Queens Today

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Queens Today Volume 65, No. 103 Monday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 50¢ Raise the Age QUEENS removal rate at 63% — still TODAY lowest in NYC — September 9, 2019 — Court observers AN ASTORIA EDUCATOR WAS ARR- aigned in federal court Friday on charges say the cause is that he attempted to meet a child for sex in the LaGuardia Airport food court. Jason hard to pinpoint Seto, 41, works as a community school By David Brand director in Queens and is employed by the Queens Daily Eagle United Federation of Teachers. He was The rate of 16-year-old “adolescent of- arrested Thursday night at LaGuardia after fenders” removed from Queens Criminal he allegedly attempted to meet a 14-year-old Court under the state’s Raise the Age law boy for sex. trails the citywide average and is the lowest in the five boroughs, but it’s hard to pinpoint what accounts for that disparity, say attor- THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY BRIDGE Acting Queens District Attorney John Ryan’s office uses different criteria than other neys and court observers. boasts panoramic, nearly unobstructed New York City prosecutors for determining what adolescent offender cases they want Continued on page 2 waterfront views from its pedestrian and to remain in criminal court. Photo courtesy of the Queens DA’s Office cyclist path. The East River crossing, with its spans connecting Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan, offers vistas of Astoria, the Hellgate Bridge and the leafy fields of Randall’s Island. Thousands of NYC students rely on dollar BUT MANY SAY THE VERTIGO- vans, the city’s other transit system inducing scenery isn’t worth it: Walking or By Angel Torres biking along the narrow path — which is Special to the Eagle mostly guarded by a four-foot barrier, topped The Jamaica Center transit hub can be a cha- by a railing — could cost the ultimate toll. otic place, especially for someone unfamiliar Read more on page 7. with the area. A total of 28 bus lines stop at the station. So do three different subway lines and the Long AS PUBLIC SCHOOL RESUMED Island Rail Road. across the city, some Sunnyside parents There’s also a lesser known, but equally said they were keeping an open mind about important, mode of transportation: the “dollar a transformative proposal to end gifted van,” which makes up Queens’ sprawling al- and talented programs citywide — despite ternative transit network. For many commut- vocal backlash from opponents of the plan. ers, including students, the vans are the most Others said the proposal would eliminate an efficient — and sometimes only — way to get home. educational track that challenges and uplifts Throughout the day, dozens of dollar van students. drivers park outside Jamaica Center and shout destinations like “Rosedale,” “Q5” or “Q4,” their voices cutting through the dense crowds. MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO’S SCHOOL Jamaica commuters have become familiar with Diversity Advisory Group released a 40-page the shouting drivers, as well as their vital func- report on Aug. 24 calling for the elimination tion. of gifted and talented programs and school Dollar vans are large vehicles that provide screening in the city. The result of the report, a taxi carpooling service for New Yorkers, commissioned to address racial disparities especially residents of “transit deserts” with in city schools, prompted strong opposition little access to reliable public transportation. from many parents and local leaders. Read The dollar van name is slightly misleading: A more on page 10. trip usually costs $2 — still 75 cents less than a MetroCard swipe. The vans often drive along the same routes THE U.S. OPEN WOUND DOWN THIS as buses, and van networks exist in Queens, weekend, but tennis fever is just heating up Students head to the first day of school on Sept. 5. An untold number of children Brooklyn, the Bronx and the boroughs' Chi- depend on "dollar vans" to travel to and from school. Continued on page 2 Photo by Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via Flickr Continued on page 11 SAVE THE DATE 10.03.19 Tickets/Information: Michael Nussbaum (718) 422-7409 ‧ [email protected] PRESENTS Guardians of Justice guardians-of-justice.eventbrite.com Raise the Age removal rate at 63% — still QUEENS lowest in NYC Continued from page 1 TODAY Raise the Age, which took effect Oct. 1, 2018, designated 16-year-olds charged with — September 9, 2019 — crimes as “adolescent offenders” and mandat- ed that they be removed from criminal court except when charged with sex crimes, an of- fense that caused serious injury or the use of a for many Queens residents enthralled with deadly weapon. The law also gave prosecutors Serena, Rafa, Naomi and Novak. Looking for discretion to file motions for cases to remain a place to learn the game, or just want to work in criminal court under an “extraordinary cir- on your backhand? The home search website cumstances” provision that didn’t meet one of Localize.city has identified and mapped 587 the three criteria for automatic retention in the public tennis courts at locations across New criminal court youth part. York City and highlighted the neighborhoods In New York City overall, 79 percent of the with the most places to play. Read more on 16-year-olds arraigned in criminal court — 616 of 776 — were removed to family court or page 10. probation intake during the first nine months under Raise the Age, according to data com- piled by the state Department of Criminal THOUGH STEINWAY & SONS IS WELL Justice Services. The rate was nearly the same known for constructing some of the world’s statewide. finest pianos, few know about the company’s In Queen, the removal rate was just 57 per- history constructing Astoria. Read more on cent (73 of 127 cases) in the first nine months page 15. under the law — lower than the city or state The Queens DA’s reported that 63 percent of adolescent offenders’ cases were average, and 35 percent lower than the rate 92 removed to Queens Family Court under the Raise the Age law, which took effect Oct. percent removal rate in neighboring Brooklyn. CIVIL UNREST, BLACK LIBERATION, 1, 2018. Eagle file photo by Andy Katz The Queens District Attorney’s Office the fight for LGBT rights and anti-war struggle shared up-to-date information with the Eagle consideration in favor of child being placed in lescent offenders could also account for the combine to make one history-filled exhibit at that shows that 104 of the 165 total Raise the Family Court, particularly if they are coerced lower rate of removal in Queens, said defense Queens College. Age cases, a rate of 63 percent, were removed or there’s some type of power imbalance.” attorney Joe Murray, the Republican nominee through Sept. 5. Adult co-defendants could also include 18 for Queens DA. In addition to the three criteria that au- year olds, who are close in age to adolescent “I believe that we have a significant amount “CAMPUS UNREST AT 50: COMME- tomatically keep a child’s case in criminal offenders. The adolescent offender designa- of gang violence in Queens that may be con- morating the Legacy of Dissent at Queens court, the Queens prosecutors assess “wheth- tion will expand to include 17 year olds next tributing to that number,” Murray said last College” will be on display at Queens College er adult co-defendants are made on the same month. Ginsburg questioned the adult code- week. “As these programs and therapy may until Dec. 15 at the Benjamin S. Rosenthal arrest, and whether the adolescent offenders fendant consideration in those cases. not be as successful to kids involved in gang Library. The exhibit chronicles the tumultuous (AO) has a consistent pattern or history in “I don’t know the relevance of them having activity, this office may have decided to adopt year of 1969 through the lens of Queens criminal court,” said a spokesperson for the an adult codefendant other than the Queens a policy to criminally prosecute the defen- College, including the black and women’s Queens DA’s Office. DA’s Office wanting to get credit for two dif- dants in those cases.” liberation movements, LGBT rights-related A deputy bureau chief and an assistant dis- ferent convictions,” she said. “It’s a line in the A spokesperson for the Office of Court Ad- protests and student opposition to the Vietnam trict attorney arraign each cases in the youth sand that they seem to have made up.” ministration said "a lot of considerations go War. part, the spokesperson said. Judge Lenora Nevertheless, Ginsburg and others familiar into the decision regarding removing a case to Gerald presides in the youth part. with court proceedings said the lower rate in Family Court." “The judge in the youth part ultimately de- Queens relative to the other boroughs is due "Once a case is removed, it cannot be re- LONG ISLAND CITY MAN WHO DEALT cides which cases will be removed so all the to a combination of factors. stored to criminal court. There is no one size cocaine and heroin in the Ravenswood cases that are kept in criminal court are either Prosecutors file motions to retain cases in fits all," the spokesperson said. "All parties Houses received an 8-year prison sentence on agreed to by the judge or on the consent of the criminal court in Queens more often than in involved, the judge, prosecution and defense Thursday. defense,” the spokesperson said. other boroughs, except Manhattan, Ginsburg determine what would be best for the defen- The DA’s decision to file motions to keep said.
Recommended publications
  • Queens Tackles Legionnaires'
    LARGEST AUDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN QUEENS Aug. 14–20, 2015 Your Neighborhood — Your News® 75 cents THE NEWSPAPER OF FLUSHING, AUBURNDALE, KEW GARDENS HILLS & FRESH MEADOWS Pilates studio Queens tackles Legionnaires’ sued over OT Borough conquered disease back in May before South Bronx outbreak in Fresh Mdws. BY MADINA TOURE BY TOM MOMBERG RUN IN THE SUN In the aftermath of a small outbreak of Legionnaires’ dis- A Flushing man has filed ease in Queens this spring, bor- a lawsuit against his former ough hospitals and buildings employer in Fresh Meadows are continuing to undertake for demanding he work up to safety preventive measures in 105 hours a week with no over- light of the recent outbreak in time. the South Bronx. Marcos Leyton, 35, is charg- In April and May, 13 people ing that Pilates Bodies New got sick with Legionnaires’ in York had hired him at a salary Flushing, three of whom live of $1,000 a week and regularly in the Bland Houses at 40-21 scheduled him to work seven College Point Blvd. in Flush- days a week for up to 15 hours ing, according to a Health De- a day, which translated into partment spokeswoman. 65 hours of overtime weekly, As of Wednesday, there had according to the complaint he been 115 cases and 12 deaths filed with Brooklyn federal in the South Bronx, accord- court. ing to Mayor Bill de Blasio. If Leyton’s suit is upheld, There had been no new cases his former employer will be since Aug. 3. Health Commis- in violation of the Fair Labor sioner Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Shared Ride and Pooling Services Susan Shaheen
    Going My Way? The Evolution of Shared Ride and Pooling Services Susan Shaheen haring rides is a longstanding We know that technologically, a future with tradition that predates even horse- many shared rides is now possible. What we S don’t know is whether and under what conditions and-buggy travel. Recent innovations, people will be willing to make that transition. however, make sharing a ride easier, Thinking about this possibility requires that we more convenient, and more efficient. understand the history of shared mobility, and Innovative mobility services premised how it interacts with modes we already know. on pooling — getting multiple riders Historic Trends, About to Be Disrupted into the same vehicle — can lower travel costs, mitigate congestion, and Shared mobility is a radical departure from reduce greenhouse gas emissions. the culture of auto ownership that has long dominated the industrialized world. This culture They also offer travelers more mobility became entrenched after World War II, when choices between the traditional interstates, suburbs, and auto-oriented industries bookends of auto ownership and (such as drive-thru restaurants) grew. Almost public transit. everywhere, car ownership increased and public transit use often declined — despite efforts The motivations for pooling are simple. There to boost its ridership. The affluent world, to a are economic incentives. Cars are among the greater extent, was defined, by driving alone. most underused capital assets in our economy, sitting empty 95 percent of the time and usually Efforts to change this situation have for decades carrying only one person the rest of the time. If met little success.
    [Show full text]
  • Matter of DTG Operations, Inc. V Autoone Ins. Co
    Matter of DTG Operations, Inc. v Autoone Ins. Co. 2014 NY Slip Op 32464(U) September 16, 2014 Supreme Court, New York County Docket Number: 156932/13 Judge: Joan A. Madden Cases posted with a "30000" identifier, i.e., 2013 NY Slip Op 30001(U), are republished from various state and local government websites. These include the New York State Unified Court System's E-Courts Service, and the Bronx County Clerk's office. This opinion is uncorrected and not selected for official publication. [* 1] SLPRE\1E COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COCNTY OF NEW YORK: PART 11 ----------------------------------------------------------------------)( fn the Matter of the Arbitration of Certain Controversies Between DTG OPERATIONS, JNC. d/h/a DOLLAR RENT-A-CAR, Petitioner, INDEX NO. 156932/13 -against- AUTOONL INSl!RANCE COMPA'.\Y, a/s/o Vincent-1-Iarris, Ricardo DaYey, .Jennifer Singh Paige, and Michelle Chase. Respondents. ---------------------------------------------------------------------)( JOA\! A. MADDEN . .T.: Petitioner DTG Operations, Inc. ('"DTG") commenced this proceeding pursuant to CPLR 75 l l(b) seeking to vacate and set aside four arbitration awards dated May 5, 2013, which granted respondent AutoOne Insurance Company" s ("AutoOne") claims for loss transfer subrogation pursuant to Insurance Law §51 OS( a). Respondent AutoOnc opposes the petition. On April 20, 2010, a \·chicle insured by petitioner DTG allegedly struck the rear end of a vehicle insured by respondent AutoOne. Four occupants of the AutoOne vehicle, Vincent Harris, Ricardo Davey, Jennifer Singh Paige, and J\1ichelle Chase, received no-fault insurance benefits. On December 5, 2012, AutoOne commenced four separate arbitration proceedings against DTG seeking loss transfer subrogation pursuant Insurance Law §5105(a) with respect to the no-fault benelits paid on behalf of the four occupants of the AutoOne Vehicle.
    [Show full text]
  • Transportation: Past, Present and Future “From the Curators”
    Transportation: Past, Present and Future “From the Curators” Transportationthehenryford.org in America/education Table of Contents PART 1 PART 2 03 Chapter 1 85 Chapter 1 What Is “American” about American Transportation? 20th-Century Migration and Immigration 06 Chapter 2 92 Chapter 2 Government‘s Role in the Development of Immigration Stories American Transportation 99 Chapter 3 10 Chapter 3 The Great Migration Personal, Public and Commercial Transportation 107 Bibliography 17 Chapter 4 Modes of Transportation 17 Horse-Drawn Vehicles PART 3 30 Railroad 36 Aviation 101 Chapter 1 40 Automobiles Pleasure Travel 40 From the User’s Point of View 124 Bibliography 50 The American Automobile Industry, 1805-2010 60 Auto Issues Today Globalization, Powering Cars of the Future, Vehicles and the Environment, and Modern Manufacturing © 2011 The Henry Ford. This content is offered for personal and educa- 74 Chapter 5 tional use through an “Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike” Creative Transportation Networks Commons. If you have questions or feedback regarding these materials, please contact [email protected]. 81 Bibliography 2 Transportation: Past, Present and Future | “From the Curators” thehenryford.org/education PART 1 Chapter 1 What Is “American” About American Transportation? A society’s transportation system reflects the society’s values, Large cities like Cincinnati and smaller ones like Flint, attitudes, aspirations, resources and physical environment. Michigan, and Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, turned them out Some of the best examples of uniquely American transporta- by the thousands, often utilizing special-purpose woodwork- tion stories involve: ing machines from the burgeoning American machinery industry. By 1900, buggy makers were turning out over • The American attitude toward individual freedom 500,000 each year, and Sears, Roebuck was selling them for • The American “culture of haste” under $25.
    [Show full text]
  • DESTINATION STATION TRANSFORMING BUS STOPS THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH July 2019
    DESTINATION STATION TRANSFORMING BUS STOPS THROUGH COMMUNITY OUTREACH July 2019 Written and researched by Eve Critton and Jeb Polstein Cover image: Fordham Road & Grand Concourse Photos used in this toolkit were contributed by: Project for Public Spaces SounderBruce (Creative Commons) GIS data are from Baruch College and OpenStreetMap Zoning maps are from zola.planning.nyc.gov 2 © 2019 Project for Public Spaces | www.pps.org CONTENTS Introduction 4 Methodology 7 Findings and Analysis 15 Framework 25 Conclusion 32 3 © 2019 Project for Public Spaces | www.pps.org INTRODUCTION The broad answer: develop a sense of How can bus stops be place that strengthens the connection more than portals to pass between people and the bus stops they use. In practice, this means seamlessly through? incorporating bus stops into people’s daily routines. Specifically, bus stops can be located near an array of food options, retail establishments, and services, allowing riders to cluster their errands around convenient hubs. They can be easily accessible on foot and via bikeshare or scooter, and close to parks, libraries, and other community destinations. They can include shelters, seating, and arrival information to make waiting riders comfortable. Surrounding street geometry can actively incorporate bus lanes and pedestrian safety, and network-wide considerations can keep the buses running efficiently. To fulfill the promise of buses as an equitable, sustainable, and efficient mode of transit, this type of ideal bus stop must become a reality for every person living in a city. Project for Public Spaces’ emerging Portals to Places program aims to do just that. The idea of bringing placemaking to transit stations is not new to us; Project for Public Spaces began encouraging transit agencies to think beyond the station in 2007.
    [Show full text]
  • Informal Is Global
    Informal is Global Benjamin de la Peña for Agile City Partners | June 25, 2021 Paratransit? Informal Transportation? Intermediate Public Transportation? Indigenous Transportation? Artisanal Transportation? Popular Transportation? Pop-Transport? “The first step to inclusion is to be counted.” -Shack/Slum Dwellers International slide BENJIE’s classic "short snout" 1969 MB LO1112 colectivo at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, by Moebiusuibeom-en COLECTIVO JEEPNEY A jeepney in Intramuros, Manila, by Bahnfrend A tap tap bus in Haiti Songthaew in Udon Thani, Isaan Province, Thailand, by Philipp L. Wesche. TAP TAP THAEW SONG- Petrozavodsk traffic microbus GAZelle, by MaSii MARSHRUTKA A matatu c. 2015, by Jociku MATATU https://brokelyn.com/a-hail-of-a-ride-a-bk-dollar-van-map/ A red Public Light Bus, by Him9 小巴 的照片 LV3705 DOLLAR VANS VAN VAN JÁI slide BENJIE’s PAKISTAN NIGERIA Photo © Leopardi from https://www.stylepark.com/en/news/tuk-tuks-daladalas-a Chingchee (Quingqi) in Pakistan. Wikipedia nd-super-highways Mariordo (Mario Roberto Durán Ortiz) - Own work. Bajaj mototaxi in El SalvadorSALVADOR SRI LANKA SRI EL EL Natural Gas-fuelled Bajaj autorickshaw on Jakarta Bajaj auto-rickshaw next to the Galle Fort in Sri Lanka, by Mr. Choppers street, BY Gunawan KartapranataINDONESIA From https://www.thailanddiscovery.info/bangkok-thailand-tuk-tuks/ THAILAND Banaue, Philippines: Local Taxi Stand in Banaue Municipal Town, by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas PHILIPPINES CNG-powered auto rickshaw in New Delhi, near the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Raj Path, by Warren Apel INDIA slide BENJIE’s Ojeks (motorcycle taxis) in Indonesia, by Serenity BODABODAS, OJEKS, OKADAS, MOTOR SAI, SAI, MOTOR OKADAS, OJEKS, BODABODAS, MOTO TAXI, XE-OMS, ETC.
    [Show full text]
  • LADOT Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Study (Draft)
    DRAFT LADOT TAXI AND FOR-HIRE VEHICLE STUDY August 23, 2019 Sam Schwartz Engineering Los Angeles Department of Transportation Taxi and For-Hire Vehicle Study Contents 0. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................... 5 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 11 1.A Objective ........................................................................................................................................... 11 1.B Guiding Principles ............................................................................................................................. 12 2. Existing System........................................................................................................................................ 14 2.A Review of City’s Franchise System .................................................................................................... 14 Overview of the Regulatory System in Los Angeles ............................................................................ 14 How is the Existing Regulatory Framework Contributing to LADOT’s Guiding Principles? ................ 20 2.B Transportation Network Companies and Bandit/Unlicensed Operations ........................................ 24 The Impact of TNCs on the Taxi Industry ...........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Dollar Van Poster
    Shadow Transit: Dollar Vans in New York City Background Equitable access to transit in New York City is not a guarantee. In the vacuum of access to reliable public transit in New York’s outer boroughs, a system of dollar vans has arisen. The communities they serve are generally low income, underserved and mostly Haitan, West Indian and Chinese populations, making the vans all the more vital. While more affluent neighborhoods might have had their transit woes eliminated by ride sharing apps, these communities do not have the disposable income to use Uber and Lyft. In addition to economic factors, the communal nature of the vans makes them ideal for immigrants who speak little or no English. In the case of the vans serving commuters between the Chinese neighborhoods of downtown Manhattan and South Brooklyn, the drivers serve as an alternative to newly arrived Chinese who would otherwise not have the language skills requisite to figure out the MTA’s (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) system. While some neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens have access to subways, most do not. Most are however, covered by the MTA’s extensive bus network. Many of these busses though serve as express routes to Manhattan. Meanwhile, intra-borough routes are extensive but extremely slow with many routes coming as little as 4 times per hour at rush hour. This is where dollar vans fill the gap. The vans provide dynamic transit which can adjust to ridership easily and on the fly, something the MTA, given its size, cannot do. The current laws allow for licensure of ‘Commuter Vans’, their legal title, but these vans are not allowed to pick up street hails.
    [Show full text]
  • Lees Dit Boek 'Zoals Monbiot Terecht Zegt: Als Zijn Ideeën Ons Niet Beval- Len, Moeten We Met Betere Komen. Hij Gelooft Dat A
    Lees dit boek ‘Zoals Monbiot terecht zegt: als zijn ideeën ons niet beval- len, moeten we met betere komen. Hij gelooft dat alles bij het oude laten geen serieuze optie is.’ – Financial Times Geef dit boek door Lees het niet alleen. Koop nog een exemplaar van dit boek. Geef het aan wie zich zorgen maakt, wie informatie zoekt, wie zich roekeloos gedraagt, wie iets wil doen. Geeft het door en maak er een kettingboek van. Hoe langer de ketting wordt, hoe meer hij uitwaaiert, hoe groter het ef- fect is. Dit boek gelezen? Koop dan De laatste generatie door Fred Pearce om te weten wat er precies met het klimaat aan de hand is. Eveneens slechts 5 euro. Zie ook www.hitte.nu voor ideeën wat u zelf kunt doen. voor Hanna Dat deze wereld voor jou bewoonbaar moge zijn George Monbiot Hitte Hoe voorkomen we dat de planeet verbrandt? met research-assistentie van Dr Matthew Prescott vertaling Nigel Harle en Michiel Groen i.s.m. Maurits Groen Milieu & Communicatie Uitgeverij Jan van Arkel Maurits Groen Milieu & Communicatie Serie Klimaat voor 5 Euro Fred Pearce - De laatste generatie (november 2007) George Monbiot - Hitte (december 2007) Maurits Groen & Jos van der Schot - Hitte nl (werktitel, voorjaar 2008) © George Monbiot, 2006/2007 zie ook www.monbiot.com oorspronkelijke titel: Heat verschenen bij Allen Lane, Penguin Group, London isbn 978 90 6224 469 0 vertaling: Nigel Harle en Michiel Groen i.s.m. Maurits Groen Milieu & Communicatie omslagontwerp: Karel Oosting omslagfoto: Tor Ivar Karlsen opmaak: Hanneke Kossen druk: Haasbeek Dit is een klimaatneutraal product.
    [Show full text]
  • Do Private Transport Services Complement Or Compete Against Public Transit? Evidence from the Commuter Vans in Eastern Queens, New York
    Article Do Private Transport Services Complement or Compete against Public Transit? Evidence from the Commuter Vans in Eastern Queens, New York Catherine Musili 1 and Deborah Salon 2,* 1 School of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA; [email protected] 2 School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 31 December 2018; Accepted: 13 February 2019; Published: 22 February 2019 Abstract: Do private transport services complement or compete against public transit? As transit agencies scramble to adjust to the new transport landscape of mobility services, this has become an important question. This study focuses on New York’s commuter vans (also known as “dollar vans”), private vans that have operated alongside public transit for decades. We use original survey and observational data collected in the summer of 2016 to document basic ridership characteristics and to provide insight into whether the commuter vans complement or compete against city buses. Commuter van ridership in Eastern Queens is high; it is roughly equivalent to city bus ridership on parallel routes at approximately 55,000 per day. Further, more than 60% of van riders surveyed would have had a free trip on a city bus, through either a transit pass or transfer. Time savings was an important motivation for these riders to pay extra for the vans; the vans are faster than city buses, and van wait times are shorter. These results suggest that New York’s commuter vans complement public transit by serving as a feeder system. This conclusion, however, is highly context-dependent.
    [Show full text]
  • Transportation & Safe Streets Crystal Understands That This City Is a Multi-Modal One and That Streets Have to Be Safe for A
    Transportation & Safe Streets Crystal understands that this city is a multi-modal one and that streets have to be safe for all users, no matter how many wheels they ride on or if they get around on foot. She will work to reform the failed implementation of Vision Zero, expand bike lanes, reform street parking, and advocate for municipal control of New York City Transit, making those who manage our subways and buses more directly accountable to their passengers. She will also ensure that taxi and for-hire drivers are treated fairly and not subject to predatory lending and labor practices. As New Yorkers, we are so lucky to live in a city that has a wide range of transportation options. Like so many, Crystal frequently gets around on foot, by bike, car, and via subway. Crystal believes we must continue to invest in all forms of transportation to ensure New York remains a multi-modal city for generations to come, and overturn decades of underinvestment in our city’s infrastructure by fully funding and implementing the already-passed Streets Master Plan, which will make our streets safer for everyone. With more protected bike lanes, updated parking policies, more protected bus lanes, bus stop upgrades, better pedestrian signals, and more pedestrian-friendly intersection redesign, we will move toward a city that respects and invests in all modes of transportation. We must be vigilant in advocating for the accessibility, safety, cleanliness and durability of our transportation infrastructure. Fellow New Yorkers continue to shoulder the burden of increased fares and transit costs with little to no improvements in service or safety.
    [Show full text]
  • Urban Resiliency and the Chinese Commuter Van System in New York City
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 5-2019 The Untapped Potential of Ethnic Community Networks: Urban Resiliency and the Chinese Commuter Van System in New York City Alexandra Diane Smith The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3211 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF ETHNIC COMMUNITY NETWORKS: URBAN RESILIENCY AND THE CHINESE COMMUTER VAN SYSTEM IN NEW YORK CITY by ALEXANDRA DIANE SMITH A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in International Migration Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, The City University of New York. 2019 © 2019 ALEXANDRA DIANE SMITH All Rights Reserved ii The Untapped Potential of Ethnic Community Networks: Urban Resiliency and the Chinese Commuter Van System in New York City by Alexandra Diane Smith This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in International Migration Studies in satisfaction of the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. Date Dr. Jeremy Porter, Ph.D. Thesis Advisor Date Dr. Philip Kasinitz, Ph.D. Program Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii ABSTRACT The Untapped Potential of Ethnic Community Networks: Urban Resiliency and the Chinese Commuter Van System in New York City by Alexandra Diane Smith Advisor: Dr.
    [Show full text]