Did you know there are 47 acres of city owned land in the middle of Queens sitting unused since 1962? This is what’s known as the former Rockaway Beach Branch of the Long Island Rail Road. Many groups have been discussing whether this asset should be reused for future rail service or turned into a linear park. Today I sit down for a group interview, with representatives from the Trust for Public Land. I’ll be chatting with Adrian Benepe, former New York City Parks Commissioner, as well as Andy Stone and Carter Strickland who are deeply involved in trying to turn this asset into city park called The Queensway. To learn more about the Queensway project take a look at their website at thequeensway.org. More info can also be found on the Trust for Public land site at tpl.org

Moving Block

Episode 007 -- The Future of the Rockaway Beach Branch: Rail Trail or Transit Line?

Did you know that Uber and Lyft drivers spend ⅓ of their time in midtown manhattan empty searching and waiting for fares? How does this affect congestion and what can be done to have our taxi system run more efficiently? I sit down with Bruce Schaller, a consultant, and a former executive at NYC DOT and Taxi and Limousine Commission on how best to manage our roads to alleviate traffic. We also discuss the hot topic of congestion pricing. For More information on Schaller's work, check out his website: www.schallerconsult.com

Episode 006 - Why Ride Hailing Apps are Making Manhattan Traffic Worse

Have you ever thought about how people in wheelchairs navigate the subway system? Today I sit down with Chris Pangalinan, Program Director at TransitCenter a transportation think tank based in New York City. We discuss the trials and tribulations about riding the subway in a wheelchair. We also talk about the state of accessibility in New York City how local government can improve on on making New York more accessible for all. For more information on accessibility and the New York subway system read TransitCenter's report "Access Denied" http://transitcenter.org/publications/access-denied/

Episode 005 -- Access for All? Riding the Subway in a Wheelchair

Wonder why Penn station is so crowded and overrun with people? Jim Venturi and I discuss how to improve the disjointed nature of Penn Station and his plan the "Regional Unified Network". Read more about Jim and his firm's work at: http://www.rethinkstudio.org/

Episode 004 - Fixing Penn Station and the Regional Unified Network Plan

Listen to my interview show about urban planning, transportation, politics, and more! Subscribe in iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/moving-block/id1206677935?mt=2

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