One of the unfortunate truisms of livable streets advocacy is that repurposing even a single parking space is considered a third rail of electoral politics.
That’s obviously a very limited view of public service, and public space, and one that a seasoned progressive leader should be well-positioned to overcome.
Enter Council Member Gale Brewer, who has been in office for a very long time — long enough to know better.
And yet, over the past two months Council Member Brewer has come out against two proven, common sense street initiatives: much needed curb reform in her district, and the grassroots effort for citywide universal daylighting, both of which would have repurposed a bit of free parking to improve safety.
And just last year the Council Member came out against the 96th Street dedicated bus lane — which is delivering faster service to tens of thousands of bus riders — all so the few residents who own cars along that stretch could continue to double-park instead of converting free parking at the curb to loading zones.
What these episodes illustrate — besides questionable judgment — is a lack of imagination for what’s possible and a lack of leadership to get it done.
Counting her two stints as District 6 Council Member and her time as Manhattan Borough President, Gale Brewer has represented the Upper West Side for 24 years and counting. In that nearly quarter century, she has been a progressive champion on many issues and amassed considerable political clout. Which makes her fixation on preserving free parking all the more disappointing.
There is a real cost to the community when we reduce the discussion of important public realm needs to a debate over parking spaces; when we subject long-overdue safety improvements to the kind of scrutiny that was never applied to lining our streets with cars in the first place.
It wastes people’s time, forcing them to battle over one parking space at a time instead of fine-tuning the details of a comprehensive vision. It slows progress, depriving generations of families the benefits of a more livable neighborhood. And, it makes the average citizen cynical about government and disenchanted at the prospect of change.
The good news is, there are plenty of examples that show it doesn’t have to be this way.
The astonishing and inspiring transformation of Paris over the past decade shows that progress can be quick when political will meets bold vision. Or look at the steady progress of London’s Low Traffic Neighborhoods, resulting in measurably quieter communities and healthier neighbors.
These are the kinds of transformative changes that let residents know they are valued and that good things are possible.
What if every school had a car-free street in front of it? What if all of our intersections were designed to slow vehicles and give more space to pedestrians? What if we had a high-comfort bike network that allowed kids and adults of every age and ability the freedom to get around the neighborhood independently? What if residential streets had barely any traffic and some of that space was repurposed for play structures and social space?
The only thing standing in the way of a vision like this is the lack of a leader willing to see it, prioritize it, and fight for it.
Gale Brewer could be that leader.
Click the link below to send Council Member Brewer a letter and tell her to use her next four years in office to help make the Upper West Side the livable neighborhood we all deserve and a shining example for the city, the country, and the world.
