Skip to content

StreetFilm: Room to Breathe

Inspired by a poster produced by Portland's Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in the mid-1990s, this weekend Transportation Alternatives gathered a gaggle of cyclists on 42nd Street in Manhattan to stage New York's own dramatic illustration of how much street space would be saved if everyone riding an automobile were traveling on a bicycle or bus.

Room to Breathe
A StreetFilm by Clarence Eckerson Jr.
Running Time: 3 minutes 41 seconds

Inspired by a poster produced by Portland’s Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) in the mid-1990s, this weekend Transportation Alternatives gathered a gaggle of cyclists on 42nd Street in Manhattan to stage New York’s own dramatic illustration of how much street space would be saved if everyone riding an automobile were traveling on a bicycle or bus.

This StreetFilm gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the event was staged and lets the participants speak about what brought them to the Livable Streets movement. T.A. aims to have the poster available by Summer 2007.

Photo of Sarah Goodyear
Sarah Goodyear is a journalist and author who has covered cities and transportation for publications such as Grist, CityLab, and Streetsblog.

Comments Are Temporarily Disabled

Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.

Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.

More from Streetsblog USA

How To Push A Livable Streets Project Forward — Even in the Era of Federal Clawbacks

April 7, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines Take an Axe to Transit

April 7, 2026

The Financial Costs of the Pedestrian Death Crisis Are Still Stratospheric

April 6, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Only Hurt Ourselves

April 6, 2026

State Bill Would Stop Highway Expansions Near Vulnerable New Yorkers

April 3, 2026
See all posts