Upper West Side Streets Renaissance

UWS Streets Renaissance member, Columbia Urban Planning graduate student, intrepid volunteer and all-around advocacy all-star Inbar Kishoni was perusing a copy of Marie Claire recently when she noticed that its editorial staff had judged Bike to Work Day “iffy” in its monthly feature “The Good, The Bad and the Iffy”. Not one to take such an obvious and egregious misjudgment sitting down, she penned this letter, which she’s been good enough to share with us:

“I am writing to express my disappointment in your classification of Bike to Work Day as “iffy” in “The opinionated guide to May” article. The dependence of the United States on the automobile has led to an overuse of limited resources and an abundance of health concerns that range from asthma to obesity. Bike to Work Day is meant to encourage healthy, environmentally sustainable, and affordable forms of transportation. Granted some people live too far from work to bike, but this day is meant to encourage people to consider the alternatives.

In publishing a magazine you are in the position to motivate people to make decisions that are healthy for themselves and for the planet. Your position comes as a surprise to me since you do so much to encourage humanitarian causes. Cycling provides mobility to those who cannot afford or are not yet old enough to drive an automobile. I hope that you will consider your influence before writing off something like this in the future.

Inbar Kishoni, New York, NY”

Well played, Inbar! Here’s hoping someone over there is listening…

First and foremost, thanks again to the over 40 people who showed up at Community Board 7 to express their support for the DOT’s proposal to install buffered bike lanes on W. 106th St., which will provide a crucial crosstown park-to-park linkage.  In the wake of that first meeting local stakeholders, including the Jewish Home and Hospital and Greenmarkets, have been taking part in ongoing discussions about how to best implement the bike lane plan without disrupting residents daily lives.

Best of all, the DOT is moving forward with the plan, and are projecting a completion date of June, 2008.  In other words: in less than two months!  This is a fantastic example of a community coming together behind a beneficial project, and the city listening.  Moving forward, there is another meeting of the CB7 Transportation Committee on May 13th, where the proposal is expected to pass without any resistance.

The most important date to mark in your calendar is June 3rd.  This is when the full board of CB7 will meet to hear the proposal, and vote yes or no.  It is crucial that we turn out big support at this meeting, so that CB7 and the DOT will know that this is a plan which the community supports.  The details are below, hope to see you there!

CB7 Full Board Meeting

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital 

1000 Tenth Avenue

(58th - 59th Streets)

7:00 pm

June 3rd