On a brighter note amidst this gloom-and-doom: the Van Alen Institute, a nonprofit which focuses on interdisciplinary approaches to design challenges, hosted a week-long series of events about getting around the changing city of New York. At a flash competition at the New Design High School last week, five teams of urban design aficionados went head-to-head and proposed solutions for safely moving pedestrians and traffic in the wake of the increased cars and shuttle buses that will be flying over the Williamsburg Bridge next spring due to the L train debacle.

Some unorthodox solutions included: nifty retractable chairs that would unfold from the sides of the Williamsburg Bridge; integrating apps with Link NYC to map out estimated commute time; red pedestrian bridges boasting plant-friendly walkways; and rainbow-colored paint to demarcate pedestrian walkways from bike, car and bus lanes. Others focused on elevated bike lines and raised curbs at bus stops to improve safety for pedestrians and bikers. One group even stressed the need for “Infrastructure Vinyasas” or a “new way to stretch and move” the neighborhood. Seems more fitting for a yoga class in Williamsburg than an urban design presentation, but hey, we’ll take it.