I’m involved in an effort at Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, one of the largest and most influential synagogues on the Upper West Side , to develop a plan for greening our street, the 200 block of West 88th Street , between Broadway and West End Avenue . The Environmental Action Hevra, one of several committees in the synagogue’s social justice/social action program, has adopted this as its primary objective for this year. Using the UWSSR Blueprint as our handbook, we’re examining various options, including chicanes to divert through traffic, angled parking to replace parallel parking, secure bike parking, curb extensions, etc. In short, pretty much the whole set of street modifications for a residential side street that are depicted in the Blueprint. We hope to make ours a model block and hopefully to extend the redesign to neighboring blocks.

Before devising a specific proposal to the DOT, which we expect to pass through the Community Board, we plan to build local support by meeting with other residents and businesses on the block to explain the project and its benefits in terms of greater safety for pedestrians and cyclists, cleaner air, reduced noise, and an altogether more pleasant and congenial environment. With a lot of work, we hope to see a proposal before the DOT within six months.

Meanwhile, Hazon (www.hazon.org), an organization that promotes environmental awareness and action in the Jewish community, has recently begun working with other Upper West Side synagogues to promote similar Livable Streets initiatives appropriate to their particular locations, though none are as far advanced in considering such projects as B’nai Jeshurun. They are also being encouraged to show their support for improvements like protected bicycle lanes by sending post cards and signing petitions to Community Board 7 and the DOT. Stay tuned for more developments.