Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
Eyes on the Street: Pedestrian Island Construction on Columbus Avenue
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DOT continues to make progress with the extension of the Columbus Avenue protected bike lane. Doug Gordon sent us these shots, taken this morning, of pedestrian island construction at 75th and 73rd Streets. After gaining the support of Community Board 7, the lane is being extended north to 110th Street and south to 70th Street, […]
Tour the Globe With the Streetsblog Network
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With dispatches from Latin America, Europe, Asia and beyond, today’s Network offerings have a decidedly international flavor. Groningen, the Netherlands: Clarence is concerned about his upcoming Streetfilm on this Dutch cycling city. Culling footage from a place where 50 percent of all trips are taken by bike, he says it’s tough to do Groningen justice. […]
Here’s How Quinn and de Blasio Answered the StreetsPAC Questionnaire
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Yesterday StreetsPAC endorsed Bill de Blasio for mayor in the Democratic primary, after narrowing their choice down to him and Christine Quinn. The decision was based on the candidates’ responses to a written questionnaire and sit-down interviews with the StreetsPAC board. Below are the responses that de Blasio and Quinn gave to the “policies and […]
Crowd-Funding a New Public Space in Portland
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The state of Oregon is testing a new type of public-private partnership in Portland, where advocates and electeds want to transform a parcel of land into a new park and greenway. Gateway Green is a proposed 38-acre park, with off-road bike and hiking trails, to be developed between two freeways on the former site of […]
NYPD: 1,325 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 12 Killed in Traffic in July
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Twenty-two people died in New York City traffic in July, and 5,077 were injured, according to the latest NYPD crash data report [PDF]. As of the end of July, 90 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed by city motorists this year, and 8,958 injured, compared to 88 deaths and 8,672 injuries for the same period […]
StreetsPAC Endorses Bill de Blasio for Mayor
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With the Democratic primary a week away, StreetsPAC, NYC’s first-ever livable streets political action committee, today endorsed Bill de Blasio to succeed Michael Bloomberg as mayor. The group cited de Blasio’s commitment to the expansion of the city’s bike lane network and bike-share, improving bus service outside Manhattan, and dramatically reducing traffic injuries and deaths. […]
What Do We Do When a Reckless Motorist Refuses to Stop Driving?
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Today on the Streetsblog Network, Rick Bernardi at BicycleLaw.com looks at a particularly heinous hit-and-run case that typifies the failure of law enforcers to keep recidivist reckless drivers off U.S. roads. In August, 20-year-old college student Henry Schmidt was struck and seriously injured by a driver while walking his bike on a Portland street. The […]
Cab Driver Who Severed Woman’s Leg: I’m the Victim
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The Taxi and Limousine Commission tells us Mohammed Himon pleaded guilty to a suspension summons and surrendered his hack license this afternoon. “His suspension has technically begun,” a spokesperson said. So while Himon won’t be behind the wheel of a cab for at least 30 days, you might see him on your television. Himon — who drove […]
Cyclist Gary Zammett Sr. Killed in Howard Beach; Where Is Eric Ulrich?
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A cyclist was killed by a motorist in Howard Beach this week, on a street where residents say drivers routinely ignore stop signs. The crash occurred in the City Council district represented by Eric Ulrich, who has not responded to inquiries concerning street safety in the district. Gary Zammett Sr. was out to buy cheesecake […]
Cabbie Blames Cyclist He Hit and Bike Lanes for Midtown Curb-Jump Crash
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The Post is doing its best to assign partial blame to the cyclist who was struck by cab driver Mohammed Himon in Tuesday morning’s crash on Sixth Avenue, but the paper got Himon to confess that he intentionally stepped on the gas before mounting the curb and hitting Sian Green, the 23-year-old tourist who lost part […]
TLC Seeking 30-Day Hack License Suspension After Midtown Curb-Jump Crash
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The Taxi and Limousine Commission is moving to suspend the hack license of the cab driver involved in Tuesday’s curb-jump crash in Midtown, which would keep him off the job for 30 days. Meanwhile, the Post reports that NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly says police are investigating the crash. The cabbie was identified in the press […]
Manhattan DA Cy Vance Investigating Midtown Curb-Jump Crash
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Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance’s office is investigating Tuesday’s Midtown curb-jump crash, which injured three people, including a woman who lost part of her leg. “The midtown crash has been under investigation by the Vehicular Crimes Unit, including one of the Office’s most senior prosecutors, since it happened yesterday,” wrote Vance spokesperson Erin Duggan in […]