Latest news with #YdanisRodriguez
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
More bus lanes proposed for busy Flatbush Avenue corridor in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — New York City transportation experts are proposing major changes for what they've dubbed one of 'Brooklyn's most dangerous corridors.' The Department of Transportation announced proposals for new bus lanes along Brooklyn's Flatbush Avenue stretching from Livingston Street to Grand Army Plaza on Friday. More Transit News 'Almost 70,000 daily bus riders are stuck waiting too long for slow buses, drivers are caught in a mess of traffic, and pedestrians are left crossing intersections clogged with vehicles,' said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. The proposal seeks to create center-running bus lanes along Flatbush Avenue with new pedestrian spaces with the intention of improving traffic safety and reducing pedestrian crossing times. Center-running lanes would also help dramatically increase bus speeds by creating physically separated spaces for buses and reducing conflicts with personal vehicles, officials say. More Local News 'This plan will drastically improve the commute times for the tens of thousands of daily riders who live on Flatbush Avenue – many of whom rely on public transportation to get to work,' MTA President Demetrius Crichlow. Currently, Flatbush Avenue is a Vision Zero Priority Corridor, meaning it's one of the most dangerous streets in Brooklyn, with 55 people killed or severely injured since 2019. Bus speeds have also been recorded to be slower than four miles per hour during rush hours which is about the same speed as a person walking, according to the DOT. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State Buses along Flatbush Avenue primarily serve Black, female, and low-income riders, a majority of who have household incomes of less than $80,000 a year, researchers from a Pratt Center study found. Many riders in the area have complained of long wait times in extreme weather, transportation experts say. With center-running lanes, NYC DOT would install concrete bus boarding islands in the street for pedestrians. The agency plans to continue community engagement throughout the spring to get feedback from residents, businesses and commuters. Dominique Jack is a digital content producer from Brooklyn with more than five years of experience covering news. She joined PIX11 in 2024. More of her work can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Yahoo
1 Dead and 2 Injured After Boat Explodes on Hudson River in N.Y.C. — 1 Week After Brooklyn Bridge Ship Crash
One man was killed and two others were injured due to a boat explosion on the Hudson River in New York City The incident happened near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant at around 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, May 24 The boat explosion occurred one week after a Mexican Navy ship crashed into N.Y.C.'s Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, killing two people and injuring more than a dozen othersOne man was killed and two others were injured due to an explosion on a boat docked in the Hudson River during New York City's Fleet Week. The incident happened near the North River Wastewater Treatment Plant around West 138th Street at around 10:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, May 24, according to WNBC-TV and The New York Post, which cited New York Police Department (NYPD) officials. Authorities told the Post they received a report about a person in the water, and when they arrived at the scene, they found that a large explosion had ripped through the hull of a ship. Two men, who had been working on the boat, were injured in the explosion. They were taken to nearby hospitals, per the outlet. Their conditions were unknown. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. A third man was thrown into the water by the explosion and became trapped between the boat and the pier, according to the Post. The man — identified as a 59-year-old — died as a result of the incident, the outlet reported. The boat was operated by the Department of Environmental Protection and transports raw sewage from the city to a nearby treatment facility, according to WNBC-TV and the Post. The boat was reportedly docked at the time of the incident. The incident is under investigation, according to the outlets. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) told the Post that it was still too early in their investigation to determine whether the explosion was accidental or intentional. The NYPD and FDNY did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on the incident. Photos obtained by The Daily Mail and the Post show emergency responders and FDNY vehicles on the scene. Other photos depict rescue boats heading into the area and helicopters hovering over a barge. The incident took place one week after a Mexican Navy ship crashed into New York City's Brooklyn Bridge on May 17, killing two people and injuring more than a dozen others. At the time of the crash, 277 people were onboard, officials said. Following the incident, officials revealed that the 'pilot lost power of the ship' shortly after it had taken off from the nearby Pier 17, causing it to crash into the bridge. Chief Wilson Aramboles of the NYPD's Special Operations Division stated during a press conference that the ship was en route to Iceland. New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez also said during the press conference that a preliminary assessment found no signs of major damage to the iconic bridge. Read the original article on People
Time Out
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Time Out
These NYC streets were just renamed for famous Knicks players
If you notice an uptick in blue-and-orange street signs around Manhattan, don't adjust your glasses—you're not dreaming. As the New York Knicks charge into the Eastern Conference Finals, New York City is going all-in on the hype, temporarily co-naming streets after every active player on the team. Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the move this week. It is a full-court press celebration of Knicks pride, with each street sign decked out in team colors and labeled with the player's name and jersey number. It's the most New York way possible to say: We see you, we love you, now beat the Pacers. The temporary renamings are sprinkled across Sixth and Seventh Avenues, each loosely tied to the player's jersey number. Stroll through the West Village and you'll spot Josh Hart Street at Sixth Avenue and West 3rd Street. Head uptown and you'll find Karl-Anthony Towns Square near MSG at Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street. Other renamed corners include OG Anunoby Alley, Precious Achiuwa Place, Mitchell Robinson Road and Mikal Bridges Block, a personal favorite for anyone who loves alliteration and defense. "The Knicks embody the spirit of New York—resilient, passionate and unstoppable," said Mayor Adams. 'On the path to a championship, we recognize the hard work and determination that has gotten this team to the Eastern Conference Finals.' MSG Sports COO Jamaal Lesane echoed the sentiment, calling it a moment to 'bring people together through their shared passion for the team.' The Knicks' 2025 playoff run has been one for the books. After knocking out the reigning champion Celtics and finishing the regular season with their best record in over a decade, the team opened their ninth Eastern Conference Finals appearance last night at Madison Square Garden with a heartbreaking last-second loss. These signs may be temporary (permanent co-namings require City Council approval), but for now, the city's grid is a tribute to the Knicks' grit. Whether you're strolling down Jalen Brunson Boulevard or cutting across Miles McBride Street, consider it the city's love letter to its playoff-bound team.
New York Times
21-05-2025
- General
- New York Times
In Central Park, Trying for Peace Between Walkers and Cyclists
Good morning. It's Wednesday. Today we'll look at changes in Central Park that give pedestrians, runners and cyclists more room on the roadways. We'll also get details on an $800 million renovation of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the centerpiece of tennis in the United States. In Central Park, where coexistence among the crowds is often fragile, a new effort to keep everyone in his or her lane — walkers, runners and cyclists — is nearing completion. One lane — the left lane — is being painted a light tan, indicating that it is for pedestrians only. Or, as Betsy Smith, the president of the Central Park Conservancy, put it: 'This is where pedestrians belong. This is their protected space.' That visual cue comes as the space in the lanes is being reapportioned for the first time since cars were barred from the park drives several years ago. The roadways in the middle and southern parts of the six-mile loop in the park have just been repaved, from 96th Street on the West Drive to 90th Street on the East Drive. The northern part of the loop will get its face-lift next year. The transportation commissioner, Ydanis Rodriguez, noted when the repaving began in March that the goal was 'to reimagine how the park loop can best reflect the needs of parkgoers.' He said that the project was intended to 'prioritize pedestrian safety while also better accommodating cyclists and legal e-mobility options.' Smith was more succinct. She said the purpose was 'avoiding conflict.' Accomplishing that, or trying to, involved reallocating space, always a challenge in New York. A report last year noted that the drives in the park varied from 22 feet to 42 feet from one curb to the other and that the widths were inconsistent for different users along the way. In some places, the pedestrian lane was as narrow as eight feet across, even 'in places where the drive was quite wide,' Smith noted on Tuesday. The conservancy called for consistency — 10 feet for a pedestrian lane, and 10 feet for each of two adjacent bicycle lanes. The pedestrian lane is still on the left side, as it was before the repaving. The one in the middle is for slow-to-medium-speed bikers, Smith said. The one on the right is a for e-bikes and high-speed cyclists. The city plans to put bicycle symbols in the traffic lights, to remind cyclists that they are supposed to stop at the crosswalks. The Transportation Department said that the lights at some crosswalks might be removed and replaced with 'pedestrian crossing' and 'active bike lane' warning signs. Smith hopes that some traffic lights can eventually be lowered, putting them at eye level for cyclists. At their present height, 'the lights talk to cars,' she said. 'We want to talk to bikes and runners.' The wider lanes and the paint for the pedestrian corridor are being completed as the city moves toward the end of a two-year pilot project that allowed e-bikes and e-scooters in Central Park, in Prospect Park in Brooklyn and on greenways like the one along the Brooklyn waterfront. Until May 31, the Parks Department is running a web survey that asks for specific locations where people have encountered problems 'with the flow of bikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, pedestrians or other park users.' The pilot project did not open parks to motorcycles or mopeds. But some opponents say even e-bikes are too much. 'They're lawless,' said Pamela Manasse, a co-founder of the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance, which favors requiring e-bikes and e-scooters to be registered and to carry license plates. 'They don't adhere to regulations. They don't yield to pedestrians. They ride, sometimes, on the pedestrian walkways.' Janet Schroeder, another co-founder, added that Central Park 'shouldn't be a cut-through for people to fly on their e-bikes, whether they're Citi Bike riders or deliverers.' Schroeder said that their group has more than 1,200 members and that more than 100 had been hit and hurt by e-bikes or scooters. Manasse was struck by a moped in front of Lincoln Center in 2022 and partially paralyzed. 'I've worked hard to regain the ability to walk,' she said on Tuesday. She said she did not expect the repaving to improve the traffic flow in Central Park. 'One can't walk across the park drives without taking their life into their own hands,' she said, adding, 'These dangers will not be alleviated' by the wider lanes. Expect a cloudy day with rain in the afternoon and evening. The temperature will reach the high 50s and drop to the upper 40s. In effect until Memorial Day (May 26). The latest Metro news An $800 million plan to renew Arthur Ashe Stadium After an $800 million renovation is completed in time for the United States Open in 2027, Arthur Ashe Stadium will still be the world's largest tennis arena, with roughly 24,000 seats. What will be different is the look and feel of a stadium that opened in 1997 and is now the second-oldest major sports venue in the New York area, after Madison Square Garden. The most visible changes will be in the crowded concourse levels. The walkways will be expanded, a plus in areas that sometimes get jammed with fans. That is hardly surprising: Since 2017, attendance at the U.S. Open has grown year over year (excluding the 2020 pandemic year, when no fans were allowed). Last year it topped one million for the first time. The renovated stadium will have space for high-end shops and restaurants, and a $250 million players building will take shape on an existing parking lot. It will tower over the five practice courts. 'We are doubling down on the continued growth that we are seeing in tennis in this country,' said Danny Zausner, the chief operating officer of the United States Tennis Association, which runs the Open. Construction has already begun; the U.S.T.A. said the project would not interfere with the tournament over the next two years. The nonprofit U.S.T.A. said it would pay for the renovation through reserve funds and debt. It said it would not need any more land in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, where the U.S.T.A. leases the 46 acres that house the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which includes Arthur Ashe Stadium. The U.S.T.A. has spent over $1 billion on construction over the past decade, adding three new stadiums and refurbishing the outer courts and practice areas. At the Pool Dear Diary: On a hot July afternoon a few years ago, I brought my 9-month-old baby to a public pool in our Queens neighborhood. As a new parent, I was overwhelmed by all the steps required to get a wriggling baby into the water. Regular diaper off, swim diaper on, onesie off, bathing suit on, etc. On top of all that, the pool had a long list of rules and a staff whose members were diligently enforcing them with frequent blasts of their whistles. Finally, we got into the pool. My baby splashed around in the cool water for a bit, and then we got out to sit on a lounge chair and breastfeed. A few minutes later, an older woman who worked there approached us. I had seen her keeping strict order around the pool, and my body tightened as I prepared to be told we were breaking the rules in one way or another. Instead, her face broke into a smile as she passed by. 'Go, mama, go!' she said. — Lindsey Lange-Abramowitz Illustrated by Agnes Lee. Send submissions here and read more Metropolitan Diary here. Glad we could get together here. See you tomorrow. — J.B. P.S. Here's today's Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. You can find all our puzzles here. Stefano Montali and Ed Shanahan contributed to New York Today. You can reach the team at nytoday@ Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Brooklyn Bridge open again after ship collision: NYCEM
NEW YORK (PIX11) — The Brooklyn Bridge was closed to ongoing traffic in both directions, according to a social media post by the New York City Emergency Management. The closure came after a Mexican navy sailing ship crashed into the Bridge Saturday night. Multiple people sustained injuries, according to police. More Local News 'Boat Accident: All lanes will be closed on the Brooklyn Bridge in both directions. Consider alternate routes,' the text alert read. A video posted to Instagram showed the boat gliding along the East River. Then, the top of the sails hits the bottom of the bridge, and the sailing flags break and collapse. In a press conference, officials stated that the ship, which was sailing to Iceland, suffered a mechanical failure, which caused the captain to lose control and led to the crash. New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said the Brooklyn Bridge did not suffer any serious damage due to the wreck. The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct a full investigation in the coming days, officials said. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
