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: Time for Automated Turn Ban Enforcement in Inwood?
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Motorists are ignoring new turn restrictions intended to keep pedestrians safe at a revamped Broadway intersection in Inwood. Over the summer, DOT added pedestrian space and implemented turn prohibitions where Broadway meets Dyckman Street and Riverside Drive, a five-spoked intersection that sees a lot of crashes. The four left turn bans are meant to keep motorists […]
With Albany AWOL, Council Bill Proposes Fines Against Hit-and-Run Drivers
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With perpetrators having little to fear from police and prosecutors, a new City Council bill aims to deter drivers from fleeing crash scenes by attaching civil penalties to hit-and-run. Proposed by Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer and transportation chair Ydanis Rodriguez, Intro 371 would levy fines of $250 to $5,000 against drivers who leave the scene […]
De Blasio and DOT Ring In the New School Year With More Speed Cameras
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Mayor de Blasio and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg today officially announced the expansion of the city’s speed camera program, which will eventually bring automated enforcement to 140 school zones across the boroughs. Today’s event also underscored the fact that streets around schools won’t be as safe as they could be, thanks to restrictions imposed by […]
StreetsPAC Issues Endorsements for State Senate and Assembly Races
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With primaries coming in a few weeks, StreetsPAC today announced its first round of endorsements for state-level offices, and its first endorsements for candidates outside NYC. NYC’s first-ever livable streets political action committee threw its support to five candidates for the Assembly and State Senate. “So much of what happens on the streets of New […]
New York State DMV Admits to Cheating Cyclists, But Doesn’t Say It Will Stop
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The New York State DMV admits that it is incorrectly overcharging cyclists for traffic violations and wrongly adding points to their drivers licenses, but the agency hasn’t agreed to stop doing it. In his most recent Streetsblog column, attorney Steve Vaccaro pointed out that the DMV’s online payment system does not distinguish between bikes and […]
Run 3 Reds on a Bike, Pay $1,500; Hit 10 People With a Car, It’s All Good
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Today “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz and Gerard Soffian, both former officials with NYC DOT, said the city should amend laws that treat cyclists and motorists the same. One of their recommendations is to lower the fine for cyclists who run red lights. “Right now, penalties against bicyclists who run red lights are up to $270 — […]
DOT: No Plans for Park Avenue Bike Infrastructure After Recent Deaths
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DOT will consider design changes at the Park Avenue intersection in East Harlem where drivers have recently killed three cyclists, but there are no plans for new bike infrastructure along the Park Avenue viaduct. Livery cab driver Nojeem Odunfa hit cyclist Jerrison Garcia at Park Avenue and E. 108th Street Monday morning, reportedly dragging Garcia […]
Jerrison Garcia, 25, Third Cyclist Killed Near Park Ave. Viaduct in Two Years
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Update: Cab driver Nojeem Odunfa of the Bronx was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, careless driving, and a right of way violation, according to NYPD. Odunfa was not immediately charged for killing Jerrison Garcia, and, if past patterns hold, he won’t be. Aggravated unlicensed operation carries nominal penalties and tends to be the default charge […]
Tomorrow: It’s Kidical Mass NYC!
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Tomorrow brings the first official ride for Kidical Mass NYC, an opportunity for adult cyclists of varying skill levels to hit the streets with their little ones. As the name implies, Kidical Mass brings together kids and parents for group rides. Many cities — including Washington, Philadelphia, and Portland — have chapters. The local effort […]
NYC Traffic Injuries Down 6.6 Percent in First Half of 2014
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Traffic injuries in New York City declined nearly 7 percent in the first six months of 2014 compared to the same period last year, according to NYPD data compiled by Streetsblog. Fatalities have also declined slightly, from 121 to 117. The most significant drop in traffic deaths was among pedestrians, falling from 72 in the […]
The Gulf Between NYPD’s Street Safety Message and Police Behavior
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Altered #OperationSafeCycle pamphlet to accurately reflect reality. (cc: @KeeganNYC @bikesnobnyc @NYPDnews) #bikeNYC pic.twitter.com/T2jPendNvb — Andrew Yackira (@thel200ster) August 14, 2014 It’s day two of NYPD’s bike enforcement blitz, and for all its professed good intentions, image-wise the department isn’t doing itself any favors. There is a gulf between NYPD messaging, improved as it is, and […]
Older Pedestrians More Likely to Die in Traffic: Will New York State DOT Act?
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Manhattan is the most dangerous borough for residents age 60 and older to walk, and older pedestrians throughout the metro region suffer disproportionately from deadly traffic violence, according to a new report from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. The report recommends that New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut adopt NACTO design guidelines for safer, multi-modal streets. […]