-voted-in-the-top-10-planning-books-for-2007-by-planetizen/#comments Wed, 30 Jan 2008 17:24:47 +0000 rdahl@pps.org Planetizen has named PPS/Jay Walljasper’s The Great Neighborhood Book as one of its top 10 planing books of 2007.  http://www.planetizen.com/books/2008
Also, Urban Land magazine recently reviewed The Great Neighborhood Book in the November/December 2007 issue. Click here to read the review.
The Great Neighborhood Book also received an honorable mention on [...]]]> Planetizen has named PPS/Jay Walljasper’s The Great Neighborhood Book as one of its top 10 planing books of 2007.  http://www.planetizen.com/books/2008
Also, Urban Land magazine recently reviewed The Great Neighborhood Book in the November/December 2007 issue. Click here to read the review.
The Great Neighborhood Book also received an honorable mention on the American Booksellers Association’s list of books about promoting local businesses.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/the-great-neighborhood-book-voted-in-the-top-10-planning-books-for-2007-by-planetizen/feed/ 0 StreetStars: Christine Berthet and the Ninth Avenue Renaissance http://www.pps.org/blog/streetstars-christine-berthet-and-the-ninth-avenue-renaissance/ http://www.pps.org/blog/streetstars-christine-berthet-and-the-ninth-avenue-renaissance/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:54:07 +0000 rdahl@pps.org The StreetStars series focuses on the heroes and organizers in our communities who are fighting constructively for livable streets.

Christine Berthet, co-founder of Chekpeds (the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Pedestrian Safety Coalition), worked with TA and PPS, and was instrumental in organizing the Ninth Avenue Renaissance.

]]> The StreetStars series focuses on the heroes and organizers in our communities who are fighting constructively for livable streets.

Christine Berthet, co-founder of Chekpeds (the Clinton/Hell’s Kitchen Pedestrian Safety Coalition), worked with TA and PPS, and was instrumental in organizing the Ninth Avenue Renaissance.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/streetstars-christine-berthet-and-the-ninth-avenue-renaissance/feed/ 0 Hibernation Discouraged: Cities Need Life on Their Streets http://www.pps.org/blog/hibernation-discouraged-cities-need-life-on-their-streets/ http://www.pps.org/blog/hibernation-discouraged-cities-need-life-on-their-streets/#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2008 13:40:05 +0000 rdahl@pps.org Jay Walljasper discusses the need for cities to have life on their streets – even in the most frigid days (and nights) of winter.

“Plunging temperatures don’t necessarily sentence us to months of house arrest. People around the world from Copenhagen to New York are figuring out how to keep things lively [...]]]> Jay Walljasper discusses the need for cities to have life on their streets – even in the most frigid days (and nights) of winter.

“Plunging temperatures don’t necessarily sentence us to months of house arrest. People around the world from Copenhagen to New York are figuring out how to keep things lively throughout the colder months. City streets bustle with festivals and outdoor attractions showing that winter is something to enjoy rather than endure.

My colleague Cynthia Nikitin, vice president of Project for Public Spaces, describes Berlin in the dead of winter: “It gets dark at 3:30. It’s snowing like crazy. But it’s no problem. People are playing bocce ball on the ice. There are tents selling hot mulled wine. You are walking down the street just watching all the other people. Life is good, and winter feels good, too.”

But you need to give people reasons to be outside, Nikitin adds — “a market, ice skating, music, decorative lighting. No one will stay outdoors to stare at an empty plaza.”

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/hibernation-discouraged-cities-need-life-on-their-streets/feed/ 0 Discriminatory by Design http://www.pps.org/blog/discriminatory-by-design/ http://www.pps.org/blog/discriminatory-by-design/#comments Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:42:40 +0000 rdahl@pps.org

New York City‘s streets and intersections expose elderly pedestrians to unacceptable risks. As a result, many senior citizens are not as mobile as they want to be, do not get the physical activity they need to maximize their health, and are often the victims of crashes with motor vehicles.

]]>

New York City‘s streets and intersections expose elderly pedestrians to unacceptable risks. As a result, many senior citizens are not as mobile as they want to be, do not get the physical activity they need to maximize their health, and are often the victims of crashes with motor vehicles.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/discriminatory-by-design/feed/ 0 The Rockefeller Foundation Jane Jacobs Medal Nomination Process is Now Open http://www.pps.org/blog/the-rockefeller-foundation-jane-jacobs-medal-nomination-process-is-now-open/ http://www.pps.org/blog/the-rockefeller-foundation-jane-jacobs-medal-nomination-process-is-now-open/#comments Fri, 11 Jan 2008 15:35:35 +0000 rdahl@pps.org The Rockefeller Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Jane Jacobs Medal on its website through February 1, 2008. The 2008 Rockefeller Foundation Jane Jacobs Medals will recognize two living individuals whose creative vision for the urban environment has significantly contributed to the vibrancy and variety of New York City.

Click [...]]]> The Rockefeller Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2008 Jane Jacobs Medal on its website through February 1, 2008. The 2008 Rockefeller Foundation Jane Jacobs Medals will recognize two living individuals whose creative vision for the urban environment has significantly contributed to the vibrancy and variety of New York City.

Click here for the full  press release

Click here for the The 2008 Jane Jacobs Medal Nomination Form

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/the-rockefeller-foundation-jane-jacobs-medal-nomination-process-is-now-open/feed/ 0 Jan Gehl to Help NYC Create More Livable Streets http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-to-help-nyc-create-more-livable-streets/ http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-to-help-nyc-create-more-livable-streets/#comments Thu, 08 Nov 2007 16:38:23 +0000 rdahl@pps.org Jan Gehl, an urban planner known for promoting “life between buildings,” begins work in New York City with both the Department of Transportation and the Upper West Side Streets Renaissance Campaign. Gehl helps cities with traffic calming and creating more livable streets.

]]> Jan Gehl, an urban planner known for promoting “life between buildings,” begins work in New York City with both the Department of Transportation and the Upper West Side Streets Renaissance Campaign. Gehl helps cities with traffic calming and creating more livable streets.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-to-help-nyc-create-more-livable-streets/feed/ 0 NYC Century Bike Tour http://www.pps.org/blog/nyc-century-bike-tour/ http://www.pps.org/blog/nyc-century-bike-tour/#comments Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:48:08 +0000 rdahl@pps.org Choose Your Distance, Ride Your Pace: 100, 75, 55, 35 and 15 mile routes.

The Century is your ride—as challenging or relaxing as you choose, but always fun and rewarding. All routes have been carefully designed [...]]]>

6,000 Cyclists, 5 route options, the #1 best way to see New York City.

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

Choose Your Distance, Ride Your Pace: 100, 75, 55, 35 and 15 mile routes.

The Century is your ride—as challenging or relaxing as you choose, but always fun and rewarding. All routes have been carefully designed with your safety and enjoyment in mind. No matter which route you choose, you will be fully supported by experienced marshals and mechanics along the route and plentiful food at scenic rest stops. Plus on ride day all riders will receive a commemorative organic cotton t-shirt. Sign up before August 18 and you’ll be eligible to use the express start on Ride Day. ]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/nyc-century-bike-tour/feed/ 0 Video on Urban Planning and Traffic in NY http://www.pps.org/blog/video-on-urban-planning-and-traffic-in-ny/ http://www.pps.org/blog/video-on-urban-planning-and-traffic-in-ny/#comments Wed, 29 Aug 2007 13:44:02 +0000 rdahl@pps.org The Open Planning Project founder Mark Gorton in NY talks with “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz about about history of DOT in NYC, car-free Cental Park, and general transportation policy. It gives a great history of the evolution of transportation thinking and policy in NY over the last 40 years.

Click here to watch the video. [...]]]> The Open Planning Project founder Mark Gorton in NY talks with “Gridlock Sam” Schwartz about about history of DOT in NYC, car-free Cental Park, and general transportation policy. It gives a great history of the evolution of transportation thinking and policy in NY over the last 40 years.

Click here to watch the video. Running time: approx. 10 mins.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/video-on-urban-planning-and-traffic-in-ny/feed/ 0 Secretary Peters Says Bikes “Are Not Transportation” http://www.pps.org/blog/secretary-peters-says-bikes-are-not-transportation/ http://www.pps.org/blog/secretary-peters-says-bikes-are-not-transportation/#comments Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:37:41 +0000 rdahl@pps.org On PBS’ “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” this week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said that instead of raising taxes on gasoline to renew the nation’s sagging infrastructure, Congress should examine its spending priorities — including investments in bike paths and trails, which, Peters said, “are not transportation.”
PBS has the full transcript, [...]]]> On PBS’ “NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” this week, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters said that instead of raising taxes on gasoline to renew the nation’s sagging infrastructure, Congress should examine its spending priorities — including investments in bike paths and trails, which, Peters said, “are not transportation.”
PBS has the full transcript, along with video of the interview.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/secretary-peters-says-bikes-are-not-transportation/feed/ 0 City Experiments by Adding Color to Bus Lanes http://www.pps.org/blog/city-experiments-by-adding-color-to-bus-lanes/ http://www.pps.org/blog/city-experiments-by-adding-color-to-bus-lanes/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:08:24 +0000 rdahl@pps.org With support from the Federal Highway Administration, New York City will be the first locality in the United States to test painted bus lanes, the city’s Department of Transportation announced today.

Photo: New York City Department of Transportation

As part of a trial period, existing bus lanes on East 57th Street, from [...]]]> With support from the Federal Highway Administration, New York City will be the first locality in the United States to test painted bus lanes, the city’s Department of Transportation announced today.

Photo: New York City Department of Transportation

As part of a trial period, existing bus lanes on East 57th Street, from Second to Fifth Avenues, and on Fordham Road, from University Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, are being painted terra cotta, a deep red like the color of bricks. If the experiment works, officials hope that more motorists will stay out of the lanes, which are used during the morning and evening rush, on weekdays.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/city-experiments-by-adding-color-to-bus-lanes/feed/ 0 PPS Training Courses Open for Registration! http://www.pps.org/blog/pps-training-courses-open-for-registration/ http://www.pps.org/blog/pps-training-courses-open-for-registration/#comments Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:45:38 +0000 rdahl@pps.org Registration is now open for our two-day public training courses here in NYC:  How to Create Successful Markets, Oct. 12-13 and How to Turn a Place Around, Oct. 18-19

]]> Registration is now open for our two-day public training courses here in NYC:  How to Create Successful Markets, Oct. 12-13 and How to Turn a Place Around, Oct. 18-19

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/pps-training-courses-open-for-registration/feed/ 0 Paris: Nice To People, Not Nice To Cars http://www.pps.org/blog/paris-nice-to-people-not-nice-to-cars/ http://www.pps.org/blog/paris-nice-to-people-not-nice-to-cars/#comments Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:25:57 +0000 ksalay@pps.org An observer comments on the French capital’s success at making alternate modes of transportation easier and accessible.

]]> An observer comments on the French capital’s success at making alternate modes of transportation easier and accessible.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/paris-nice-to-people-not-nice-to-cars/feed/ 0 Jan Gehl Recommends Banning Cars from Times Square http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-recommends-banning-cars-from-times-square/ http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-recommends-banning-cars-from-times-square/#comments Wed, 11 Jul 2007 11:58:41 +0000 ksalay@pps.org The New York City Department of Transportation wants to hire as a consultant Jan Gehl, who has helped cities like London and Copenhagen create less congested urban areas by taking back the streets from cars – and giving top priority to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Jan Gehl is a world-renowned Danish architect who wants to [...]]]> The New York City Department of Transportation wants to hire as a consultant Jan Gehl, who has helped cities like London and Copenhagen create less congested urban areas by taking back the streets from cars – and giving top priority to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Jan Gehl is a world-renowned Danish architect who wants to ban most cars from Times Square – and raise the price of street parking.

Times Square is “beyond the brink” with too many cars and pedestrians cramming into an inadequate amount of space, Gehl says.

]]> http://www.pps.org/blog/jan-gehl-recommends-banning-cars-from-times-square/feed/ 0 Bicycle Sharing in NYC http://www.pps.org/blog/bicycle-sharing-in-nyc/ http://www.pps.org/blog/bicycle-sharing-in-nyc/#comments Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:46:26 +0000 ksalay@pps.org The Storefront for Art and Architecture is experimenting with a bicycle share program to demonstrate to New Yorkers that bicycling is a viable, and enjoyable, transportation alternative.

Several European cities have successful bicycle sharing programs – Paris will shortly be making 10,000 bikes available from 750 stations across the city through a program called The Storefront for Art and Architecture is experimenting with a bicycle share program to demonstrate to New Yorkers that bicycling is a viable, and enjoyable, transportation alternative.

Several European cities have successful bicycle sharing programs – Paris will shortly be making 10,000 bikes available from 750 stations across the city through a program called Velib.

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