J. David Goodman spotlights New York-based Transportation Alternatives, the 40-year-old pedestrian, bicycle, and transit advocacy organization that has become a potent political force.
The arrival of bike share to New York City, whenever the delayed program actually launches, will mark a culmination of sorts for the work of Transportation Alternatives (TA), founded forty years ago by a "ragtag collection of environmental advocates and bicycle riders, dissident city planners and urban preservationists."
Since its public debut in a "traffic-snarling protest ride" down Fifth Avenue in 1973, TA has evolved into a "potent political force" with, "a staff of 23 full-time employees, roughly 8,000 dues-paying members and
an active e-mail network of more than 40,000, not to mention a deep
bench of alumni working in government."
"But when the City of New York has made your agenda its official policy -
including pedestrian plazas and a vast bike-lane network - how
alternative can you continue to be?" asks Goodman.
"Very, [TA Executive Director Paul Steely White] said. 'We see this as the beginning rather than a
culmination,' he said in a May interview. 'Now we have a mainstream
audience.'"
FULL STORY: For Bike Advocates, Delayed Gratification

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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