Driving Cars Off the Streets To Make Way For Summer Fun

This Saturday, seven miles of New York City Streets will be absent their most frequent users: cars. It marks the kick-off of Summer Streets 2009, a three-Saturday event held by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in which cars will be replaced by people biking, rollerblading or walking along a route from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park.

Since the Summer Streets route is in Manhattan, biking advocacy group Transportation Alternatives (TA) will hold round-trip rides from the outer boroughs and Inwood to the event. The ride from Brooklyn will begin at Grand Army Plaza and will be a safe, escorted trip. Participants will meet under the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch.

Noah Budnick, TA senior policy advisor, says bikers can expect a lot of fun from these rides. “It’s a nice quiet route into Manhattan,” he said, noting that the ride will travel along streets with bike lanes or light traffic. “We’ll ride at a really comfortable pace.”

TA’s rides will depart at 8:30 a.m. from Grand Army Plaza all three Saturdays of Summer Streets. Riders will reconvene at noon at the rest stop at Lafayette and Spring streets in SoHo, to return to Brooklyn.

This is the second year for Summer Streets and for TA’s connecting rides. “We do it to invite New Yorkers to come out to this really special event,” said Budnick, “to show them the experience of riding through city streets with no cars and to see how much public space there is.”

Budnick went on to say that TA hopes participants in their rides will experience Summer Streets and want something like it in their own boroughs.

Though TA’s rides leave at 8:30 and end at noon, the larger event will be from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The route stretches from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park via Lafayette Street, Fourth and Park avenues, and 72nd Street.

“The idea behind Summer Streets has always been simple: create an appealing public space for people to enjoy, and New Yorkers would do the rest,” said DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan. “Thanks to the incredible response from New Yorkers, Summer Streets has already become a real New York tradition. Some 50,000 people came out to the streets on each of the three Summer Streets weekends last year, and with hundreds of new activities from salsa lessons to junior tennis lessons to bike share, there are even more reasons to come out for free fun this year.”

Highlights of the Summer Streets will include: bicycle valet parking by TA, bicycle helmet fittings offered by DOT, classes and tutorials about bike riding and safety, Latin dance classes, games and activities for families, a photo contest, and classes by Crunch gym.

This year, Summer Streets has been complemented by nearly 50 other smaller-scale street events in 13 communities citywide known as Weekend Walks — temporary pedestrian areas on weekends ranging between one and seven blocks in length.

These events, which began in June and will continue through September, have been sponsored by local BIDs and community groups throughout the city and have been a real boon for local businesses, which see a major increase in foot traffic.

Upcoming Brooklyn Weekend Walks are in September. “Move About Myrtle,” on Myrtle Ave. between Clinton Street and Emerson Place, sponsored by the Myrtle Ave. Partnership, will take place on four Sundays — September 6, 13, 20 and 27 — from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. “Pitkin Saturday Plazas,” on Pitkin Avenue between Strauss and Thomas Boyland streets, will be on three Saturdays — September 12, 19 and 26 — from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., sponsored by the Pitkin Avenue BID. “Montague Summer Space,” the last Brooklyn Weekend Walk, on Montague Street between Hicks and Clinton streets, will be on Sundays September 13, 20 and 27, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and sponsored by the Montague BID.

“Weekend Walks build on efforts to leverage streets as great public spaces that communities can rally around, be active and experience New York City’s streetscapes in creative, exciting and healthy ways,” said DOT spokesperson Nicole Garcia.

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Waterpod Comes To Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5

Brooklyn Bridge Park has announced the arrival of the Waterpod at Pier 5 (Furman and Joralemon streets) yesterday afternoon, one of several stopovers on its journey through the waterways surrounding the five boroughs of New York City. The Waterpod is a sustainable sculptural art and technology habitat where four artists will live, work, and hold events to further the artistic, ecological, scientific, and cultural richness of New York through October 2009.

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Lefferts Gardens Home to Greenest Block in Brooklyn

Yesterday Borough President Marty Markowitz presented the "Greenest Block in Brooklyn" award to Lincoln Road between Rogers and Bedford avenues in Lefferts Gardens. Eagle writer Phoebe Neidl was at the presentation, and she took some great photos:




Read Phoebe's story here.

All photos by P. Neidl

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Important Warnings About Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Energy-efficient light bulbs, while saving money, can also be dangerous if they break, because they contain toxic mercury. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued the following advice on what to do if a low-energy light bulb breaks.

— Evacuate the room for 15 minutes, taking care not to step on the shards of glass littering the floor.

— Do not use a vacuum cleaner to clear up the mess as the machine's sucking action could spread toxic mercury droplets around the house.

— Put on rubber gloves and sweep the debris into a dustpan.

— Place the remains in a plastic bag and seal it.

— Do not put the bag in a normal household dustbin.

— Instead, place it in a municipal recycling bin for batteries which also contain mercury or take it to a cou9ncil dump where it can be disposed of safely.

— Try not to inhale dust from the broken bulb.

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Paterson Signs Executive Order to Reduce New York’s GHG Pollution

The Eagle received the following press release:

Governor David A. Paterson signed Executive Order No. 24 setting a goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in New York State by 80 percent below the levels emitted in 1990 by the year 2050.

The Executive Order also creates a Climate Action Council with a directive to prepare a draft Climate Action Plan by September 30, 2010. The Climate Action Plan will assess how all economic sectors can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change, as well as identify the extent to which such actions support New York’s goals for a clean energy economy.

“Climate change is the most pressing environmental issue of our time. By taking action, we send a signal that New Yorkers will do our share to address the climate crisis and we will do it in a way that creates opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship to flourish,” said Governor Paterson. “One way we will achieve this goal is by focusing our efforts on a clean energy economy that will create jobs for New Yorkers.”

Governor Paterson has already taken a number of steps to address the climate crisis in New York through innovative, cost-effective policies and programs such as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), stricter automobile greenhouse gas emission standards and the “45 by 15” program for expanding efficiency measures and renewable energy. State programs and incentives are working in concert with federal efforts to increase the use of clean energy technologies and to promote emission reductions.

Future climate change will impose significant economic burdens on New York. Heat-related mortality in the New York City metropolitan region could increase by 47 to 95 percent when compared to 1990 levels. New York’s public drinking water supplies may also be compromised by changes in temperature and precipitation. In addition, a warmer climate will adversely affect the state’s crucial dairy production and crops, including grain, apples and potatoes, resulting in a potential increase in the cost of food.

Though it is anticipated that reductions in greenhouse gas emissions will be paramount, the Climate Action Plan will also include adaptation measures that will safeguard people, the environment and our infrastructure from expected climatic changes.

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Electronics Recycling in Gowanus

Through Sept. 30, from 10 a.m.–3 p.m, drop off your used electronic equipment for reuse or environmentally safe recycling, at 88 Ninth St. in Gowanus. For more information, e-mail john@valiant-ny.com or lberrios@perscholas.org.

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Stimulus Funds Given to 'Green' Downtown Brooklyn Buildings

U.S Representatives Ed Towns, Yvette Clarke and Michael McMahon recently announced that the United States General Services Administration (GSA) — an independent management agency of the federal government — has awarded the two historic federal Brooklyn buildings more than $62 million in Recovery and Reinvestment Act (stimulus package) funds: Brooklyn General Post Office and Emanuel Celler U.S. Courthouse.

Read Eagle writer Liz Tung's report here.

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