January 11: Families Bike Brooklyn, Safer Grand Army Plaza, State policy platform

Join us on Tuesday as we bring elected officials, biking advocates, and community members together to highlight the needs of families who bike in Brooklyn. Our free Families Bike Brooklyn panel will take place at Brooklyn’s Central Library at 6 p.m. Please RSVP in advance.

Panelists will cover issues ranging from how to ride with a baby seat on your bike to what to teach your teens about riding on city streets. Streets that are safe for families are streets that are safe enough for all, so join us to empower and uplift families all across Brooklyn!

RSVP NOW

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

1?? State policy platform. Ahead of this week’s State of the State address, we released our new policy platform: Seven Steps for New York State’s Leaders to Transform Our Streets. Join us on January 24 in Albany as we lobby for policies that put people, not cars, first. RSVP here to take action with us.

2?? Train with TA’s community organizers. Your City, Your Voice is TA’s free activist training program, and our next course begins on Wednesday, January 25. Sign up now and, over the course of five weeks, you’ll learn how to get involved in local campaigns and turn your great ideas into real policy.

3?? In the news. Here's what we're reading this week:

• In her State of the State address, Gov. Hochul announced she will introduce a version of Sammy’s Law, which will allow New York City to set its own speed limits. Read more in Streetsblog.
• The Atlantic looks at the safety risks that heavier, overpowered electric vehicles pose to other road users.
• Bloomberg examines the danger of EVs’ extreme acceleration capability.
• On a related note, our Seven Steps policy platform calls for speed governor technology and direct vision standards on all new cars sold in New York.
• And finally, from the New York Times: “Widening Highways Doesn’t Fix Traffic. So Why Do We Keep Doing It?”

TWO THINGS TO DO

1?? Support public funding to expand Citi Bike. As Citi Bike prices increase, we must ensure that all New Yorkers have affordable access to bike share programs. Add your name to our petition to keep bike share affordable and expand the service to every neighborhood in the five boroughs.

2?? Sign our Safer Grand Army Plaza petition. With landmarks such as Prospect Park, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden – and some of Brooklyn’s most popular Open Streets – nearby, it’s critical that we make Grand Army Plaza safer for people to cross on bikes and on foot. Sign our petition and demand a fast-tracked implementation of the redesign.

ONE ACTION TO TAKE NOW

RSVP for Families Bike Brooklyn. Hear from bike riders across Brooklyn, and learn how you can advocate for improved street design and bike infrastructure. Register for our free Families Bike Brooklyn panel on Tuesday, January 17 at 6 p.m.

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend,

Ted and the TA team

P.S. Save the date for our second-annual Women's Ride on Saturday, March 25. Stay tuned for more details on the route and how to register!