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
NYPD: 1,475 Pedestrians and Cyclists Injured, 15 Killed in September
| | 5 Comments
Twenty-six people died in New York City traffic in September, and 4,977 were injured, according to the latest NYPD crash data report [PDF]. As of the end of September, 118 pedestrians and cyclists have been killed by city motorists this year, and 11,811 injured, compared to 117 deaths and 11,351 injuries for the same period […]
LeBron and Friends Reclaim Miami’s Streets in New Ad
| | 7 Comments
Looks like the new LeBron James Nike ad that debuted during “Sunday Night Football” last night was at least in part the star’s idea. The spot portrays the two-time NBA champion performing his off-season workout regimen, accompanied by hundreds of kids and adults on bikes as he rides through Miami. Bystanders watch or join in […]
Lentol: DOT Will Finalize Design for Pulaski Protected Bike Lane This Year
| | 5 Comments
DOT is drawing up plans for a dedicated bike lane on the Pulaski Bridge, according to the office of Assembly Member Joe Lentol, and should have a final design ready before the end of the year The current layout of this Queens-Brooklyn link squeezes pedestrians and cyclists onto a narrow shared path, while motorists speed along on […]
Beat the Street: DOT and DOE Launch International Walk to School Contest
| | 6 Comments
DOT and the Department of Education today announced the “Beat the Street” contest, where NYC kids compete with their counterparts around the world to see who can rack up the most walking trips to and from school. From a DOT press release: Since the competition started here on October 15th, more than 1,000 students from […]
Three New Yorkers, Including Two Seniors, Killed by Drivers in the Past Week
| | 1 Comment
Three people were killed by motorists in NYC since last Friday, including two hit-and-run victims. Two of the victims were also senior citizens. At around 4:40 a.m. Friday, a motorist in a dark-colored car fatally struck Antonio Ramirez, 40, at Audubon Avenue and 176th Street in Washington Heights, then fled the scene, according to reports. Along […]
Tonight: Tell Manhattan CBs That Harlem Needs a Safer Morningside Avenue
| | 4 Comments
Community Boards 9 and 10 in Harlem will again hear from DOT tonight on a plan to calm traffic on Morningside Avenue [PDF]. The proposal was developed in response to a request from the North Star Neighborhood Association, and though there is general agreement that speeding drivers are a major problem on Morningside, the community boards […]
CBS 2: Don’t Touch the Highway Running Through the Upper West Side
| | 28 Comments
Yesterday’s CBS 2 attempt to trash potential street improvements for Amsterdam Avenue gets it wrong before the story even starts. As she introduces reporter Lou Young, anchor Dana Tyler says a plan for a new bike lane on Amsterdam “has gotten the green light.” Reality: The Community Board 7 transportation committee last week passed a […]
NYPD Charges 0.7 Percent of Drivers Who Injure and Kill With Careless Driving
| | 12 Comments
Three years after Albany established the offense of careless driving, NYPD continues to apply the law in only a tiny fraction of crashes that result in the death or injury of pedestrians and cyclists. There were 152 pedestrian and cyclist fatalities in the city in 2012, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles, and […]
StreetsPAC Endorses in Four More City Council Races
| | No Comments
StreetsPAC announced general election endorsements in four City Council races today. StreetsPAC supports incumbent Jimmy Van Bramer for District 26 in Queens, which covers Woodside, Sunnyside, Long Island City, Astoria, and Maspeth. “Jimmy Van Bramer has long been a champion for safe and complete streets,” says a StreetsPAC press release. “He has stood with victims’ […]
Daily News Exclusive: Woman on Bike Sees De Blasio in Street, Stops
| | 17 Comments
Someone should tell Jennifer Fermino that the bikelash is over. Fermino, who penned the Post’s infamous “bike lanes are messing with bus service” story on the eve of Hurricane Sandy, is now City Hall bureau chief at the Daily News. Her breathless take on yesterday’s encounter between Bill de Blasio and a cyclist boils down […]
TA Poll: Majority of Citi Bike Users Want Protected Car-Free Bike Lanes
| | 5 Comments
In the latest issue of “StreetBeat,” Transportation Alternatives shares the results of the first in a series of online “flash polls” of Citi Bike riders. The polls are intended to gauge how members use the system, and how they’d like to see Citi Bike, and city streets, made better. Over 2,200 people responded to the […]
How Meaningful Was NYPD’s Weekend Speeding Sweep?
| | 12 Comments
A few thoughts on the NYPD “anti-speeding initiative” the department conducted last weekend, when police issued 736 citations to drivers across the five boroughs. First, it’s a good sign that NYPD seems to be responding to public pressure to tame speeding drivers, and that the department sees PR value in highlighting this enforcement effort. These speeding […]