Aaron Naparstek
AARON NAPARSTEK is the founder and former editor-in-chief of Streetsblog. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Naparsteks journalism, advocacy and community organizing work has been instrumental in growing the bicycle network, removing motor vehicles from parks, and developing new public plazas, car-free streets and life-saving traffic-calming measures across all five boroughs. Naparstek is the author of "Honku: The Zen Antidote for Road Rage" (Villard, 2003), a book of humorous haiku poetry inspired by the endless motorist sociopathy observed from his apartment window. Prior to launching Streetsblog, Naparstek worked as an interactive media producer, pioneering some of the Web's first music web sites, online communities, live webcasts and social networking services. Naparstek is currently in Cambridge with his wife and two young sons where he is enjoying a Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design. He has a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and a bachelor's degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Naparstek is a co-founder of the Park Slope Neighbors community group and the Grand Army Plaza Coalition. You can find more of his work here: http://www.naparstek.com.
Recent Posts
Gridlock Sam Offers Four Ideas to Cut Traffic Congestion
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In today’s Daily News, former New York City Deputy Traffic Commissioner "Gridlock" Sam Schwartz says congestion pricing should "proceed now" and offers four additional ideas for creating a little breathing room on Manhattan’s streets: One way to reduce congestion is to reduce the number of taxis – permanently. I did the math when I was […]
The Transportation Alternatives Century Ride 2007
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On Sunday 6,000 bicyclists took to the streets as part of Transportation Alternatives Century, a 100-mile spin around New York City (that also features routes of 15, 35, 55 and 75 miles). I did 55 this year. As always, the Century is a pretty amazing way to experience the city. Here is a 3-minute video […]
Meeting Tonight: Help Get More Bike Parking for SoHo
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Bicycling advocates: On the agenda of this evening’s Manhattan Community Board 2 transportation committee meeting is a plan to expand bike parking in SoHo. It would be very helpful to have a handful of people who live, work and visit SoHo on hand to make sure the committee knows how important parking is for bicyclists. […]
Useful Idiots
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I’m not sure I’ll ever understand how Richard Lipsky of the Neighborhood Retail Alliance figures he’s helping "mom and pop" business by defending the increasingly miserable, congested, automobile-dominated status quo of New York City streets but I do enjoy his Mom and Pop blog. He is an entertaining writer, an experienced political player, and a […]
Parking Revenue Declining, London Borough Lures Back Drivers
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The City of Westminster is one of 32 London boroughs, just west of the city center. If you think borough-level politics is messy in New York City, consider London, a city of 32 boroughs, each with its own local government. On a visit to interview Eric Manners, an urban planner working for the borough of […]
Nasty, Personal, Elitist and Not a Bronxite
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PlaNYC identifies North Riverdale, a neighborhood represented by Bronx Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz, as one of 22 New York City neighborhoods with a higher than average concentration of Manhattan-bound drivers. (Download the transportation section, page 86) Bronx Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz wasn’t happy with Streetsblog’s presentation of his Riverdale Press editorial against congestion pricing last […]
Pedestrian Safety Tips & Anti-Pricing Talking Points From AAA
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Car & Travel magazine is published by the Automobile Club of New York, also known as AAA. In addition to being the friendly guys who schlep out at a moment’s notice to tow your broken-down car, the Automobile Club has, over the course of decades, done everything in its power to ensure that nothing like […]
Give Me Traffic Congestion or Give Me Death
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Behold the awesomeness that is the logo of the Stop NYC Congestion Tax web site by Brooklyn Young Republican Jonathan J. Judge (not to be confused with the mysterious Keep NYC Congestion Tax Free web site). I’m no brand identity specialist but here’s how I read it: Grumpy over deteriorating air quality, low visibility and […]
Bicycles Are the New NYC “It Girl” Fashion Accessory
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Actress Chloe Sevigny and her folding bike. This week’s New York Observer story on "the beautiful bicycle girls of New York" may very well be the most e-mailed news item ever forwarded to the Streetsblog inbox. Calm down, people! Gillian Reagan observes what appears to be a new trend in New York City: Exceptionally good […]
On Behalf of 5.2% of His Constituents, Dinowitz Opposes Pricing
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The16% of Bronx residents who own cars tend to have significantly higher incomes than those who do not, according to data from the State Department of Motor Vehicles and the 2000 Census. In an editorial in this week’s Riverdale Press, Bronx Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz says that if the vote on Mayor Bloomberg’s congestion pricing […]
Infinite Jest
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Here’s a little back-to-school fun: With the help of an underground tunnel this group of 94 high school seniors from who-knows-where created a never-ending line of pedestrians crossing the street, not allowing a single car to pass for a full 15 minutes. Granted, it’s a bit man power-intensive but wow, is this ever an effective […]
Queens Pedestrian Safety Fixes Move Ahead Despite Opposition
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Workers on a DOT truck reconfigured a traffic signal in front of P.S. 200 in Queens on Friday. On Friday, I visited the intersection of Jewel Avenue and 164th Street in Fresh Meadows, Queens to take a look at the Department of Transportation’s latest controversial "road diet." Despite a Monday morning press conference in which […]