imunderpressure

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Priorities for New York’s New Year (Editorial)
Traffic Congestion. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has offered a dazzling and hopeful plan to prepare the city for what is expected to be a substantial rise in population during the next quarter century, but unless the number of motorists is reduced, New Yorkers will choke on their own gridlock. Mr. Bloomberg needs to produce a major traffic study, move quickly to create new express bus routes and give serious thought to congestion pricing. Read the rest of this entry »

I moved from West Harlem, New York, to the Kansas heartland and thought, if I couldn’t get fresh sushi at least I would breathe cleaner air and get closer to nature. The truth is I spend most of my TreeHugger time in front of a computer, but more disturbing still is this. . .

Sunflower Electric Power Corp is poised to build 3 coal-fired plants in Southwest Kansas, outside of Holcomb. While the new plants would increase Sunflower’s total generating capacity nearly seven-fold, most of the new power would be exported to Colorado. According to the Sierra Club, only 8% of the energy generated by the plants would provide electricity to Kansas, while the hearty winds of Kansas will blow pollutants like mercury and fine-particle emissions all over the state.

(This post continues on the site please click the title)

Originally
from Treehugger

reBlogged

by imunderpressure

on Oct 29, 2006, 6:36AM

Originally from Treehugger on October 29, 2006, 5:36am

More public space for Grand Army Plaza: DOT says that it would give the street space highlighted in green to the Parks Department for use during public events and car-free hours in Prospect Park.

Since the beginning of 2005 I have been helping to organize a group called the Grand Army Plaza Coalition. The group is focused on improving the pedestrian experience around the Plaza and re-envisioning it as the great public space that it was originally designed to be. 

In May GAPco conducted a site visit of the Plaza led by Chris Hrones, a professional urban planner who lives in Prospect Heights. During the visit we filmed video and generated a big list of ideas for things that we thought could be improved. Afterwards, GAPco produced a detailed, 22-page report recording the group’s photos and observations and suggesting possible solutions. Additionally, Transportation Alternatives invited Danish urban designer Jan Gehl to begin to take a look at the Plaza and he produced this report (PDF file)

GAPco’s study is a nice piece of work and, like the community-driven initiative underway in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, another example of how local groups can be a valuable resource to city government in creating more livable streets for New York City. In June we boiled down the report to a list of fourteen specific, inexpensive, short-term ideas for improvements and sent them off to DOT’s Brooklyn Borough Commissioner, Joe Palmieri.

In a strange twist of fate, the report and set of suggestions that Chris Hrones was so instrumental in helping to put together landed on his very own desk just a couple of months later. In September Hrones was hired by DOT to replace Ryan Russo as the new Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Coordinator. 

While Hrones says that he hasn’t yet been involved with Grand Army Plaza in his new position, it looks like GAPco’s grassroots initiative is beginning to produce some results. Last week I received this e-mail from Rob Witherwax of Prospect Heights, another GAPco organizer:

Momentous news, people: this morning I crossed the entire width of Flatbush Avenue, from the Library to the Park, in one movement – without waiting on the island, without running across, and without disobeying traffic laws. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it happened. The crosswalk signs, from the library to the island and from the island to the Park, turned ‘walk’ at the same time. I was astounded, and the woman alongside of me audibly gasped. 

If you have ever tried to walk across Flatbush Avenue in front of the Brooklyn Public Library then you are surely familiar with the malevolently timed pedestrian signal that Rob refers to. Prior to the fixes that DOT made last week, the "little walk man" beckoned pedestrians into the middle of Flatbush Avenue only to trap them on the tip of a narrow concrete island smack in the middle of rushing traffic (pictured above). On sunny, greenmarket Saturday’s you would see scores of pedestrians trapped on the traffic island or scampering across the street to avoid being trapped.

Community people had been pushing DOT to change the timing of those pedestrians signals for years and had been told repeatedly by traffic engineers that it was simply impossible — that changing the timing of the pedestrian signal at that one spot would disrupt the intricate flow of traffic through one of the city’s most complicated intersections. Well, the changes now appear to be in place and traffic continues to flow — something to keep in mind if a traffic engineer has ever told you that a pedestrian or public space improvement in your neighborhood can’t possibly be done.

Witherwax and others also noticed that southbound traffic from the Plaza onto Prospect Park West was being held longer at a red light thus giving pedestrians more "walk" time between Union Street and the Park (pictured right). Talk about self sacrifice — by adding 20 seconds or so to this pedestrian crossing, DOT Commissioner Weinshall, who lives on Prospect Park West, added more time to her evening commute. 

DOT has not yet officially responded to GAPco’s list of fourteen suggestions but the agency said that it has already made or is planning to make the following changes around the Plaza:

1. Provide more pedestrian crossing time across Prospect Park West by holding southbound traffic entering Prospect Park West during northbound Flatbush Avenue phase. - Implemented 10/16/06
 
2. New crosswalk and raised islands to enable direct pedestrian crossing from Flatbush Avenue north of Grand Army Plaza to Baily Fountain - To be implemented in 2007.
 
3. New crosswalk and raised island to enable pedestrians to directly cross from Library and east side of Prospect Park entrance to Arch area - To be implemented in 2007.
 
4. During auto-free park hours, we would at the request of Parks be willing to temporarily close the short northbound roadway directly east of Arch. This area would then be available for pedestrians and public events. Traffic from Union Street or Plaza Street West wishing to travel north on Flatbush Avenue or Vanderbilt Avenue would be required to make a slower speed left turn at the intersection of Flatbush Avenue/Eastern Parkway - Can be put into effect after Improvement #3 above is implemented. (Pictured at top)
 
5. Missing pedestrian ramps on existing pedestrian crossings - NYCDOT is installing missing ramps throughout the City and is scheduled to be completed by 2010. If possible, we will try to get ramps at GAP done next year as well, but due to the nature of the contracts already initiated, specific locations cannot simply be prioritized based upon request.

It’s a good start. So, why all the fuss about Grand Army Plaza anyhow? It’s just a gigantic traffic rotary, right? Take a closer look… 

The closer you look, the more you realize that it must have taken quite a concerted effort to ruin it…

Originally
from Streetsblog

by Aaron


reBlogged

by imunderpressure

on Oct 25, 2006, 1:44PM

Originally by Aaron from Streetsblog on October 25, 2006, 12:44pm

March 1996:
Residents in Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, and Boerum Hill are tired of their streets absorbing overflow from the nearby Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Neighborhood groups have tried repeatedly to convince the City to protect the neighborhoods from rush hour through traffic. So far, the City has done nothing but promise further study. DOT officials have even criticized residents for not wanting to serve as doormats for Manhattan-bound motorists. Residents are now considering civil disobedience to protect their safety and quality of life….

October 2006:
Donald Gianchetta looks out from his Atlantic Avenue antique shop - which cost him more than $70,000 to restore after a cab went flying through the front window last year - and watches an endless stream of cars speeding past. "This strip is just a highway," he says. "Three of my workers have been hit just trying to cross the street here," he said. "It’s out of control, this area. Something absolutely must be done. Just the other week a dear friend of mine died because of this madness"… City Transportation Department officials noted Atlantic Ave. is a busy city thoroughfare and said several improvements, such as longer pedestrian crossing times to increase safety, already have been implemented.

Originally
from Streetsblog

by Aaron


reBlogged

by imunderpressure

on Oct 26, 2006, 5:15PM

Originally by Aaron from Streetsblog on October 26, 2006, 4:15pm

One of the more troublesome aspects of Forest City Enterprise’s "Atlantic Yards" proposal is the developer’s plan to create two rather huge, suburban mall-style surface parking lots on the eastern side of the project footprint. If all goes as planned there will 3,600 new parking spaces will be in place by 2012.

Today, BrooklynSpeaks runs an analysis of the "Atlantic Yards" parking plan and suggests some sensible alternatives. The web site has emerged as a calm and intelligent voice within the deafening chorus of Brooklynites shouting "Jobs, Hoops & Housing!" and "Not in My Backyard." BrooklynSpeaks’ four principles for good development are particularly worth a look if you are in favor of the "Atlantic Yards" project and want to see the project have a good chance of succeeding without destroying the neighborhoods all around it.

Here is what they have to say about the parking plan:

One of the most egregious aspects of Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards plan is their proposal to demolish existing buildings on the project site to construct a 944 space surface parking lot and a staging area for construction. According to the plan, the lot would be the entire block encompassed by Vanderbilt and Carlton Avenues, and Pacific Street and Dean Street. FCR says the lot will be “temporary.� In the best case scenario, temporary means from the start of construction until 2016, when residential buildings will be constructed on the lot. In the worst case scenario, if economic conditions change and the second phase of the project doesn’t materialize, temporary means permanent.

Unfortunately, on the community level, many Brooklynites view more parking as a big benefit. There is this idea out there that the more parking Forest City provides around the arena, the less arena visitors will park on neighborhood side streets. BrooklynSpeaks addresses this issue as well:

The more parking provided, the more people will chose to drive – and the more traffic created. This is true even when the parking is for a project next to a major transit hub…. How can the developer and state create a transit-oriented project more suited to Brooklyn? Only provide as much parking as the capacity on the roads can take. Implement a residential parking permit system so people driving to the Arena don’t just park in surrounding neighborhoods instead. Include the price of a transit fare in arena tickets and design the project to be friendly to transit-users and pedestrians. Oh, and scrap the three “temporaryâ€? surface parking lots altogether. Whatever plan for the site is finally approved, it should embody values of Brooklyn, not car-oriented suburban planning.

Does Empire State Development Corporation Chairman Charles Gargano read blogs? If not, can someone forward this Joni Mitchell audio sample to him?

Originally
from Streetsblog

by Aaron


reBlogged

by imunderpressure

on Oct 23, 2006, 4:32PM

Originally by Aaron from Streetsblog on October 23, 2006, 3:32pm

Israel is getting an annual environmental film festival of its own. Now officially in its second year, Ecolnoa (a play on words of eco and theatre in Hebrew) is planned for 21-23 May 2007. Called the Tel-Aviv International Environmental film festival, organizers are inviting filmmakers and celebrity environment promoters from abroad to join in the festivities and screenings.

“The Israeli film industry is at a peak moment,� says Ecolnoa’s website. “We have the ability to make inspiring and creative environmental films. But due to low environmental awareness and the constant issues on the agenda such as the conflict, environmental film is only beginning to evolve. Some great environmental films have been made but usually they find it hard to reach large audiences. Ecolnoa is a new platform which can help these films reach larger parts of the society and give Israeli film makers more opportunities and financial resources to create films dealing with environmental issues. ::See related ::Ecolnoa brochure (PDF)

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Originally
from Treehugger

reBlogged

by imunderpressure

on Oct 23, 2006, 2:51PM

Originally from Treehugger on October 23, 2006, 1:51pm