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
What Does Summer Streets Mean for Business?
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All this relaxed foot traffic surely brought a smile to the face of many a retailer and restaurateur While press coverage of Summer Streets has been generally positive, tales of the miffed muffler shop owner and complaining cabinet maker are bound to continue, as reporters hunt for naysayers to "balance" out their stories. But what […]
Cartoon Tuesday: It’s (Not) Funny Because It’s True
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This AM New York cartoon, currently making the rounds on e-mail, was surely a ridiculous exaggeration when first published in 2004. But it’s not as far off the mark today. As the Times reports, Florida is the latest state to start giving away free "gas for life" as a lottery prize. And though the jackpot, […]
T.A. Offers Reward for Park Slope “Post-Automobile Street” Designs
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9th St. and 4th Ave.: "A dangerous crossing that divides surrounding neighborhoods and inhibits street life." Transportation Alternatives is seeking proposals to reinvent the intersection of 9th Street and 4th Avenue in Park Slope. "Designing the 21st Century Street," a competition open to the general public, will reward the three most promising submissions with up […]
Contented Streets: Why Copenhagen Is the World’s Happiest Capital
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Why have Danes again been named the happiest people on the planet? Early this year ABC News cited bikes as "perhaps … the best symbol of Danish happiness," and in this clip from "Contested Streets" it isn’t hard to see why. Here, livable streets guru Jan Gehl and others explain the many ways an increase […]
Obama, Ethanol, and the “New Metropolitan Reality”
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In a weekend speech to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Senator Barack Obama continued to distinguish himself on urban policy, talking up cities as vital economic centers worthy of investment. Harry Moroz of DMI Blog has the story. Obama opened with a reference to his time as a community developer in Chicago and he joked […]
Cartoon Tuesday: Blind Spots
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Ruben Bolling
Cartoon Tuesday: Roadside Graffiti Edition
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Not exactly Errol Morris, we know, but the sentiment is there. Photographer unknown
Nets Look to Lure Fans With Free Gas
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Given the New Jersey Nets’ lackluster season (34-48 record, no playoff berth), the franchise is taking a page from another under-performer to unload tickets for next year. That’s right: buy 2008-2009 season tickets and the Nets will return 10 percent of the cost in the form of "free" gas, which fans will presumably burn up […]
Cartoon Tuesday: Adaptation
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Robert Ariail / The State
America (Or 1,800 Miles of It) Through the Windshield
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It’s easy to tut-tut at the auto-dependent from the transit-rich confines of New York City. So, to get a taste of what it’s like out there as the era of cheap gas seemingly draws to a close, Streetsblog sent me on a road trip. My destination was Athens, Georgia, where I checked on the state […]
New York Suffering From Bike Shortage
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Customers check out the selection at Bicycle Habitat in SoHo The Sun has a pretty amazing story today about New York bike shops. It seems they’re running out of stock as demand for bikes increases across the country. High gas prices are causing spot shortages of bikes in New York City, as commuters turn to […]
Joe Lieberman: Did Someone Say “High Gas Prices”?
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How obsessed is Washington with gas prices? Acting on a Streetsblog post from last week, a reader wrote Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman urging him to support legislation that would bolster funding for Amtrak. In response, Lieberman’s office sent a long, long form letter outlining the many ways the senator is — you guessed it — […]