Hey Streetfilms Fans! After Brian Leher became a victim of bicycle theft earlier this week, he invited Hal Ruzel into the studio for some lessons in bike locking. You may remember Hal from such Streetfilms as Hal Grades Your Bike Locking 3: The Final Warning and Hal (and Kerri) Grade Your Bike Locking.
Brian mentions some [...]
Archive for the ‘Transportation Policy’ Category
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Brian Lehrer Talks Streetfilms!
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Block Party NYC
2008 was the kickoff for BlockParty NYC, a new on-line initiative to promote block parties in the five boroughs. To celebrate block parties where people enjoy their blocks free from the usual hazards of car-filled streets, we created this mini film.
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Meet Veronica Moss, A.U.T.O. Lobbyist
Ever wonder what folks working for sustainable transportation at the federal level are up against on K Street? For this Streetfilms exclusive event, we were granted unfettered access to Veronica Moss, lobbyist for Automobile Users Trade Organization (AUTO). Veronica gave us a few precious moments inside her SUV to talk about roads, traffic, [...]
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People Friendly Design in London
Streetfilms voyaged across the pond to visit some of London’s innovative transportation and public realm projects. We interviewed Paul Harper, a head urban designer at Design for London, who was in charge of the 100 Public Spaces Programme.
The 100 Public Spaces Programme improved the public realm of London through streetscaping, transportation and public space planning. [...] -
Riding the Bx12 Select Bus Service
Veronica Vanterpool of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign recently took Streetfilms for a journey on the Bx12 Select Bus Service (SBS) instituted last year on Fordham Road in the Bronx. Travel time on the route has been cut by 20 percent thanks to the improvements, and commuters we spoke with certainly sang its praises. [...]
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L.A.’s Orange Line: Bus Rapid Transit (plus bike path!)
Who would have thought that one of the best Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in the U.S. would be in its most crowded, congested, sprawling city? Well check this out. It's really fabulous.
In October 2005, the Los Angeles County Metro Authority (or Metro) debuted a new 14-mile BRT system in the San Fernando Valley [...] -
Straphangers Tell Albany to Save Transit
Straphangers from across New York City headed to Albany on Wednesday to meet with representatives and tell them: We can't afford the doomsday fare hikes and service cuts looming for our subways and buses, and we support bridge tolls as a fair and equitable solution to fund transit.
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Making a Better Market Street
Just about everyone who visits San Francisco's grand Market Street is awed by its hustle and bustle, the myriad modes of transportation, and some of the most beautiful architecture in the city. But just about everyone also agrees that Market Street has much bigger potential as a space that accommodates its users in more [...]
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Sign Now to Save Transit!
Queens transit riders oppose MTA fare hikes and service cuts and support bridge tolls.
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Earl Blumenauer talks transit, stimulus, bikes and Obama
Moments after he delivered the keynote address to the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), Oregon's Rep. Earl Blumenauer, head of the Congressional Bike Caucus, met with us for this exclusive one-on-one chat.
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NYS DOT Commissioner, Astrid Glynn
An interview with New York State DOT Commissioner, Astrid Glynn.
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Accomodating bike speeds by re-timing signals on Valencia Street
Streetfilms talked with bike commuters on Valencia Street about how re-timing traffic lights to a bike pace would greatly improve their trips.
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Transformando las Calles de Nueva York: Una conversación con Janette Sadik-Khan
Desde que empezó en su nuevo puesto como comisaria del Departamento de Transporte en la mitad del año 2007, Janette Sadik-Khan se retó a transformar las calles de Nueva York. Se reto a mejorar la comodidad y seguridad vial para peatones y ciclistas y a reorientar el foco del departamento al diseño de calles [...]
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Grand Street 2005
With all the hullabaloo over the new Grand Street bike lane, we thought we'd resurrect a Streetfilm (actually before they were even called Streetfilms!) from back in June 2005 with TOPP founder Mark Gorton talking about the then incredible width of Grand Street and the inequity of street space devoted to its users. We [...]
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An Alfresco chat with Jan Gehl
Every time we manage to snag an interview with Jan Gehl, it ends up being one of the coldest days of the Fall. But that didn't stop the Danish livable streets maestro from grabbing a table in New York City's new wonderful public space, Madison Square, to chat with Streetsblog's Editor-in-chief Aaron Naparstek.
It was [...] -
Transforming NYC Streets: A Conversation with Janette Sadik-Khan
Since taking over as New York City's Commissioner of the Department of Transportation in mid-2007, Janette Sadik-Khan has taken on the challenge of making NYC streets more bike & pedestrian friendly while emphasizing livable streets and re-orienting them to accommodate all modes. She and her staff have done it quickly with innovative concepts, thinking outside [...]
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HOP, SKIP, and JUMP aboard a Boulder Bus
Welcome to an innovative way of thinking about transit: ask your passengers to design routes, let them name them, and decide the frequency in which they operate. That's what Boulder, Colorado does and they sure seem to have discovered the right way to make bus riding fun and enticing!
Boulder boasts seven high-frequency bus lines [...] -
Mobilien: Paris’ Version of Bus Rapid Transit
Le Mobilien is Paris' version of what we know as a bus rapid transit system or a surface mass transport network. Paris has been doing “bus rapid transit” for decades, and after years of on-street operation and continuous fine-tuning they have now developed a system which they call the “Mobilien” - French for MOBI-lity plus [...]
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Gary Toth: Reinventing Transportation Planning as Community Development
Recently, we were very lucky to have Streetsblog's Editor-in-chief, Aaron Naparstek in the "Streetfilms Headquarters" to chat with Gary Toth the Senior Director of Transportation Initiatives with the Project for Public Spaces.
For thirty-four years, Mr. Toth worked for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), and become known for his collaboration and facilitation skills, [...] -
San Francisco Does Sunday Streets
For two glorious Sundays, San Francisco closed streets along a stretch of its waterfront to cars – and opened them to humanity. A second "Sunday Streets San Francisco" event on September 14th reprised an August 31st street party, both of which saw thousands of people come out to run, skate, cycle, dance, or stroll their [...]
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LPI – Leading Pedestrian Interval
Leading Pedestrian Intervals (or LPIs) are a traffic signalization strategy that allows pedestrians an exclusive 3 to 5 second signal (in some cases much longer) to begin crossing the street before cars get a green light. Consequently, they are also known by their sassier nickname, Pedestrian Head Start. But in my view the best variation on what LPI stands for comes from Christine Berthet of the Hells Kitchen Neighborhood Association who proposes: "Life Preserving Interval"
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Mayor Bloomberg & Friends Announce “Summer Streets”
A large heaping of news media and livable streets advocates converged at Astor Place for the Mayor's presser to make the official announcement of "Summer Streets." Essentially the plan opens Park Avenue to pedestrians and cyclists from 72nd thru to the Brooklyn Bridge (using other connectors) on August 9th, 16th, and 23rd from 7 [...]
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Street Transformations: Grand Army Plaza
As one gentleman said to me while admiring the new greenery and traffic islands in Grand Army Plaza, "Wow, sometimes government does work!" It's easy to quickly forget how things were, but we here at Streetfilms aim to not let that happen. Check out these extraordinary before/afters; especially the new separated bike lane which safely shepherds riders from Prospect Park.
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Lessons from L.A.: A Rush Hour Drive with a City Planner
Streetfilms Nicholas Whitaker took a back seat, rush hour ride with City Planner Deborah Murphy through the streets of Los Angeles. Murphy pointed out some of the difficulties one encounters in L.A. as a pedestrian advocate, commuter, and champion for change.
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Janette Sadik-Khan’s “Sustainable Streets”
Commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, unveils NYC DOT's "Sustainable Streets" - a strategic Plan for 2008 and beyond.
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Lessons from LA: Looking at BRT
Looking at some of the pros and cons of Bus Rapid Transit in Los Angeles.
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Bus Rapid Transit: Bogotá
In Part 2 of our Bogotá trilogy, we examine the tremendously successful Bus Rapid Transit system which has revolutionized transit there.
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Merry Gridlock
Streetsblog's Aaron Naparstek talks with drivers about their commute and congestion pricing.
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Illustrating Parking Reform with Dr. Shoup
Dr. Donald Shoup illustrates with toy cars and a table-sized model of NYC streets the benefits of proper parking pricing.
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Transportation Ethics
Executive Director Mark Gorton interviews NY Times' Ethics columnist Randy Cohen about urban automobility.
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Portland: Celebrating America’s Most Livable City
StreetFilms' 30 minute film on Portland, OR showing just a few of the ways it is one of the most livable cities in the U.S.
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S.F. Giants: Valet Bike Parking 81 Games Per Year
The San Francisco Giants offer free, convenient, attended bicycle parking at all 81 of their home games.
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NYC Metamorphosis!
Copious amounts of positivity coming from the NYC DOT. Check out these before and afters.
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Street Lessons from a Blizzard
Back in Feb 2006, as the largest ever recorded NYC snowfall (26.9") was winding down, I ran outside with a camera to try to capture some traffic calming, transportation and livable streets lessons.
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London Driver on Congestion Pricing
London driver Barny Crocker offers up some anecdotes about Congestion Charging.
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Campaign for New York’s Future: Congestion Pricing
The Campaign for New York's Future explains the health and transportation benefits of congestition pricing, one of the 127 proposals included in Mayor Bloomberg's ambitious PlaNYC2030.
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Gridlock Sam: Car-free Central Park
Sam Schwartz, former NYC Commissioner of Traffic, explains how closing Central Park to cars will not result in traffic chaos.
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Talking Transportation with Bob Kiley
Bob Kiley who served as Commissioner of Transport for London from 2001 to 2006 talks about congestition pricing, the benefits it has brought to London, and possibilites for New York City.
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Dr. Shoup: Parking Guru!
According to Dr. Shoup, reforming "free parking" policies will lead to a better pedestrian environment, cleaner streets, less pollution and safer downtown shopping districts. Here is part of our interview with him.
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Manhattan on the Move
An overview of Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer's historic October 2006 Transportation Conference.
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Berkeley Bike Boulevards
In Berkeley, Calif. a citywide network of traffic calmed streets called Bicycle Boulevards allows bicyclists to navigate safely. They are marked by wonderful purple signage and street stencils larger than a car!
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Portland, Ore. – Traffic Calming: Diagonal Diverter
The use of traffic calming in Portland emphasizes keeping thru traffic out of neighborhoods.
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Portland, Ore. – Bicycle Boulevards
Who needs bike lanes on wonderful streets like these when you keep traffic to a minimum?
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PSA-We’re Walking
While walking around Manhattan, pedestrians might wonder where all the cars come from. After seeing these statistics, it seems obvious.
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The Defeat of the Mt. Hood Freeway (Portland, Ore.)
In Oregon, a battle raged for nearly twenty years over the construction of a highway project known as the Mt. Hood Freeway. If approved, the Freeway would have removed more than 1% of all housing stock in Portland. In the mid 1970s, after the proposal's defeat, the city opted to build a mass transit infrastructure. [...]
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A conversation with Lou Riccio
Discussion about the transportation planning with former NYC D.O.T. Commissioner Lou Riccio.
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Gridlock Sam: Parking Policy & Permits
Part Two of our interview: Sam Schwartz and T.O.P.P. founder & Executive Director Mark Gorton discuss how the modal split into NYC's Central Business District (essentially south of 59th Street) has changed over the last half century and how some of those numbers could easily be reversed by revoking free parking permits for NYC Governmental [...]
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San Francisco: Removal of the Embarcadero Freeway
In 1989, a 7.1 earthquake struck the Bay Area which severely damaged many of its elevated highway structures. The Embarcadero Freeway - an ugly, double-decked highway - was replaced with a grand boulevard which emphasizes access to the waterfront and provides people with transportation options like walking, mass transit, and bicycling instead of an emphasis [...]
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Interview with Enrique Peñalosa (Short Version)
As mayor of Bogota, Colombia, Enrique Penalosa accomplished remarkable changes of monumental proportions for the people of his country in just three years.
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Above The Law: Government Parking Permit Abuse in NYC
Transportation Alternatives releases a comprehensive study on permit parking abuse.
