December 8: Complete Streets Bill, Car-Free Fifth Ave, Bike Match
We’re reaching a critical point for safe streets in New York. The Complete Streets Funding Bill, which would increase funding opportunities for municipal complete streets projects — such as bike lanes, crosswalks, and road diets — passed the Assembly and Senate earlier this year, but it will expire if Governor Kathy Hochul does not sign it into law by December 31.
This bill would expedite the process for cities and towns to implement common-sense safety measures — only if it gets signed by year’s end.
Send a message to Governor Hochul asking her to sign the Complete Streets Funding Bill into law this year and help New York take a big step toward ending traffic violence.
We are hosting a rally with the NYS Safe Streets Coalition, Families for Safe Streets, and Open Plans at noon next Thursday, December 15, at Governor Hochul's Midtown office.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1️⃣ Fifth Avenue is car-free again this Sunday. Watch Streetfilms’ recap of last week’s event and get excited for Fifth Avenue in Midtown to be closed to cars once again. See the tree at Rockefeller Center, the light show at Saks, and more — with no car traffic in sight from noon to 6 p.m.
2️⃣ Your City, Your Voice starts in January. We’ve moved the start date for our free activist training series to early next year. Sign up to receive notifications about upcoming sessions, where you’ll learn from TA staff about how to organize a successful local campaign.
3️⃣ In the news. Here's what we're reading this week:
Our Brooklyn activist committee hosted a press conference calling for a crackdown on defaced license plates. Read coverage of the event in PIX11, WNBC, Hell Gate, Streetsblog, and NY1.
Vox follows Jessica Hart and her efforts to make streets safer after losing her five-year-old daughter in a crash last year in Washington, DC.
WKBW 7 News spoke with bike riders in Buffalo — Governor Hochul’s hometown — about the importance of signing the New York State SAFE Streets Act into law.
TWO THINGS TO DO
1️⃣ Shop Unlimited Biking’s clearance sale with TA’s special promo code. Unlimited Biking is hosting a one-weekend-only clearance event with hundreds of high-end Cannondale hybrid bikes available for sale at up to 60% off. On December 10 and 11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., visit their Harlem warehouse at 111 West 110th Street and use the code TRANSALT5 to get an additional 5% off!
2️⃣ Have a bike to spare? Support our Bike Match program! It’s the season of giving, so donate any extra bikes you have to our Bike Match program and help your fellow New Yorkers keep moving.
ONE ACTION TO TAKE NOW
Get 10% off at the TA shop this weekend. Still looking for holiday gifts? Find something for the pedestrian, bike rider, or public transit fan in your life at the TA gift shop, and take 10% off your order this weekend only. Order by December 13 to have your order shipped before the new year!
Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend,
Ted and the TA team
P.S. Help us continue building safe, equitable streets in 2023 by making a donation today. For our year-end fundraising campaign, a local foundation has pledged to match every dollar raised up to $600,000.