As the Daily Freeman reported, Kingston installed 3 speed cameras in school zones this year, resulting in over 17,000 tickets and over $300,000 in revenue in the first three months so far. Kingston needed to have special authorization from the state legislature in order to install these cameras, which are currently part of a pilot program.

Last year, members of Kingston’s Complete Streets Advisory Council (CSAC), including myself, and community advocates created a document based on guidance from Vision Zero, recommending that the City dedicate revenues after expenses to traffic calming measures, rather than sending the money into the general fund.

Thankfully, our recommendations were embraced by our elected leaders, though not without some strategic advocacy from Tanya Garment, and support from local advocate Rose Quinn, along with alder-person Marissa Marvelli, who introduced the measure to committee.

So, what are traffic calming measures? Great question. I really like traffic calming YouTuber Jon Jon’s explanation.

CSAC has been working on a proposal for how the funds could best be used. See a draft of the proposal here. In short, we recommend a focus on small scale, quick build projects, which, for example, could range from creating “friction” with paint, plastic bollards, or concrete “bumpouts” - curbs which extend the range of the sidewalk, effectively narrowing the street, which sends a subconscious signal to drivers to slow down.

One challenge in implementation is staffing. The speed camera funds are intended only for capital costs such as materials, and not to fund long-term staff positions. This is due to the unpredictable nature of speed camera revenue, which would be a precarious way to fund a permanent position.

In recent decades, The City’s Department of Public Works (DPW) has experienced large cuts in staffing, due to attrition, hiring difficulties and insufficient funding. The city’s sole engineer is also overwhelmed by existing infrastructure projects. In order for these traffic calming measures to be feasible and sustainably implemented, we will need to find a way to increase funding for staff.

Given the support that our government and citizens are showing for street safety, I’m optimistic that we can make this happen. Thank you to all who have worked over the years to make this big step forward possible!

To my dearest readers,

I wanted to say how much I appreciate your support for this blog.

When I started writing these pieces back in 2022, I was very mentally focused on the project of learning about the state of our current transportation system and sharing that knowledge in an accessible way.

I didn’t initially intend for the blog to become monetized, but I got a couple of pledges and so I ended up turning on paid subscriptions.

However, since then my writing has slowed to a trickle. Therefore, I’m ending paid subscriptions, but keeping it all up for free!

I spend many hours researching and editing my posts, because I value accuracy and clarity. But this makes it daunting to publish anything less than fully thought out and verified, which inevitably cuts down on my posts, especially as I have been drawn away by other pursuits in recent years. I don’t use AI to write, so everything has to be routed through my brain. Let's just say, I understand how that conspiracy theory meme guy feels.

I do have some posts that I’ve been pecking away at, which hopefully will be up sooner rather than later.

Thank you all dear readers!

Love, Ella

Welcome my first blog post… in a year! I will admit I have been often thinking of writing, but have gotten bogged down in work, overwhelm, fear, despair… You know, the same stuff everyone seems to be dealing with these days. (See more on later further down.)

Anyways, so much has transpired this year in Ulster County in the sphere of transportation equity. Major events of the past year included:

• The death of Gary White on Broadway in Kingston

• Establishment of a transit advisory committee for UCAT

• Rose Quinn’s release of her excellent documentary “The Speed of Silence”

• Ulster County’s release of their Route Optimization Plan draft

• Major route changes and cuts to UCAT in September

• The trial of ex-trooper Christopher Baldner for the killing of Monica Goods

So much to catch up on… I’ll just get into one topic for this piece.

The first major event of this year was the devastating death of Gary White, a 77 year old Black, beloved and long-time Kingston resident. Gary was killed by a driver while crossing in a legal crosswalk in late December 2024. The handling of this crash by police and the Kingston city government was extremely troubling.

Gary was hit and flown many feet onto the pavement, but he was alive and subsequently sent to Kingston Hospital; at some point later he was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, where he died of his injuries. His family was not notified until contacted by the coroner… two days later. The press was not contacted, but word began to spread through the community. After pressing the mayor, the police released a press release.

The press release revealed that the investigation and reporting on the crash was quite lacking. It contained inconsistencies regarding Gary’s presence in the crosswalk; stating that Gary was not in the crosswalk, although reported video evidence contradicts that claim. In addition, while not required by law, the responding officers chose not to administer an impairment test. The driver did not receive a ticket, despite violating the law by failing to yield to a pedestrian in a legal crosswalk. Notably, the driver turned out to be a relative of a city employee.

In response, the traffic safety organization Safe Pass organized a vigil at the spot where Gary was killed, followed by a visit to a Common Council meeting, where myself and another transit advocate, Rose Quinn, made public comments. We called on the city to correct the police report, apologize to Gary’s family, and establish a post crash care team (to my knowledge none of those things have happened). You can read my comments here.

In response, the mayor referred to our comments as “misinformation,” and stated his intention to dispel that misinformation. Well, you can read his statement for yourself and let me know if he said anything that would dispel my comments.

I also spoke at the Ulster County Traffic Safety meeting, a committee dominated by law enforcement, including Kingston’s Chief of Police. What follows is my reaction to that experience.

I suddenly embodied that famous quote by Maggie Kuhn: “Stand before the people you fear and speak your mind - even if your voice shakes.”

The experience of speaking truth to power felt necessary, but also unsettling. I realized that I was pitting myself against the police and public officials, with very little backup.

It was then that I lost my nerve.

I wrote a piece about Gary White and his death, as I have for everyone who has lost their life to traffic violence in Kingston since 2022. But I didn’t publish it.

Was that cowardly, or rational? Perhaps a bit of both.

Since then, ICE has been unleashed onto our streets, kidnapping and mistreating our neighbors, just because they are existing in this time and space.

And we’ve witnessed the trial of ex-NYS trooper Christopher Baldner, who was just acquitted on charges on murder and depraved indifference for ramming his police car into a car and killing Monica Goods, an 11 year old Black girl who was traveling with her father and sister; he will be re-tried on manslaughter charges.

Movements for justice like this require that we band together and take action.

With the new year, I hope to honor the memory of Gary White by working to create a more sustainable, inclusive and just world.

Thank you for reading. And thanks so much to my patrons who have supported me along the way. Look out for more blog posts in the coming year!

This morning, I woke up wanting to write a blog post for the first time in months. This post might seem a little depressing, but I will conclude will some uplifting and actionable ideas, I promise!

It’s not a coincidence that my last post was in November 2024. Since then, many of us have been wracked with anxiety that the progress we have made in the past few centuries is being bulldozed away. Among the horrors, it is clear that this administration is far less supportive of safe streets and active transportation than the previous one.

The new president wants to tie transportation funding to marriage and birth rates, which does not bode well for our aging population. A key Complete Streets federal web page was taken down. And one of the most powerful men in Washington wants to eliminate electric vehicle (EV) tax credits*.

Meanwhile, the local outlook has not been rosy either. We had a horrible pedestrian death in Kingston in December; Gary White, a 77 year old man, was crossing Broadway in a crosswalk with good visibility. The incident was not reported to the public for over a week and the police report contained inaccuracies and victim-blaming. The city’s handling of the aftermath of this incident was disrespectful at best. I will dedicate a separate post to Gary.

Then, we have to contend with the ingrained car-centric attitudes present in all recent complete-streets related projects. And reticence from local leaders (even those who support complete streets) to embrace frameworks such as Vision Zero.

On the local transit front, I recently received an email from a senior who was stranded with an empty pantry when UCAT’s weekly Rural Route was canceled due to the so-called “driver shortage.” Meanwhile, UCAT has added a tourism-focused route to Belleaire. Although routes are frequently cancelled due to the lack of drivers, I have yet to see any indication that significant efforts have been made to address the driver shortage.

I often wonder what would happen if our economy were to go into a depression. The number of car-less people in suburban and rural areas would likely skyrocket. Cars have already become prohibitively expensive in recent years. Meanwhile, we continue to build car-centric sprawl and are slow to build affordable housing in areas where car ownership could be optional.

So, what can we do?

First of all: when you’re in a hole, stop digging. This means we need to fundamentally change our attitudes and priorities on the local level when it comes to transportation projects, which still prioritize “level of service” for cars. Level of service which essentially aims to reduce wait times… for the speediest form of transportation out there. Meanwhile, level of service thwarts safety and convenience for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users. This essentially feeds the cycle of degrading the quality of alternative forms of transportation, and making cars the default.

Attitudes and priorities are more essential than funding, full stop.

Second, we need to make a ruckus. We need to make it clear that the status quo is unacceptable, and say it loud so the people in the back can hear. Write op eds and cc your elected leaders.

Third, we need to problem solve. And we need to focus on low cost, quick implementation ideas, such as those used in tactical urbanism. We also need to collaborate and be open-minded about learning from all types of people.

Fourth, mutual aid will become increasingly important in the coming years. We have become a society of islands. So offer your elderly neighbor a ride or pick up their groceries, lend someone a bike or buy the kids next door a helmet and lights.

Fifth, we need to get together and have fun. Getting bogged down in the injustice of it all will lead to burn out. As Emma Goldman once said, “If I can't dance, it's not my revolution!”

While the big picture seems of out control, focusing on the local level can have tangible impacts.

Just pick one issue that is meaningful to you, and take one action. That is all that is needed to start.

Thank you for reading!

Subscribe now

Footnote:

*The elimination of tax credits for EVs, championed by an EV maker, just goes to show how unserious the goal of transitioning to EVs has always been. We’re already woefully behind on EV adoption in New York State, having only reached 17% of our goal for EVs to make up 35% of new vehicles sold by 2026. It’s unclear whether there’s any actual plan to ramp up sales in time. And, even in the optimistic scenario of EVs representing 50% of new cars sales by 2030, about a third of cars will be fossil fueled in 2050. The “EV revolution” is not the answer, and never has been.

Ulster County has just released a draft of the Town of Ulster Route 9W Mobility Plan.  The draft has quite a few features that traffic safety supporters and frugal-minded environmentalists will applaud, including new bike lanes, sidewalks and bus stops, as well as recommendations for mixed-use development along the corridor.

While this plan is leaps and bounds better than anything we might have expected a decade ago, and clearly a lot of hard work has gone into it, we believe that some aspects of the plan could even better reflect our 21st century priorities for equity and sustainability, as well as our fiscal realities. 

We believe that our elected leaders need to be proactive to ensure that the 9W plan, and all future transportation plans, are fully in line with the county’s climate, traffic safety, and cost of living goals.

Our recommendations are listed below, but first, we’ll review some background information.

Experts are clear that in order to meet climate goals, we need to replace car trips with walking, cycling and public transit. 

We also have an ongoing traffic safety crisis in Ulster County, with 52 people killed and 3,349 injured from 2020-2022.

In addition, we have a major cost of living crisis, with automobile costs being the second highest item in household budgets, after housing. Thirteen percent of county residents live in poverty, which often precludes owning a reliable car; many others struggle with the rising costs of owning a car.  The 9W study area is one of the lowest income areas of the county. Many non-driving community members work and shop in this vital corridor.

To address these problems, we we need to stop designing systems that make travel by car essential in order to safely participate in society.  Instead, every transportation project needs to support residents’ needs to get where they’re going safely, without centering cars.

While some aspects of the proposed plan will improve outcomes for these issues, we fear that come critical parts of the plan will exacerbate the problems we are already facing.

First of all, the plan calls for widening the 9W corridor.  The widening would keep the number of car lanes roughly the same while adding bike lanes and sidewalks in some parts, while other areas would have new car lanes added, such as south of the proposed roundabout.  

The study predicts that traffic will increase by 10-20% in the next 20 years (p 24), which is part of the rationale for widening. But in order to meet our county’s stated climate goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 85% by 2050, we need to decrease, not increase vehicle traffic.

The US Department of Transportation agrees, and has declared that switching to electric vehicles alone will not be enough to meet climate goals; Americans will also need to drive less. 

This means that we will not only need to prevent increased traffic, but we also need to set goals to actually decrease vehicle miles traveled.  This will admittedly be a monumental lift, but we must give it our best shot.

The authors claim that the widening is necessary in order to accommodate multi-modal infrastructure (p 46).  However, it is unclear whether a road diet was considered, which would reduce and/or narrow car lanes in order to reallocate space for other modes.  Road diets have been found to reduce crashes for all road users, create a less hostile environment for pedestrians, and often have minimal effects on congestion.  In addition, road design elements such as roundabouts are often helpful in reducing the number of lanes needed.  

The widening of roads also adds significant costs and logistical complications to future projects, and could increase local opposition. That could prevent the plan’s recommended projects from receiving the funding and support needed to be implemented.

The standard practice of predicting future traffic volumes has recently come under increased scrutiny.  Quite a few traffic studies, which are often used to justify road widening, have been found to overestimate future traffic conditions.  Our elected leaders should consider whether there is value in planning as if increased car traffic is a foregone conclusion. 

Our second concern is the proposed roundabout.  While we do not oppose all roundabouts, they must be designed in a way that prioritizes safety for all users.  

Here’s an exercise: on the bottom of page 43 in the plan, trace the route that a pedestrian coming over the bridge from Kingston would take to reach Aldi’s on 9W; going from the lower left to the lower right of the image.  As you can see, pedestrian crossings from the bridge to the roundabout are completely absent.  Having braved that section, a pedestrian must cross 2 un-signalized lanes at a time, 3 separate times.  The pedestrian will cross a total of 8 un-signalized lanes to get across 9W.

The 2 lane crossings create a common situation in which one car is stopped for a pedestrian, creating a blind spot for drivers. Meanwhile, another car sails through the crosswalk, potentially hitting the pedestrian.  There may be increased risk for vehicle-on-vehicle crashes as well in a double-lane roundabout. 

The speed limit is 35 and cars roll downhill, encouraging greater speed.  The wide turning radii encourage cars to maintain a high speed while entering the roundabout.

In addition, according to some sources, the proposed roundabout’s double lanes are not necessary to accommodate the current peak traffic volumes of 2,000 vehicles per hour.  

While the proposed roundabout is engineered to save drivers seconds, it will decrease safety and accessibility for pedestrians. 

Our elected leaders must be proactive to ensure that the 9W plan, and all future transportation plans, are fully in line with the county’s climate, traffic safety, and cost of living goals.

The proposed design of this roundabout is emblematic of an urgent need to strengthen our commitment to these goals. 

Here are our recommendations for the 9W plan:

1. For the roundabout:

   • Ensure that there is a pedestrian refuge, large enough for a baby carriage and wheelchair, between each lane of un-signalized crossing. Ensure that pedestrian refuges are protected by items such as bollards. 

   • Adjust the entrances of the roundabout, so that the turn radii are at a right angle, which forces cars to enter more slowly.

   • Create an uninterrupted safe pedestrian crossing from one side of 9W to the other.

   • Consider either changing to a single lane roundabout, or using a traditional signalized intersection with excellent pedestrian accommodations.

2. Eliminate traffic forecasts in this plan, and replace them with a goal to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). 

3. Reconsider the recommendation to widen the corridor in light of VMT reduction goals. 

4. Examine the recommendations for other areas that need to be adjusted for pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Recommendations for the Ulster County and New York State Governments:

1. Issue an executive order creating measurable goals for reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in the county.

2. Issue an executive order requiring that transportation projects completed in the county use the Safe System Approach.  Require that relevant county and state employees and contractors have x hours of training in the Safe Systems Approach.

3. Pass a resolution requiring that future road projects that use Level of Service also include a detailed study of Level of Stress for cyclists and pedestrians, for each road segment and intersection (see Boston).  Require that road projects attain a certain level of stress.  Multimodal Level of Service is another metric that could be used. 

4. Prioritize funding to implement the many good recommendations contained in this and other road improvement projects. Consider re-allocating funding for car-centric uses to multi-modal uses.

We appreciate your time and consideration, and look forward to working together for a safer, more affordable and more beautiful Ulster County.

Signed,

The Members of Safe Pass Ulster

The Members of Riders of Ulster Transit Alliance (RUTA)

On a typical day in the US, a car drives straight into the facade of a 7-Eleven convenience store. 

A gentleman named Carl tragically lost his legs in one of these crashes, resulting in a settlement of $91 million dollars.  But if you think the driver or their insurance company was the one paying out, you’d be wrong.  It was the 7-Eleven corporation who was found liable.

The reason?  The company was found negligent, due to failure to install bollards.

A judge ruled that the company should have anticipated that the building would be someday hit by a car, given the everyday frequency of such crashes.

If a bollard had been placed in front of each parking spot, the car would have hit the bollard, and not Carl’s legs.

Bollards save lives in a way that paint and signage… just don’t.  

This ruling from 2023 is part of a movement that re-shapes our conceptions of blame in motor vehicle-related deaths.  

In the old paradigm, we would have assigned blame to the pedestrian, who was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time - or the driver, who mistakenly pressed the gas instead of the brake.  Instead, we are now pointing to a systemic failure to create safeguards that prevent tragedy, when human error inevitably occurs.

This new paradigm shift has been picking up steam in recent years; its flagship approach, Safe Systems, has now been adopted by the US Department of Transportation.  The approach aims to replace the old, largely unsuccessful framework for road safety, by compelling those who design the roads to incorporate more effective safety measures.

The principles of the Safe Systems Approach are:

• Deaths and Serious Injuries Are Unacceptable

• Humans Make Mistakes

• Humans Are Vulnerable

• Responsibility Is Shared

• Safety is Proactive

• Redundancy is Crucial

The City of Kingston recently endorsed the Safe Systems Approach, and pledged to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries by 2030.  However, the city declined to set a measureable goal for reaching zero fatalities. In the past 4 years, there have been 4 cyclists and 1 pedestrian killed on the streets of Kingston.

Passing a law committing to the Safe Systems Approach was the easy part - now comes the challenge of implementing it.  Following best practices will require courageously challenging the status quo - in government, in our community, and within ourselves.  But little by little, we will be rewarded with a mobility culture that we can truly take pride in.

In a future article, I will explain what measures are the most effective in improving street safety. Spoiler alert, the most effective measures are often the least likely to be used by local governments.  (But that could change!)

Sources:

https://www.businessinsider.com/drivers-crash-into-us-storefronts-every-day-7-eleven-2023-2

https://x.com/WorldBollard/status/1840018202497007887

https://www.transportation.gov/NRSS/SafeSystem

https://www.dailyfreeman.com/2024/03/02/kingston-common-council-mulls-safe-systems-approach-for-traffic-safety/

Gemma Calinda is an organizer living in Kingston. She has worked for the Caring Majority, which advocates for fair wages for home care workers and single payer healthcare for New York State.  She also uses a wheelchair and rides paratransit, which is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) federally mandated transportation service for people with disabilities.  I spoke with Gemma recently about her experience using paratransit.

“My experience has been some good, but way, way more bad situations,” Gemma says.  “There’s no checks and balances… nothing is being checked to see if it’s okay. And I don’t think that Jen Metzger, the County Executive, is being notified of changes that [Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT)] is making.”

Gemma often has an appointment on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm, however she has been told that there is not anyone to pick her up. However, the blue route, which runs near Gemma’s house, runs until 9 pm on weekdays.  It appears that UCAT is acting in conflict with federal laws for paratransit, which in section 37.131 state that “The complementary paratransit service shall be available throughout the same hours and days as the entity's fixed route service.”  UCAT also has limited fixed route service on Sundays, however paratransit is reportedly not available on Sundays.

Gemma also shared that UCAT has recently called her to ask if she would cancel her scheduled paratransit ride, due to a lack of drivers. They reportedly told her that they would have to cancel a fixed route bus if she did not cancel her ride. (This prompted me to research UCAT’s efforts to recruit more drivers, which found that UCAT is clearly doing less than the bare minimum to solve the so-called “driver shortage” - I’ll cover that in a follow-up article soon.)

Many of the other problems that Gemma spoke about have to do with timing and communication.  There appears to be a double standard with communication: If UCAT is running late, they do not call to notify the rider, and the rider needs to constantly look out the window to see if the bus has arrived.  However, if the rider is running late, they have a ten minute window, and then the bus leaves.   “A call would be nice, to say hey, your bus is here, are you coming? I believe they used to do that, but not anymore,” says Gemma.

In addition, there is a large gap in service in the middle of the day.  “One of my huge problems with it is the lunch period.  They take lunch from 11 to 1.”  For a 10:30 appointment, the bus will pick up about 45 minutes earlier, but it won’t come back until 1:30 or so - even if the appointment is only 20 minutes long.  UCAT also requires paratransit riders to wait one hour before they can be picked up again, even if the rider just needs to run in to drop something off. 

Another problem is inflexibility with booking; riders are not allowed to book appointments the same day, even if the bus has room.  “I understand that they have a schedule, but if they had available time and available space, why shouldn’t you be able to book it the same day, if something comes up?” asks Gemma. 

Riders are also not allowed to book appointments more than a couple days in advance, which is in conflict with section 37.131 of rules for paratransit services: “The entity may permit advance reservations to be made up to 14 days in advance of an ADA paratransit eligible individual's desired trips.”

Gemma says that she has called for a ride the day before and been denied. “It’s not even ‘we’ll get you in,’ it’s ‘we’ll try and see if we can get you in’… and it is first come, first serve.”

She also states that she has been charged by a doctor for missing an appointment, due to being denied a ride after the 24 hour cancellation window has passed.  

Calling at any time after 4 pm is considered calling the next day, which may contradict section 37.131: “The entity shall schedule and provide paratransit service to any ADA paratransit eligible person at any requested time on a particular day in response to a request for service made the previous day… The entity shall make reservation service available during at least all normal business hours of the entity's administrative offices.”

Gemma find most of the drivers nice, but there is one who drives too fast.  When asking the driver if she could slow down, the driver reportedly responded that she always drives that fast.  “My aide was on the bus with me the other day and said, wow, she drives really fast.”  Gemma states that she has reported it, and that UCAT told her that the driver herself says that she doesn’t drive too fast.  Nothing has changed since the complaint, according to Gemma.

All in all, UCAT may be out of compliance with federal ADA law, and clearly needs more oversight and accountability in order to best serve the needs of the community.

Toni Roser, director of UCAT, and Amanda Lavalle, the Deputy County Executive who oversees UCAT, did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

If you want to get involved, contact the Rider’s of Ulster Transit Alliance (RUTA) at wheresmyktownbus@gmail.com.

NOTE FOR COMMENTS:

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On a brisk Monday afternoon last week, passersby at the intersection of Greenkill Avenue and Route 32 in Kingston would have noticed an intriguing instillation of book shelves, benches and cafe tables on the side of an empty parking lot.

The intersection, referred to as “Five Ways to Die” by locals, is the future home of the Lucky Green Ladies cannabis dispensary, the owners of which are from Massachusetts. The busy intersection also hosts a convenience store, pizza parlor, bakery and liquor store, each with its own parking lot.  The Empire State Trail also runs through the intersection.

The Lucky Green Ladies’ application to the Kingston Planning Board recently caught the attention of advocates due to its request to encroach on publicly owned land. The plans would create 13 parking spaces - more than the 5 parking space maximum currently allowed by Kingston’s new zoning code, which was adopted last August.  

According to advocate Tanya Garment, the new zoning code is aimed at increasing housing, and improving walkability and bikeability in the city.  In order to achieve this, the code abolished parking minimum requirements, and instead lays out parking maximums, which are correlated to the size of the building.  “You can get a waiver from the planning board if you say you need more. The Green Ladies are allowed five spaces by right,  and they could fit eight total on their property, but instead of that they would like 13.  Five of those would be on the public right of way, 17 feet deep by 40 feet long.  Which actually, is a huge opportunity that is being lost, where we could actually have some public space.  It would a place for a bench, a place for trailhead signage.”

In addition, three of the proposed parking spots are currently designed to allow the cars to back out into the street, which advocate Rose Quinn says would create a hazard, especially since the are is adjacent to the Empire State Trail.

To demonstrate what the space could be, Garment spearheaded a pop up event.  With planters, benches and bike parking, a public space was sketched out, drawing interest from some walking by, including Kristin Demyan, who lives on Wall St. and brought up safety concerns for the area. She says she fears for her life every time she goes through the intersection there.  “Nobody knows how the navigate, people are trying to speed through.  People are backing out, not paying attention. It’s not safe at all.”

There’s a lot that could be done to improve “Five Ways to Die.”  The design of the intersection is blatantly car-centric, with long crossing distances for pedestrians and already existing encroachment on the public right of way in the Stewart’s parking lot.  Adding more parking to the mix surely won’t help the situation.  And re-thinking our use of public space could greatly enhance it.

We of Ulster County are reeling from the tragic loss of four young people due to traffic violence: Dylan Gokey, 16, Jack Noble, 17, Starllie Swonyoung, 21, and Raymond Rattray, 22.  In the space of just a couple weeks, we have suffered three horrific fatal crashes.  My thoughts are with the family and friends of those killed.

Much attention has been laid on the fact that both Starllie and Raymond were killed by hit-and-run drivers.  I believe that the drivers that killed them and then fled the scene should be held responsible and punished.  But there has been a lack of media coverage surrounding the environments in which they were killed, which also played a significant role in their deaths.

Both Starllie and Raymond were pedestrians, walking on streets without sidewalks, in low-light conditions.  Both were on the edge of town, where speeds of cars often pick up due to design.  They were in areas that have poor public transit service.  Both were walking to or from housing, in an environment which basically treats pedestrians as if they don’t exist.

These deaths were preventable.

As I travel through Ulster County, I often see pedestrians in places that were clearly designed without them in mind.  Parents pushing baby carriages along the shoulder of Route 32.  Shoppers and employees waiting for a break in traffic to cross the 5 lanes separating Walmart from the other side of the street.  The problem is endemic, and tragedy is inevitable.

To address the problem and pursue the worthy goal of zero traffic deaths, we need to change the way things are done.  We need to change our priorities, and learn from places that have already nearly eliminated traffic deaths, like Oslo, Helsinki and Hoboken, NJ - all of which have committed to Vision Zero.

Here are the principles of Vision Zero:

1. Traffic deaths and injuries are preventable. 

2. Human life and health are prioritized within all aspects of transportation systems. 

3. Human error is inevitable, and transportation systems should be forgiving. 

4. Safety work should focus on systems-level change above influencing individual behavior. 

5. Speed is recognized as the fundamental factor in crash severity.

In addition to adopting Vision Zero, it’s time we think holistically.  We need to create more affordable housing in places that are already walkable, and create new walkable and bikeable neighborhoods - we should not be pushing people of modest means out of our towns.  We need massive investments to get our public transit systems up to speed.  

We should not have to wait until someone else dies to get this done.

Update: A petition has been created to create sidewalks on Route 208 where Raymond was killed.

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On July 20, 2021, Washington Avenue in Kingston near Dutch Village apartments was the site of the tragic death of John “Host” Lynch, who was hit by a car while attempting to cross the street on his bike.  The design of the street was clearly a significant factor in his death.  The street is built like a highway, even though it lies within a residential area, and is only a couple blocks from a walkable neighborhood.  Washington Avenue does not offer any pedestrian crossings for the 0.3 mile stretch between Quick Chek and Ulster Savings bank.  

Safe Pass Ulster has just released a petition that urges the New York State Department of Transportation, the City of Kingston and Ulster County to redesign this stretch of Washington Avenue to make it a safe place for people who, either by choice or necessity, navigate the street by by foot, mobility device or bicycle.

Sign now! And please share.

Save the Date: Safe Pass Ulster will be observing Ulster County’s fourth annual World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 19, 2023 at 3 pm. The event will begin with a gathering at Pine Street and Broadway and will proceed by foot, bike and bus to the intersection of Spring St and Wurts St in Kingston. The event will honor Christine Tarasco and Sarah Edwards who were both killed by drivers in 2023, and will highlight the sites of their respective crashes.

Our own Tanya Garment was featured in an article about the new zoning code in Kingston, check it out!

The City of Kingston has officially joined NACTO, which provides support for cities in designing streets that are more safe, accessible and equitable.

A law creating the Riders’ Transit and Intermodal Advisory Committee has been passed by the Ulster County Legislature.  This body will the first of its kind in the county; plenty of transit riders advisory committees already exist in other places like Ithaca, Buffalo and Seattle.  The law requires that the majority of committee members will be regular transit riders.  It was initially focused only on transit, but was amended in committee to include intermodal issues as well.  

This is an important step forward for more public input into UCAT.  If you’re interested in joining, you can contact the County Legislative Clerk’s office at 845-340-3900.

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According to the Ride On! podcast, there are currently 300 million 2- and 3-wheeled electric vehicles on the road worldwide.  Those micro-EVs displace about 4 times the oil demand than that of the entire global fleet of electric cars.  This speaks to the power of the current micromobility revolution and the massive advantage that micro-EVs hold for reducing carbon emissions, especially considering that their cost to purchase, and the cost of supporting infrastructure, are a small fraction of that of electric cars.

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I’m re-blogging this gem from the Albany Bicycle Coalition’s newsletter.  Thank you Lorenz Worden for allowing me to share this.

“It Will Kill My Business!”

When people complain about road diets or traffic calming or complete streets, it's important to determine what they're really complaining about. Is it just fear of change? Antagonism toward pedestrians and bicyclists? The fear that free, on-street, tax-supported, parking will disappear? Herds of cyclists blocking "real traffic?" Mobs of rabid pedestrians stopping traffic for the walk light? Or is it a valid fear that changes to the existing road network and layout will imperil the success of local businesses?

Ignoring the other quasi reasons for a moment, let's concentrate on loss of business. During both the Madison Avenue Traffic Calming and Bethlehem's Delaware Avenue Complete Steets movements, there were those who expressed belief that changing the road treatment to be more equitable one would devastate business. Those who made this argument never presented or were unable to present data to show that the addition of bicycle lanes, crosswalks, narrowing of motor vehicle lens, addition of turn lanes or any other of the changes that might go along with the road diet or complete streets alteration really existed. It came under the category if you say it often enough, it becomes a truth. (Fake Truth?)

On the other hand, there is much data to support that traffic calming actually helps business. For a real hardcore set of evidentiary support for bicycle and pedestrian improvements, we need only look to New York City we're under the guidance of the former transportation commissioner, Janette Sadik-Khan, many miles of bicycle facilities were installed on streets and pedestrian-friendly plazas, bump outs, safety islands, and crosswalks were built. The New York City Department of Transportation then studied the economic impact of these changes. The methodology it used was to do it before-and-after site comparisons of quarterly sales tax revenue on retail businesses. You can't get a much better measure of business success than sales tax revenue changes. It's cold, hard data that can't be cast aside by the uninformed but vocal minority. By tracking sales tax data, using a before-and-after, site-specific approach, when sales tax increased it's hard to argue that pedestrian amenities are hurting business. The same logic applies to the introduction of bicycle facilities. If sales taxes dropped off, you would have an argument that the pedestrian-bicycle presence had a deleterious effect on business success. 

But that was not the case. The study report issued by the Department states the following: "It is clear that rolling out safer, more inviting and sustainable streets is rarely detrimental to local businesses and in the great majority of cases can be a boon to them." A naysayer could put forth the argument that New York City is nothing like Bethlehem or Albany or any other upstate municipality. But again, where are the data to support such a statement? Our own Parks and Tails New York organization has completed several studies on the business impact of the Erie Canal Trail – many segments of which pass through urban, business-rich areas. It almost every case, development of the trail has improved the business climate. Here we are talking about the portions of the trail that have businesses on them and not rural, recreational segments. Municipalities and businesses that embraced the Erie Canalway Trail and the people it brings benefited greatly. Similarly, in New York City, business responses have been positive. The whiners and complainers turned into fans and supporters.

From the Economic Benefits of Sustainable Streets – the study “ . . . represents a major step forward in establishing the link between city streets and their myriad impacts on urban life and economics. Armed with this objective, quantitative data, cities can add street design to their economic development strategies and can build support from the business community as allies and advocates for these improvements.” [emphasis added] The report includes citations for other “business impact” studies.

I recently spoke with Keith Gurgui, a resident of Lake Katrine who is running for County Legislature in District 3.  He has lived here his whole life, having graduated Kingston High School in 2009.  After high school, he suffered a spinal cord injury and has since done advocacy work for people with disabilities.    His current job title is the Systems Advocate for the Resource Center for Accessible Living (RCAL), where he builds coalitions and partnerships, edits the newsletter, and engages in grassroots organizing and political advocacy for issues such as home care, helping individuals to leave nursing homes, and making the world more accessible.

Keith refers to the three issues of home care, transportation and housing as “the trifecta of doom.”  “It’s what’s holding a lot of people back.”  These issues often intersect and compound on each other.  For example, “it’s not uncommon to have an aide that has transportation issues,” says Keith.

Keith told me about a proposed bill in the New York State Legislature focused on paratransit (door-to-door transit for people with disabilities).  Paratransit is currently mandated to serve those living within ¾ mile from fixed routes.  The bill would expand the service area to within 3 miles of a fixed route, which would help those living in more rural parts of the county.  Actually, a similar bill has now been proposed for Ulster County by Phil Erner, and may be voted on soon.  

Barriers to receiving assistance are real for people with disabilities, and for myraid reasons. Sometimes people don’t even know they are eligible for services such as paratransit. “You don’t need to be in a wheelchair,” says Keith. For example, if you have trouble breathing or walking long distances, you may be eligible.  

How many eligible paratransit people are there? What does the map look like?  Keith spoke about the lack of data regarding transportation needs, and would like to see a  “census of disability” in order to see who is being served, and who is left out.  There is already a Human Services Coordinated Transportation Plan for Ulster County, which is due to be updated.

The reality is, it’s easier to get services if you live close to town.  “The farther you are from the urban area, disability services begin to decline… like getting someone to deliver meals.”  Although the ideal for independent living is for people to have the right to live in the community, Keith says, “in the real world, you can’t live [just] anywhere in the community.  Services are clustered around population density.”  This highlights the need for affordable housing in urban areas.

Keith points to inflation and wealthier people snatching up real estate as impacting housing for disabled people.  Keith describes himself as “realistic when it comes to the economy, but liberal and progressive in terms of the government should provide a lot of programs for people.  The money is there, it depends how it’s distributed. But it is going to cost a lot.”  

Keith says, “public goods like transportation are anemic while private interests gobble up public funds.  You can even see it with home care agencies, which are mostly private.  Privatization is not something I’m happy about, especially when it comes to providing public goods.”

All in all, Keith tells me that he envisions “a public transportation system that can serve all of its residents, regardless of where in the county they live, that operates (ideally) 24/7.”

Thanks for speaking with me Keith!

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Meet Paula Wisneski, a Kingston native who has been riding the bus for over 40 years.  You can find her working and serving the community at People’s Place on St. James Street.

I met with Paula recently to learn about her experience as a bus rider.  She takes the Yellow Route to work from her home at Stuyvesant Charter on Flatbush Ave. “Getting to work in the morning takes 15 minutes.  Coming home takes over an hour,” she says.  This is due to the circuitous nature of the yellow route.  Rather than traveling straight back and forth, the route goes in a loop.  And the bus often takes a detour to serve the jail, which adds to travel time.

Another problem with the Yellow Route - the frequency.  The next bus comes an hour and a half later.  So if she misses the bus, it becomes a stressful situation.

One day, a bus driver was running late, and did not come into Paula’s complex as they normally do.  Paula was left stranded with no way to get to work.  The next bus runs an hour and a half later.  

For her doctor’s appointment in Port Ewen, Paula takes the KPL Route, which connects Kingston to Poughkeepsie.  All in all, “it takes 4 hours for a fifteen minute doctor appointment.”

(She takes the 10 am Yellow bus to Kingston Plaza, which connects to the KPL at 10:30, arrives in Port Ewen at 10:50, then waits for her noon appointment, which is over by 12:15.  Then she has to wait for the next bus at 2 pm.)

A trip to the shopping area in the town of Ulster also takes 4-5 hours of her day, most of it riding circuitous routes and waiting for the next bus.

In fact, “going all the way to Walmart in Naponoch takes less time than going to Ulster.”

Paula’s primary care doctor is in Rhinebeck, but no bus goes to Rhinebeck.  She could potentially take the loop bus in Poughkeepsie, but that would mean a long day of travel for one appointment.  

“It’s a challenge right now,” says Paula.  

She qualifies for paratransit, which is door to door bus service for people with disabilities, but there is no paratransit on the weekends.  

There is nearly no fixed route bus service on weekends, which leads to Sundays being spent at home. “I get a ride to church, then I come home and I stay here until it’s time to go to work tomorrow.  Normally I don’t go anywhere on a Sunday.  If there was a bus I would go places on Sundays.”

The area where Paula lives lacks sidewalks, and she says she’s afraid to walk. “We’ve been inundated with people being hit lately.  Every single day I’m anticipating being hit.  If someone stops for me, the person behind them don’t like it, they will go around and they could hit me.”

There is a new city project, “Safe and Accessible Flatbush and Foxhall,” which will hopefully create an environment more conducive to getting around without a car in Paula’s neighborhood.

Paula’s story reflects the current state of transportation in Kingston for those without a car.  I hope that to catch up with Paula in a couple years and hear about improvements in safety and accessibility. 

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Editor’s note: I pleased to publish this article by a local student and advocate, Liam Bertheaud, which was originally written for The Talon, Onteora High School’s newspaper. I’ve always dreamt that this blog would feature not only my voice, but to be a place where the community can come together and envision a different future together. Thanks for being part of this. -Ella

Update: The town of Olive passed a resolution in July requesting that the Department of Transportation lower the speed limit from 45 to 35 MPH, and requested for an additional crosswalk to be added near the Ashokan Rail Trail. The author and Cynthia Nikitin are creating a petition to request that the town improve the entrances to the Ashokan Rail Trail for pedestrians with more visible and better crosswalks. The petition is not complete, but comment if you would like to be sent a link to the petition when it is ready.

When you rode through Boiceville this morning, whether on your bus ride to school or going to work, you might have noticed construction of the new bridge on Route 28A. The reconstruction of the bridge began this spring and is scheduled to be completed by 2025. While it might just seem like another bridge is being replaced, it is more than that. There could be a sign of great change in Boiceville in this $33 million bridge replacement project.

The project is funded by the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP), the agency responsible for the roadway and bridge, in collaboration with the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to fulfill its goal of supporting our town's local watershed through investing in the town's infrastructure in and around the reservoir. The cost to replace the two bridges crossing the Esopus is a $33 million—more investment than our town has seen in decades. The existing bridge is over a hundred years old and was in a state of disrepair. This shows the need for repair in the town's infastructure. Consideration must be given to roads, bridges, and who we plan our streets for. With this project, Boiceville could become more encompassing to the needs of all its residents.

The project includes a bike lane and a shared-use path along the bridge, as well as a brand-new sidewalk in Boiceville scheduled to be completed sometime in 2023 or 2024. A total of $385,000 of the budget will be going to fund pedestrian improvements in the hamlet of Boiceville, creating an opportunity for the school and the town to build up its community by giving it something to center around. These pedestrian improvements to Boiceville could increase its connectivity with alternative modes of transportation, with attention being paid to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. Before Boiceville can become walkable, it has to have the infrastructure to support it.

The bridge project, with its focus on adding a shared-use path and sidewalk, plants the seeds for future gatherings and events. Boiceville can become a destination where people feel safe walking around, and this could attract new businesses from the pedestrian and bike traffic. Boiceville already has amenities such as the entrance to the Rail Trail, the Brunel Sculpture Gardens, Bread Alone, and Provisions, in addition to the floodplain plots bought up by DEP through the flood buyout program that could be open for recreational and environmental purposes, the waterfront on the Esopus, and the school district's main campus. Our hamlet has the potential to be a prospering community.

While this bridge replacement project is a great sign for Boiceville, as it means more investments are being made into its infrastructure, it has issues with its outreach. For instance, no public workshops were scheduled for local residents to give their input on the reconstruction and the pedestrian improvements in Boiceville. If you are going to spend $33 million on a project, you should first ask how it can best serve the people it is to benefit. In order for the DOT to make the most of this project, it has to include the school and local communities in its decision-making. Most of the planned spending has been set in stone. However, it is possible for the project to go out to bid once more for change, but us students and town residents need to request it.

A survey was conducted in February and March of Onteora high school students as an independent research project. The survey’s purpose was to identify students' preferences for engineering and design changes to the streets surrounding the school to make it feel safer and more student-friendly. A secondary goal was to gauge students' interest in the school consideration of a Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS). Almost half of the high school student population, 192 students to be exact, resonded to the survey online. A majority of the students (about 53.7%) wanted to walk around Boiceville but felt that it had to feel safer and more friendly to students. The pedestrian improvements included in the bridge project could help achieve this.

Over 75% of respondents to the survey expressed wanting to see the school advocate for a SRTS program. A Safe Routes to School program is a government action plan that identifies design changes that could be made that make walking and cycling to and around the school safer and more appealing. Five schools in Ulster County have implemented a SRTS Program. With this information and more students voicing their call for action, it could be used to justify future improvements to the street and build upon a SRTS Program.

The survey was brought up because the bridge replacement project has not done its best in reaching out to students. While it might not seem like it, Boiceville is a student town. Most students spend five days a week in the hamlet. A majority of us have grown up in this town, with major transitions from elementary to middle to high school happening here.

Boiceville resides in a school zone, and the school acts as one of the biggest employers for the town of Olive. Students have earned the right to be a part of this town and should be included in its development.

The school administration has met with the project head for the bridge, Kyle Buser, and the NYSDOT about moving the location of the crosswalk outside the school. With future meetings scheduled, communication is being made, which is a great start, but it needs more direct community input. If done to its best, it could ensure the safety of hundreds of students.

The project has to address the issues highlighted in the survey among students. For instance, the unsafe speed of cars, the lack of cyclist paths, the poorly placed and faded crosswalks, as well as the lack of sidewalks that are separated from traffic and the missing signage have contributed to this unsafe feeling around Boiceville. Of those who responded to the survey, 93 students said it feels unsafe because of the lack of a sidewalk. The sidewalk being built will cover the side opposite the school. Unfortunately, addressing these problems, which have plagued the hamlet of Boiceville for more than half a century, is not currently within the scope of this $33 million traffic engineering effort, according to the Project Managers at the NYSDOT.

As the shared use-path project stands, the project is adding a curb ramp and repainting the crosswalk in front of the school, but that is the scope of what is being done to involve the school into our town. The crosswalk in front of the school is located between an active bus lane and the entrance to a gas station. More than 50% of the students who responded agreed that the crosswalk outside the school is poorly placed and maintained.

The crosswalk being repainted will not even meet the Ulster County Transportation Council's own guidelines in its Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Toolbox which suggests that school zone crosswalks be painted with high visibility yellow paint to indicate to drivers that they are within 500 feet of a school zone. To better improve it, the project could allocate three percent of its budget, or $9,500, to have a pedestrian-activated Rapid Flashing Beacon installed, which better warns drivers of pedestrians. NYSDOT has looked at this as a possible option and might grant a permit to have one installed.

If an added effort was made, we could have sidewalks on both sides of the road and more conveniently placed crosswalks, which would give the school more of a connection to the town. An addition that could improve the street outside the school could be adding a bike lane that connects with the bike lane being built on the bridge. Of the students surveyed, 75% said that bike lanes would make it safer for cyclists, and 15% would consider biking to school if it was safer, compared to less than one percent of students who do now. Many students do not have cars but still want to be able to participate in town life.

The bridge replacement project is a huge investment in the hamlet of Boiceville. A community and connection to the town can be created if we have the infrastructure and the will to do it by building a safer, friendlier, and more walkable place for students and residents alike. For the bridge project and DOT planners to do this, they must know this is what we want as a community. While the project was a great first step, the next step needs to be taken.

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I recently sat down with Kimmer Gifford, a licensed social worker who has worked at George Washington Elementary School in Kingston, NY for 15 years.  Kimmer is responsible for resurrecting the walking school bus that traverses down Franklin Street, across Prospect and up Henry Street every school day, averaging 15 to 30 kids.

The walking school bus was originally created by some teachers and the principal about 15 years ago.  “They were the pioneers,” says Kimmer.  “They only did it on Friday mornings and they would have like 35 kids in tow.  We have changed hands a couple times, and obviously COVID kind of changed the landscape. 

“We had asked a couple times to bring it back, and finally PTO got wind of it and they wanted to lend a hand… I grabbed onto it and I decided that if it was really going to work and be effective it was going to have to be every day.  So now, I stand in front of the school every morning at 8 o’clock and I just cross my fingers.  I have a bunch of regulars, the coach [Frank Passante] always goes, Sean Paul, Linda O’Reilly, and a couple guest stars.”

Kimmer re-started the walking school bus this past January, but at first it was a bit discouraging. “I had about a week where it was just me, and it was like 15 degrees, and I was out there thinking it would never work, and all of a sudden it got a little bit warmer, and I had like 30 kids and it was great.”

Kimmer says the walking school bus works wonders for creating a sense of community.  “I can’t imagine, when I went to elementary school, the idea of anyone who worked in the school just showing up in the community and knocking on the door in the morning…  

“It’s almost like a club at this point.  They all know each other.  It’s created friends across the age line, so the fourth graders now know the little ones who come.  It’s also interesting… these kids all go to school together but they didn’t know where each other’s houses are.  Some of that is just the world we live in, some of it is the COVID landscape, but now they do.

“We know half the neighborhood, everybody knows us.  The parents are very familiar with the staff here and they like seeing us out in the community…  There was a lot of talk about how scared the kids were about the shootings that took place on Cedar Street, and I think it is important for the kids to see the staff in their neighborhood. The more presence and the more connection the school has to the neighborhood, the better for all of us.”

Kimmer says that not only is the program provided at no additional cost to taxpayers, it’s easy to implement and has resulted in an increase in regular attendance.   “Forever, school districts are in these debates, and these meetings and these best practice ideas about attendance.  A lot of the kids who are able to walk are kids who had kind of spotty attendance, and this is such a fix for that.  And it costs absolutely nothing.  And the benefits are so multi-faceted.  Getting a bit of fresh air in the morning, starting your day off with exercise, making sure you’re in school on time, setting up a routine.  Again, that’s why it’s important that it’s every day.”

The walking school bus also helps get kids into the habit of walking.  “A lot of these kids would normally get a ride from a house that you can see down Henry street.  So much just changed [with COVID] and we became so much more insular and operating in our little areas.”  

The walking school bus is not just a benefit to kids; it’s also had an impact on the adults involved.  “It’s amazing how positive it feels.  When the kids run out of their front doors, all scrubbed and dressed and ready for school, it’s a really positive, powerful, uplifting feeling.”

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I know a way that you can feel calmer, help the environment, and become an exemplary community member. There are so many benefits to driving slower! I thought we should make a day to celebrate.

I hereby declare May 4 to be… 20 MPH Day!

A speed limit of 20 miles per hour is promoted by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, among others, as a one method to create safer and more sustainable streets.  

Why aim to drive at 20 miles per hour or lower?  I’m glad you asked.  I’m gonna lay it all out.

Children Can’t Judge Car Speed

The first reason listed may be the most important.  Primary school children cannot accurately judge the speed of cars traveling more than 20 mph.  Even when children are paying attention to the street, they misjudge speeds of cars when those cars are going over 20 mph.

Imagine a world where parents allow their children to walk and bike around the neighborhood without fear. Children used to play in the street and be able to walk and bike to local shops and events.

Let’s stop normalizing hostile environments for children!

Risk of Death and Serious Injury

It turns out that the risk of killing or severely injuring another living being increases exponentially the faster you drive.  Some of the most dramatic differences happen between 20 and 40 mph.

The risk of death doubles between 20 and 30 mph, from 8% to 20% respectively. (I’m bummed because the graphs I was going to share are not loading. :()

The risk of causing severe injury increases from about 15% at 20 mph to 50% at 30 mph (NACTO).  Note that the risk significantly increases with heavier vehicles, so drivers of electric cars, SUVs, and trucks should drive even slower to compensate.

Obviously, the best way to avoid hurting or killing someone with your car is to not drive, but slowing down can drastically reduce your risk.

Reaction and Braking Distance

The faster you are going, the less time you have to react to an anomaly, like a child running into the street.  

Once you apply the brakes, a faster speed means that you will need more time to brake.  

Since reacting and braking taking more time, you will travel a farther distance before stopping.

The reaction distance + braking distance for 30 mph is more than twice that of 20 mph (from the World Resources Institute).

Peripheral Vision

The faster your speed, the less you are able to use your peripheral vision to scan your environment.  This makes you less able to anticipate people outside, making collisions more likely.   (From NACTO)

Stopping for Pedestrians

A recent study found that speed a determining factor in whether cars stop for pedestrians in crosswalks.

Not only is it easier for you to stop when driving slowly, the cars behind you will also be going more slowly, and therefore more likely to stop.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving!

Final Thoughts

I have gotten used to the idea that when I’m driving in a populated area, I will not be driving quickly.  In order for children and adults of all abilities to get around without a car, we drivers need to make room for them, and create an inclusive shared environment.  We do this by driving slowly and always being prepared to yield.  Perhaps even embracing a little traffic congestion!

It’s currently not legal for towns in New York to set a speed limit lower than 30.  Isn’t that crazy?  A recent law allows cities to change their speed limit to 25, but only if the engineers conducting the required expensive traffic study don’t veto it.  Un-elected engineers have veto power in 2023? Yes, they apparently do.

Contrary to popular belief, speed limits are not chosen because they are safe for people outside of vehicles.  30 mph is a deadly speed, and we should normalize calling it what it is.

I wish you a happy 20 mph day! I hope you celebrate by driving 20 or slower in places where the speed limit is 30.  Of course, use your personal judgement and don’t do anything that would make you or others unsafe.

PS- If you were wondering, the reason behind choosing the date May 4 is:

 5 x 4 = 20.  

(January 20, February 10, April 5, and October 2 also fit the bill and shall also be properly observed as such.)

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Although the crash was not reported by local news outlets, I just happened to hear about it from John Grossbohlin of the Kingston Complete Streets Advisory Council, who came upon the scene in its aftermath.  I was able to track down Addie and she agreed to share her story.  Here is my interview with Addie, lightly edited for length and clarity.  I thank you, Addie, for sharing your powerful story.

Ella: Unfortunately I heard that you were in a crash recently, can you tell me about what happened?

Addie: Thanks for saying crash, not an accident.  I was heading to an exercise class downtown after work; I was riding in the bike lane on Broadway.  I saw that on Cornell Street a car was pulling out to make an illegal right on red, and that the car [driver] was looking in the direction of oncoming traffic, and did not see me.  So I was stopping as this happened, but unfortunately I was hit by the car.  Thankfully I was not run over, my bicycle was not run over. We both came out physically unharmed. I was - my voice is kind of shaking right because it was very upsetting, to put it mildly.  Feeling the feelings right now - so if I start crying, that’s why.  

Ella: It’s okay.  It’s a traumatizing event.

Addie: It really was, it really really was.  I got up and I screamed at the driver.  Later on my phone I got a loud noise alert, because it’s damaging to your hearing; I was screaming at him at 90 decibels, which is the volume of a lawnmower, because I was very upset.  He was completely blasé about it, did not seem to be really affected.  He did ask me if I was okay, and I was so upset, I said “How dare you ask me that, you could have killed me.” 

It was at the shift change of the EMT house that’s right over there. One of the people who got out and was listed as a witness on the police report was an EMT who was just off work, and was super super helpful and kind to me.  You know, took me by the arm, and I’m not a touchy person, and I thought at that moment, I normally don’t want this, but this is really nice right now.  I was shaking and hyperventilating.  It was right in front of Tubby’s where that bench is, so he sat me down and using his nice calm voice, “breathe in and out.”  He was really nice, his name was Steve and I was like “ Steve, thank you so much, you’re really good at your job, I really appreciate you right now.”

Another pedestrian who actually turns out to be my neighbor, so I met my neighbor out of this, who saw the whole thing, stopped and called 911. The police came and my neighbor stayed with me and walked home with me.  I had calmed down, and I was still really kind of shocked, and put my jacket back on and my hat.  

The responding officer, after everything was said and done, leaned out of his patrol vehicle and told me, “Bike lanes don’t always work, be safe out there.”  Which was incredibly re-traumatizing, because I did everything right.  I always ride with a helmet.  If I’m on my bike, my lights are on - day or night, it does not matter.  I have a red light flasher on [the back of] my helmet, and a white light flasher on my front.  At night, I always wear a reflective ankle strap.  [Editor’s note: this crash happened in daylight.] My panniers are reflective, I have reflective tape on my bicycle and my helmet, my bike as you can see is bright pink.  

And for the police officer to tell me this… the bike lane did not hit me.  My safety equipment did not run me over.  None of what I was doing caused the crash.  And for him to say that in such a blase manner, and I know he meant well and it was a throwaway comment, but I immediately burst back into tears. Because none of it was my fault.  I’m an aware, vigilant cyclist.  I’ve been a cyclist for over a decade.  I used to live in Brooklyn and cycle into Manhattan ten miles, and then I went to school in Queens, another ten miles.  I have never been hit in New York City.  Never doored, none of it.  And for him to say that to me - I’m shaking right now - is so infuriating.

Ella: Yeah, it’s like victim blaming.

Addie: A hundred percent.  And just thinking about it, I’m filled with rage right now.  But like, impotent rage, because they tell you, “Oh, you know, be safe, blah blah blah.”  I am the epitome of safe!  

Ella: I think about when Christine Tarasco was killed [coming out of the YMCA parking lot] and the Y started giving out the reflective gear to people as a response to that. That was also infuriating to me [because more responsibly was being placed on pedestrians and cyclists than on drivers, street engineers and elected officials]…

Addie:  I’m a Y member and I was not going to the Y that Monday evening when I was hit, but I’m there 3, 4 nights a week after work and I think about that every single time I ride by there.

The roads are for all of us, and they’re not designed that way.  The people who are in charge of our safety have abdicated their responsibilities to the nth degree.  If you want to talk about the Road Hero campaign, I can tell you my feelings about that too, because that is 100% victim blaming as well.

Ella:  Yes but just going back quickly, you had the light right?

Addie: I had a green bike light.  I have seen people make both illegal rights and illegal lefts on red there, and so I’m hyper vigilant.  Because I’ve seen people do things that they’re not supposed to, which is dangerous for folks on the road.  Like I said, I saw him not see me, I saw that it was coming…

Ella: You saw him not see you, wow that’s really powerful. And he got one ticket out of it, right?

Addie:  Yeah, and I don’t know what it is.  The responding officer - internalized bias out the wazoo.  The police report does not have any mention of culpability.  It says that I had the green light, but it does not say that the driver made an illegal right on red, it does not say any of that.  It mentions the witnesses and gives their contact information; its does not mention that they corroborated everything about the culpability of the driver.  It’s like this thing just happened, which is not how it happened. 

Ella:  “We don’t know why, we don’t know how.”

Addie:  Exactly.  I mean, the driver was at fault, and there’s not mention of that.  Which is infuriating.

I was not comfortable reading the report until like a week after it happened.  And when I saw that there was no culpability, it was like another slap in the face.  It’s so demoralizing, because this is 100% a cut and dry issue, and the police report is murky, and it doesn’t say what happened.  

Ella: Yeah number one, they were at fault, and number two, it’s kind of giving you the same responsibility as the driver which is… you’re more vulnerable on a bike than a driver.

Addie: And so the car that hit me was a small SUV, what does that weigh, 2000 pounds?  [Editor’s note: According to an eyewitness, the vehicle was a Land Rover Discovery, which weighs about 5000 pounds.] My bicycle and I together weigh like 160 pounds. I’m not the one who’s out causing mayhem.  I’m not the one who’s going to kill someone.  The responsibility is on the person who’s driving, you know.

Ella: And they only got one ticket, so even if they get another ticket, they’re probably going to keep their license.

Addie: And that’s another thing that I’ve been thinking a lot about.  So I’m a professional librarian. In New York State, and many other states, being a librarian is a licensed profession.  I have to maintain my license by having continuing education, it amounts to about 5 hours every year.  I have never once had any sort of continuing education for being a driver.  We just let people go and then it’s assumed that they are fine and dandy, until they are older folks with cognitive impairments or visual or response type impairments.  There’s nothing, there’s a huge span of a lifetime, from being a teenager, where your brain is not fully developed, and then you’re set loose on the world, in machines that are capable of absolute death and destruction.

And I’m saying this - I’m a driver.  I also walk, I use all modes of transportation. Riding my bike is my preferred method but my family lives in the Midwest and South Carolina and we like to go camping and hiking, and the way you get there is in a car.  So I’m not “anti-car,” at all.  But I mean, I’m a librarian, I’m pro sharing!  Really the roads are for all of us, not just cars, in spite of what you know, the transportation safety board, AAA, and many places would have you believe.  They’re not just for cars.

So much of our road design in Kingston puts the onus on anyone who’s not a car.  Why do I have to press a button to walk across Broadway?  Why do I have to wait and hope someone sees the flashing lights and stops and gives me that little piece of mind.  Am I not a valuable member of society?  Does my life have less value than someone who’s encased in steel and glass?  What is that?

I do appreciate the long and heavy lifting that people have done for the bike lane on Broadway, but also it is a poor design.  There’s enough room to have in direction bike lanes on either side.  What caused that person to not see me is that they were looking in the opposite direction.  They are not thinking of vehicles, or me, on my bike, coming from that direction.  That kind of two way on one side seems more fitting for a one way street.

Ella: Going back, do you want to talk about the Road Hero Campaign?

Addie: Oh yeah!  Well, talk about victim blaming, the Be A Road Hero campaign is trash.  You can 100% quote me on that.  It is victim blaming… the signs that are directed at cars are too small to be read at legal traveling speeds… A superhero is inherently anti-democratic.  We live in a society where we share responsibilities and burdens through the form of elected government.  Saying “we need heros to be in charge of this” is a complete abdication of responsibility.  My life, my safety, the tools of justice, should not be given to rando individuals.

Truly, it’s mind-boggling that we know how to make roads safe.  And being dependent on superheroes does not do that.  

I’m not a road engineer, but I know about extending the curb, how to slow people down on the turns.  …

Ella: I’m not an engineer and never want to be, but I feel like I know so much about engineering just since I’ve become involved in advocacy..

Addie:  And we have so many places to look to that have done this work already.  Giant cities, but also small cities.  The tools to make roads safe for everyone are out there.  We don’t have to invent anything.

Ella: Another analogy with libraries and safe roads, is people say we can’t afford them, it’s too much money.  But at the same time, is it just that we don’t have the right priorities in place?

Addie: It’s one hundred percent priorities.  Speaking to that, voters like spending money on sharing and safety.  Kingston voters passed a 14 million dollar bond to renovate this building.  If people are told about it and are aware of it, people want good things for society.  People don’t want to be dependent on superheroes.  People want to be able to go about their lives without being afraid to cross the street.

[We went on to roast the new roundabout for being unsafe for those with mobility issues and baby carriages.]

Ella: Anything else you would like to see change in Kingston?

Addie: I don’t know how to make people who are not thinking about pedestrians and cyclists start to think about them.  I wish that the people who design and enforce the roads were out on bikes and walking and pictured it from everyone else’s perspective.

One last thing. It’s really a bummer that this happened, and I’m truly very lucky that me and my bicycle are fine.  I really hope that this does not deter people from cycling.  Cycling is the best thing I’ve even done…  It’s liberating, it’s healthy.  Seeing the world that way, you’re able to knit neighborhoods and places together in this mental map that I never did before… If people are afraid to bicycle, I’m actually trained as a bicycle mentor.  They can always reach out to me.  My email is reference -at kingstonlibrary dot- org and I would be more than happy to be a one on one bike mentor for anyone. 

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On March 10, around 3:30 in the afternoon, Silvano Garcia was hit and killed by a train in the town of Ulster.  According to a GoFundMe fundraising page started by his sister-in-law, Rhonda Garcia, “Silvano was a great guy who biked everywhere in Kingston and would always be there to help when you needed him. He was a hard worker and spent what little free time he had with us, his family here. He had a huge heart.” My condolences go out to his family. Silvano worked a minimum wage job and still managed to send back money to help his family in Mexico. The account was set up in order to raise funds to return his body to his home state of Mexico, where many of his friends and family reside.  

This crash coincided with the fervor over the East Palestine Ohio derailment fiasco. It was also the third train crash in the area in the last four months.  

The towns along the freight route endure all the negatives of train traffic - deadly crashes, noise, and stalled traffic - without the positives - like passenger rail.

The area where Silvano was hit, by Winsupply on Morton Blvd, is near two designated options for crossing the tracks.  One is to use the overpass on Ulster Ave, which has sidewalks.  The other is to walk down Morton Blvd and cross at Boices Lane.  This area technically has some sidewalks, but… frankly it’s not clear whether the road designers believe pedestrians actually exist.  

The intersection (located where Morton Boulevard, Boices Lane, and John M Clark Road meet near Panera Bread) was already on my radar, as it a destination for a recent walk taken by Riders of Ulster Transit Alliance (RUTA), and was requested by a RUTA member due to its lack of safe and accessible street design.

I revisited the intersection after hearing the news about Silvano.  This area is a poster child for the wild discrepancies in how space is afforded to cars vs pedestrains, and resulting sacrifice of safety for pedestrians. 

Here’s the space allotted to pedestrians when crossing the train tracks. Astounding.

There’s barely a shoulder.  I’m guessing it’s not wheelchair accessible.

Here’s the space allotted to cars turning out of John M Clark Road onto Boices Lane.

I’m not even detailing half of the really weird and hostile street design elements in the area.  Go check it out for yourself!  Walk around and observe the area without a car.  If you never have, it will likely be an eye opening experience.

Silvano was taking a risk by using a shortcut to traverse his route - the same kind of calculated risk that people use all the time when navigating streets that are actively hostile in their design. 

By designing only for cars, despite the presence of humans who walk, the designers of the streets in Ulster have taken an egregious risk with the lives of people who walk in the town of Ulster. It ultimately decreases the quality of life for all who live within walking distance.

Hopefully this area and others nearby will be made much more pedestrian and bike friendly with the redesign of the 9W corridor now in progress.  Subscribe to the UCTC mailing list here. Public input is supposed to be happening soon, I’ll send more information when I have it.

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Kingston has released the draft of their Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan. This is a rare opportunity to comment on a plan that will be informing street designs for years to come!

COMMENTS ARE DUE THIS FRIDAY - that is two days away from now as of press time. The master plan is linked in the text above.

First of all, I’m really proud of Kingston for caring about safety and accessibility for vulnerable road users, and I thank all who worked on the master plan.

I have a bunch of thoughts on the draft; here are some of them.

1. Safety and accessibility for vulnerable road users are paramount. Safety and accessibility are more important than avoiding congestion or enabling traffic to move efficiently through the city. This should become a mantra for safe street advocates. (And it might be a good thing to mention in those comments you are drafting…)

2. I would love to see some specific goals added. For example, Kingston’s Climate Action Plan from 2010 recommended goals such as: by 2020, a 20% reduction of single occupancy vehicle use and vehicle miles traveled, a 20% increase in use of transit, and a 20% reduction in single occupancy vehicle commuting by City employees. (As far as I know, these goals were never officially adopted by the city.)

3. At Washington and Marius near George Washington Elementary (see page 73), there are several good suggestions in the draft, however I would further like to suggest that stop signs be added.

4. On Washington by Picnic Pizza, near the head of the O&W Rail Trail (see page 84), where John Lynch was killed nearly two years ago while crossing, the draft plan recommends a study to determine potential for a road diet to slow down traffic. Since this area serves as the gateway to the city of Kingston, and it is a residential/mixed use area, it is a great opportunity to set a good example and prioritize people outside of cars. Care should be taken to make this a safe and accessible place for people of all ages and abilities.

I hope you take a moment to look through the draft plan and write a comment. It is certainly not a given that our community will become a safe and accessible place for all; we need to push for it.

Thanks for reading! I have a few interesting articles on the docket in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

A few years ago, scientists in the Bahamas introduced curly-tailed lizards, a predatory species, to an ecosystem containing two types of anoles, both peacefully co-existing lizards (and both prey for the predatory curly-tail).  Scientists would have previously expected that the predator would quickly gobble up the anoles, but their ultimate downfall was unexpected. The prey species responded to the introduction of the predator by changing their behavior - one species fled into the trees, resulting in increased competition for food between the two previously harmonious co-existing species.  The scientists hypothesized that it was the change in behavior, not the predator physically eating up all the other lizards, that ultimately threatened the prey lizards with extinction.

To summarize: The change in the prey’s behavior turned out to be more devastating than the predator itself. 

What does this have to do with towns? We live in an urbanized ecosystem, in a complex and delicate balance with many moving parts.  Once upon a time, the fastest vehicle available in a city was a horse and wagon.  Now, I won’t sugarcoat it; horses created a lot of muck and were a sanitary hazard, and horses weren’t totally safe; today, equestrian fatalities are slightly lower than skiing fatalities. But, we can at least say that they were slow, probably maxing out around 10-20 miles per hour.  

Humans evolved over millions of years with animal and vehicle speeds that rarely exceeded 20 miles per hour.  Then, all of a sudden, cars came about, and within a few decades, they had gotten so fast and heavy - and therefore so deadly - that they quickly became a menace - and induced changes in behavior.  Before cars came around, children regularly played in the streets.  That’s just what children did, probably for millenia.  Children started being killed by cars so often that cities started erecting monuments to the fallen.

Over the course of the twentieth century, children became less and less a fixture of public life.  In 1969, nearly half of children walked or biked to school; 40 years later, that portion had declined to only 13%.  Of course, increased distance between home and school has surely been a factor.  But clearly the lack of safety for children plays a large role.  Even the proliferation of playgrounds is a twentieth century phenomenon, as a direct result of streets being taken over by dangerous cars.

Today, thankfully far fewer children are being killed by cars.  But we do have a loneliness epidemic, which was happening even before the pandemic.  Perhaps the fact that our public spaces are dominated by dangerous, loud and dirty cars, is a factor?

Here’s the point - making streets safe is about eliminating deaths, yes.  But, it’s also about how we choose to shape our lives. The introduction of a predator into our ecosystem a century ago dramatically altered human life.  Some benefits have been found of course, but there have been many unexpected costs.  Perhaps it’s time to stop gorging the predator with so much energy and space, and do some ecosystem re-balancing.

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