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CHEKPEDS INC
New York, NY · EIN 264483508 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Micro (<$100K) · chekpeds.com
revenue
$34K
expenses
$31K
net assets
$19K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

CHEKPEDS advocates for increased pedestrian safety on the west side of Manhattan

profile · synthesized from sources

Community-based advocacy coalition founded in 2005 by residents and local leaders to improve pedestrian safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance public health on Manhattan’s West Side, particularly along 9th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen. The organization works through community organizing, policy advocacy, and collaboration with city agencies to achieve systemic changes in urban transportation and street design. It has played a key role in advancing initiatives like congestion pricing, open streets, and the 9th Avenue Renaissance vision.

named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

9th Avenue Renaissance
Community-led visioning initiative to redesign 9th Avenue as a safer, more vibrant public space through town halls, design workshops, and collaboration with Project for Public Spaces
Congestion Pricing Advocacy
Research and public education campaign promoting congestion pricing as a solution to traffic, air pollution, and transit funding, including the report "Congestion Pricing: Saving Lives, Saving Time"
DOT Traffic Study for Hell’s Kitchen
Successfully petitioned for and supported a city-led transportation study to identify short- and long-term traffic safety improvements in the West Side neighborhood
Open Streets
Advocacy and implementation support for temporary street closures during the COVID-19 pandemic to enable safe walking and social distancing on residential blocks
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 3 activities
    • Advocating for pedestrian safety and traffic improvements on Manhattan’s West Side
      Conducts sustained advocacy for pedestrian safety and traffic calming measures on Manhattan’s West Side, particularly in Hell’s Kitchen. Works with elected officials, city agencies, and community boards to secure infrastructure changes such as bus lanes, protected bike lanes, pedestrian refuges, leading pedestrian intervals, extended crossing times, speed bumps, traffic signals, and traffic controller placements. Advocacy has led to specific outcomes including the relocation of intercity bus terminals, removal of postal trucks from key avenues, and reopening of cross streets to vehicular traffic.
    • Conducting research on transportation policy and urban planning
      Conducts and publishes research on transportation systems and urban design, including the impacts of congestion pricing on safety and travel time, regulatory approaches to intercity bus operations in the Northeast Corridor, and long-term traffic studies. Completed and published the 9th Avenue Renaissance report (2007) and the final Hell's Kitchen traffic study report (2014), advanced DOT transportation studies into solution phases, and disseminated findings through reports and presentations.
    • Securing funding and advancing transportation studies through advocacy
      Advocated for and secured $350,000 in federal funding via NYMTC for a transportation study on Manhattan’s West Side, submitting initial requests in 2006 and achieving approval in 2007. This effort supported the official launch of the Hell's Kitchen traffic study in July 2007.
  • Public Space Beautification and Maintenance 1 activity
    • Implementing public space greening and streetscape improvements
      Designs and implements physical improvements to public spaces in Hell’s Kitchen, including planting trees, installing tree guards, creating Piazzetas and plazas with seating and planters, completing greening projects at Dyer Triangle and Hell’s Kitchen South, and establishing planted micro gardens on bike lanes. Projects include Canoe Plaza with 11 tree pits, Triangle Plaza with 60 planters and 11 trees, and installation of 25 tree guards.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Facilitating Open Streets initiatives in New York City
      Facilitated the closure and opening of streets in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic to enable safe walking, social distancing, and community use. Provided free signage, including Spanish-language options, for open streets to eligible block groups in Manhattan Community District 4 and maintained a dedicated ordering system for signage. Offers ongoing guidance and support for implementing Open Streets programs.
    • Supporting active transportation infrastructure development
      Established bike share stations without reducing pedestrian space, installed three bike corrals on floating parking lanes along 9th Avenue to reduce sidewalk congestion, and advocated for wider bike lanes and planted micro gardens on 8th and 9th Avenues.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$34K
Contributions & grants$34K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$31K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$19K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$19K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +93.8%
relationships · 44

Who they work with

  • Amtrak Government — Engaged with Amtrak's role in selecting the master developer and releasing Penn Station redevelopment plans.
  • Citizens for New York Partner — Supported the 9th Avenue Renaissance project.
  • Community Board 4 Partner — Local government body involved in Open Streets coordination and communication.
  • Community Board 4 Partner — Provided a list of community-requested traffic improvements that informed the study proposal.
  • Community Board 4, Manhattan Government — Co-sponsored the 9th Avenue Renaissance initiative.
  • Council Member Corey Johnson Government — City Council representative providing联络 for Open Streets initiatives.
  • DOT Government — Collaborates with the Department of Transportation on street design improvements in Hell’s Kitchen.
  • DOT Partner — Collaborated with the Department of Transportation for delivery of barriers in the Open Streets initiative.
  • DOT Partner — Collaborates with DOT to deliver barriers for open streets.
  • Department of Transportation Partner — Collaborates on providing barriers and managing local traffic for open streets initiatives.
  • Department of Transportation (DOT) Government — Coordinates with DOT for signage and infrastructure support for open streets.
  • Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Association Partner — Collaborated with CHEKPEDS on greening projects and zoning amendments.
  • Holy Cross School Partner — Supported the 9th Avenue Renaissance project.
  • Junta Comunitaria 4 Partner — Collaborates with Community Board 4 on open streets implementation.
  • Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer Government — Co-sponsored the 9th Avenue Renaissance initiative.
  • Manhattan Community Board 4 Partner — Co-commissioned a study on intercity bus practices along the Northeast Corridor.
  • Manhattan Community Board 4 Partner — Collaborates with CHEKPEDS on traffic relief and pedestrian safety initiatives.
  • Manhattan Community Board 5 Partner — Co-commissioned a study on intercity bus practices along the Northeast Corridor.
  • Mayor Bill de Blasio Government — Collaborated with the mayor's administration to implement the Open Streets initiative in NYC during the pandemic.
  • Miembro del Consejo Corey Johnson Government — Coordinates with City Council Member Corey Johnson's office regarding open streets.
  • NYC Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn Government — Co-sponsored the 9th Avenue Renaissance initiative.
  • NYC Department of Transportation Government — Served as sponsor for the federal funding application that secured $350,000 for a transportation study on the West Side.
  • NYC Department of Transportation Partner — Served as the sponsor of the Hell's Kitchen traffic study.
  • NYC Street Renaissance Partner — Supported the 9th Avenue Renaissance project.
  • NYPD Government — Partners with NYPD for installation and removal of street barriers.
  • NYPD Partner — Collaborates with NYPD to deliver barriers for open streets.
  • NYPD Partner — Partnered with the New York Police Department for delivery of barriers used in the Open Streets program.
  • New York City Council Government — Engaged in advocacy to oppose Intro 561-A legislation.
  • New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Partner — Provides signage and traffic control support for Open Streets implementation.
  • New York City Police Department Partner — Collaborates on providing barriers and managing local traffic for open streets initiatives.
+ 14 more
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Citizen Enforcement of Environmental Regulations
    methodology: citizen_enforcement
    By empowering residents to enforce clean air laws, we produce improved air quality in high-risk neighborhoods because localized, community-driven monitoring closes regulatory gaps and increases compliance where formal enforcement is lacking.
  • Community-Led Planning Model
    methodology: community_participatory_planning
    By centering residents as experts in shaping public space, we produce more equitable and sustainable street interventions because local knowledge ensures designs meet actual community needs and foster long-term stewardship.
  • Open Streets for Public Health and Safety
    methodology: open_streets
    By temporarily closing streets to non-local and high-speed traffic, we produce safer, more accessible public spaces during health emergencies because reducing vehicular dominance enables safe pedestrian movement, social distancing, and active use of urban space.
  • Policy Advocacy Through Institutional Collaboration
    methodology: policy_advocacy_through_collaboration
    By collaborating with citywide organizations and engaging government agencies, we achieve structural changes in transportation policy because coordinated advocacy amplifies local demands and leverages political influence to advance pedestrian safety and congestion reforms.