Skip to Content
Streetsblog California home
Streetsblog California home
Log In

I live in Jackson Heights, which is currently among the hardest hit areas in the entire country for coronavirus cases and fatalities. It has been a tough month for many of our neighbors and friends.

I get outside for a socially distanced hour every day so I can get footage to show how drastically our streetscape has been altered by the virus. Videos like the one below make the case that once this is all over, we should never accept how we allocate public space in favor of car drivers rather than the majority of New Yorkers who get around on narrow sidewalks, unprotected bike routes or on buses that are constantly being delayed by people in their own private vehicles.

Under normal circumstances, the world is upside-down: the minority of people who own cars in New York City force the rest of us to breathe toxic exhaust, get stuck in their traffic, be killed by their reckless use of steel cages, get terrified just to cross a street, etc. So let's change that.

When you see my before-and-after videos, you can see that no one will want to return to the pre-virus status quo. The first step will be to eliminate all unnecessary car trips. Then we can redesign our streets to prioritize long-suffering bus riders, cyclists and pedestrians, who are fighting over crumbs.

So many U.S. cities are leading. It's time for Mayor de Blasio to allow his best city planners to take over from do-nothing bureaucrats and to stop letting the police (most of whom live in the suburbs) dictate street policy.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog California

Monday’s Headlines

Telsa's Robocars Make Streets Less Safe, ICE messing up California, Heat Is Bad for Cars, Bus Lane Enforcement in Weho and More...

June 30, 2025

California Transportation Commission Unanimously Approves Funds for All Recommended Highway Projects

Advocates call the CTC a rubber stamp for highway widening. The body didn't do anything to dispel that notion yesterday.

June 27, 2025

Friday’s Headlines

Mixed bag of news as we head into the weekend.

June 27, 2025

Metro Responds to Issues Resulting from ICE Raids and Protests

The Metro board received an update on recent Metro service disruptions precipitated by ICE raids. The board approved a Janice Hahn motion intended to minimize service disruption.

June 26, 2025

Caltrans Continues Outreach on “Vision 980” for Oakland

Is there still some hope for reconnecting West Oakland with downtown by removing the huge barrier of I-980?

June 26, 2025

SGV Connect 137: Olympic Cricket at the Pomona Fairplex

For the first time ever, the city of Pomona will host an Olympic event: cricket! Get the story from Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval and Abhimanyu Rajp, Director of Los Angeles Cricket.

June 26, 2025
See all posts