Bike... Walk... Public Transportation... Carpool

The data table link in this article shows that 3.6% of NYC residents work from home as of 2005, ranking 20th among US cities. Given that 54.6% take public transportation to work, and 9.4% walk to work, 0.5% bike to work, this leaves 31.9% of NYC workers who take a car to work. Of these, it's not clear what percent car pool. I recall reading that it was about 8% (but the writer didn't say if this is the percent of all commuters or the percent of people who travel by car). So it's either 8% of all commuters or 25% of all commuters... a big difference.

Either way, there's room for improvement, and with the advent of more social networking sites, it is likely to keep growing.

New Yorkers are top transit users

It's no surprise that NYC tops the list of top transit using cities. 54.6% of NYC residents take public transportation to work every day. 4 out of the top 5 transit using cities are in the northeast corridor.

WHEN THE ROOF CAVES IN:

Leaders from the battalions of New York's foreclosure-fighters came together recently to talk about bad lending, good new laws, and the kind of bailout local folks would appreciate. > By Jarrett Murphy and Karen Loew

The recent collapse of some of the nation's largest financial institutions is understood as the crashing of a wave set in motion by years of poor lending practices, corrupt securities schemes and lax oversight. But for thousands of New Yorkers, the wave is still crashing – as they confront untenable mortgages, potential loan defaults, and even the loss of their dwellings. In 2007, there were 15,000 foreclosure filings citywide. And experts say that in New York City, the foreclosure crisis has not even crested.

How the crash will reshape America

Richard Florida's essay about the geography of our economic meltdown makes the case that the recovery, when it comes, will not be distributed evenly throughout the U.S. Some regions and cities are better positioned to rebound than others. Same may never recover because the core industries based in the rust belt, for example, cannot compete in the global economy and will be wiped out.

He sees the need for a more mobile, skilled, creative workforce, the kind that only flourishes in densely populated areas, "high metabolism areas", where thought leaders gravitate together. He also challenges the assumptions about the importance of home ownership, arguing that it traps people in places that don't always suit their skills and interests, such as during our current downturn. A stimulating read.

Quinn Urges Higher Taxes on High Incomes

Striking a populist tone, the City Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, used her annual State of the City address on Thursday to call for an increase in the city’s personal income tax for households making more than $297,000 a year — a step that officials estimate could raise $1 billion a year but would probably face opposition from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and state lawmakers in Albany.

Stimulus Funds Offer Relief to City and State

New York State and New York City officials expressed a measured sense of relief on Thursday as they began totaling the vast sums of money for Medicaid, education, transportation and housing that could soon begin flowing here as part of the federal stimulus package.

Manhattan Borough Chief Pushes for Better Nutrition in City

Food and nutrition have been favorite issues for the Bloomberg administration. Now, adding to those efforts, Scott M. Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, is proposing his own plan for residents to eat better.