January 13, 2019 Update

Saturday, Jan 19 = Fundraiser

Hastings Velo and Rivertowns Racing invite you to the 8th Annual Fund Raiser for Bicycle Advocacy and Awards Night.

Join us for a night of music and fun as Push for Heat provides the vibes. Silent auction and your $10.00 donation will offer you a chance to win a special raffle.

The money will be going to Bike Tarrytown, the New York Bicycling Coalition and, depending on how generous folks are, some other similar groups.

Saturday, January 19th
6:30 pm
Hastings Velo
45 Main Street
Hastings on Hudson

Sunday, Jan 27 = Next Meeting

We'll watch a quick video and then discuss how to make stuff happen. Refreshments will be served. A baby sitter will hang with our kids in the Children's Room.

1/27, 2/24, 3/31
1:30 - 3:30 pm

Warner Library, Room B (upstairs)
121 N Broadway, Tarrytown

In the event of inclement weather, check the Library's website: https://www.warnerlibrary.org/

School Safety

Cars are the #1 killer of school-age kids, far ahead of guns. We met with school Superintendent Borsari this week to follow up on our letter proposing school traffic safety improvements. He is interested in making things better. He will benefit from knowing the community is supportive. Send him a quick email.

https://biketarrytown.org/schools/2018-12-10-high-school-crash-response.php

Crashes aside, there's the whole air pollution reason for keeping cars away from schools.

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/every-breath-you-take-air-pollution-idling-cars-puts-kids-risk-u-t-research-says

Stop Forcing People to Drive

Our goal is ensuring our streets become balanced, so people aren't forced to drive. This point was misunderstood in the Hudson Independent's article about the Route 9 study, so we submitted a letter to the editor.

https://biketarrytown.org/broadway-for-everybody/stop-forcing-people-to-drive.php

Getting St. Patrick's Parade to Bless Better Buses

1.2 million people ride Bee Line's Route 13 bus each year. We're asking the St. Patrick's Parade Committee to shift their grandstand location so buses can get through, allowing everyone to get where they're expecting to go.

https://biketarrytown.org/better-buses/st-patricks-parade-better-buses.php

New Chairs for Transportation Committees

Both the State Senate and Assembly have new chairs of their Transportation Committees. This is good news, particularly in the Assembly. We wrote them with our State level priorities:

https://twitter.com/BikeTarrytown/status/1074864794644176896

Speak for the Trees

Turns out Sleepy Hollow needs to hear from the Lorax!

Sleepy Hollow was on the brink of removing the mature street trees along Beekman Ave. Fortunately, members of the Village's Environmental Advisory Committee were at the Board of Trustees Work Session to explain why that's a bad idea. Now officials are giving further consideration of how to handle the trees.

The benefits of mature street trees (beauty, pollution reduction, heat reduction, higher property values, better retail sales) far outweigh their costs (repairs to sidewalks, sewers, foundations). And proper management techniques can reduce the negative impacts.

Video of the discussion: https://vimeo.com/304498692#t=15m25s At the table are (left to right):
Claire Davis (Resident, Environmental Advisory Committee)
Francois Rjeili (Resident, Tree Commission, Environmental Advisory Cmte)
John Millard (?) (Resident, Arborist paid by village on occasion)
Wayne Ballard (DPW)

Speak for the trees by writing:

    Ken Wray <kwray@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Denise Scaglione <dscaglione@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Glenn Rosenbloom <grosenbloom@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    John Leavy <jleavy@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Rachelle Gebler <rgebler@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Sam Gonzalez <sgonzalez@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Sandra Spiro <sspiro@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Anthony Giaccio <agiaccio@sleepyhollowny.org>,
    Bike Tarrytown <info@biketarrytown.org>

Obligatory New Year's Piece, and it's Good

A leading author's 25 simple resolutions you can make to improve your city in 2019. Here's a key one:

"2. Speak at City Hall in support of something good for your community and city, rather than just going to oppose things. And before you oppose something (such as well-designed density, new housing choices, or affordable housing), think carefully about who it's meant to help, and put yourself in their place."

https://www.fastcompany.com/90287193/25-simple-resolutions-you-can-make-to-improve-your-city-in-2019

Speaking of Which...

Chime in now to support full implementation of the Route 9 Active Transportation Plan in Sleepy Hollow's Comprehensive Plan.

https://biketarrytown.org/sleepy-hollow-comprehensive-plan/action-broadway.php

If We Only Had More Parking...

"Scientists say the world's oceans are warming far more quickly than previously thought, a finding with dire implications for climate change because almost all the excess heat absorbed by the planet ends up stored in their waters."

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/climate/ocean-warming-climate-change.html

Give

As you can see, we continue doing a LOT of work on your behalf. To the many folks who donated in December, thank you! Chip in now if you haven't yet.

https://biketarrytown.org/donate.php

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