September 9: Back to School, Congestion Pricing, Vision Zero Cities
Time is running out: Submit a comment in support of congestion pricing to the MTA today. Make your voice heard and call for less traffic, cleaner air, and safer streets.
More than a million New York City public school students returned to school this week – 75 percent of whom did so by walking, biking, or taking transit. With so many younger pedestrians and bike riders out each day, Mayor Adams and DOT must do everything in their power to keep them safe. Already in 2022, crashes have killed 15 kids, which is more than the number killed in any full year since Vision Zero began, and 2.5x more than by this point in 2021.
The Adams administration needs to expand the Open Streets for Schools program and close roads adjacent to schools to cars. In NYC 25x25, we call for a one-block-long car-free multi-use space for play, student drop-off and pick-up, and outdoor learning outside each of New York City’s 1,700 public schools.
We can’t afford to wait until another child is killed. It’s time for City Hall to prioritize school streets to ensure that kids, parents, and teachers can get to school safely.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
1️⃣ Vision Zero Cities Conference is next month. Join us October 19–21 for virtual and in-person sessions that will bring together leading industry and policy experts, advocates, and elected officials, all working toward a world with zero traffic deaths. Register now and save with early registration pricing!
2️⃣ DOT launches “Cool Corridors” pilot program. The Department of Transportation secured a federal grant to explore ways to reduce the temperature on city streets, as City Limits reports. As we note in NYC 25x25, fewer cars on the street and more green space can bring about numerous environmental and public health benefits, all while reducing the negative impact of the "heat island effect."
3️⃣ In the news. Here’s what we’re reading this week:
Streetsblog highlights how the Adams administration is not implementing an automated enforcement program on drivers who ignore flashing red “stop” signals on school buses.
Two pieces on congestion pricing: Gothamist debunks the most common misconceptions from last week’s public hearings. Nicole Murray in Streetsblog compares the costs of congestion pricing versus the underreported costs of catering to car culture.
A feature story on community composting efforts in the Washington Post, which highlights the work of NYC’s “microhaulers,” who collect compost from across the city on bikes.
TWO THINGS TO DO
1️⃣ Get your tickets to the Pedestrian Prom! Our annual member party is Thursday, September 15 – join us in Hunter’s Point South Park in Queens to celebrate all the work TA and our fearless activists have accomplished over the past year.
2️⃣ Saddle up on Staten Island. We’re doubling up on events next week. Register for the Tour de Staten Island on Sunday, September 18, and take a 35- or 50-mile ride through the island. Stick around afterward for a great post-ride festival with music, games, and food from local vendors!
ONE ACTION TO TAKE NOW
Send the MTA your comments on congestion pricing. We know we sound like a broken record, but it can take less than five minutes. Submit a quick public comment and help reshape the future of transportation in New York City.
Thanks for reading, and have a good weekend!
Ted and the TA team
P.S. Join our friends at Bronx Health Reach for Boogie on the Boulevard! On Sunday, September 18, the center lanes of the Grand Concourse from 165th to 167th Streets will be closed to traffic and open to fun with free music, art, and fitness programs hosted by organizations from the Bronx and beyond.