Transportation Committee Opening Statement
Tuesday, November 15, 2016
Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair
Good morning and welcome to today's hearing of the Transportation Committee. My name is Ydanis Rodriguez and I am the chair of this committee. We are joined tod;ay by council members...
I want to begin today, as we return from a week away, by saying that I have found a renewed energy and motivation based on the events of last Tuesday and all that has happened since. This energy will remain focused on supporting working people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, beliefs, sexual preferences, abilities or age.
We have seen the rise of a scary tide this election season, with an increase in hate crimes, divisive threats and more. And I want to take this moment to highlight the work of my colleagues and this important body, that cherishes and embraces our differences-with the knowledge that this is what makes us stronger as a city, and truly, stronger as a nation.
With that I would like to thank everyone for being here as we discuss a package of bills aimed at making our city safer and more efficient for pedestrians and cyclists.
But first, we are set to vote on a bill aimed at making our city's vehicles cleaner for our environment. Intro 1124-A, sponsored by Council Member Constantinides and myself, will require the city to create a pilot program of 25 electric vehicle charging stations across the city, including at least two in each borough. This bill is meant to get New Yorkers more comfortable with the notion of electric vehicles so that we can hopefully do more as a city to lower emission outputs caused by cars.
With more charging stations across the boroughs, including more visible ones, New Yorkers interested in driving an electric vehicle will have more locations to charge up. This technology is becoming more accessible to more New Yorkers and our city should be doing what it can to incentivize cleaner commuting. With that, I'd like to give the Chair of the Environmental Protection Committee, Council Member Constantinides, a great partner in this effort, an opportunity to speak on his bill...
...Thank you Council Member Constantinides. I would now like to have the clerk call the roll as we vote on Intro 1124-A. The chair recommends a yes vote...
Now, today we will hear testimony from the administration and advocates about a series of bills that have the potential to ease crowded sidewalks, allow cyclists to move at some intersections before cars, ensure more bike messengers are fully equipped with safety gear, place Citi Bike stations in parks and construct new intersections prioritizing pedestrians above all others.
Intro 401, introduced by Council Member Menchaca, would require the DOT and Parks Department to do a joint study looking at the feasibility, benefits and drawbacks of putting Citi Bike docking stations within parks. This idea would allow our growing number of Citi Bike riders to park or renew their ride within our city's often expansive greenspace, thereby foregoing the trip out of and back in the park.
Intro 1072, also Introduced by Council Member Menchaca, would allow cyclists to follow pedestrian signals as they wait at intersections, instead of traffic lights. This important bill helps to draw a clearer distinction between cyclists and cars, and highlights that each are extremely vulnerable to turning cars at intersections. I am fully supportive of this bill and I know advocates have been interested in it for some time. This committee remains focused on making cycling a safer option for all New Yorkers and our visitors, and I am glad we are moving in this direction today.
Intro 1117, introduced by Council Member Van Bramer and myself, closes the loophole of commercial cyclist safety requirements, brining independent contractors into the fold. As more cyclists become riders for app services and other tech companies, these cyclists should be looked after and supported with safety important safety items, even if they are not currently classified technically as employees. The efforts to support bike courier safety is important and I want to thank the advocacy of Bharavi Desai and the Taxi Workers Alliance for supporting this industry.
Intro 1177, Introduced by Council Member Rosenthal and Myself, would require the DOT to study implementing a Barnes Dance style crossing at the 25 most dangerous intersections in NYC. The study would consider the feasibility for this innovative street crossing that allows pedestrians to cross an intersection diagonally, while no cars move in any direction. These crossings are popular in Japan and London and there is also one in Washington DC. With no cars moving, the chances of someone being hit at an intersection plummets.
Finally, Intro 1285, introduced by myself, seeks to ease crowding on our city's busiest sidewalks. From 42nd Street near Times Square, to 7th Avenue between Penn Station and Times Square, to Main Street in Flushing, we know where our streets are overflowing and where needs for improvement are dire. It is unsafe to have pedestrians spilling into our streets as sidewalks brim with capacity.
It was for this reason that the Times Square Pedestrian plazas were such a positive development and why I commend the DOT for reimagining street space. My bill would require DOT to study the 10 most crowded sidewalks in our city and come up with strategies to ease crowding.
In all, these bills aim to address serious safety concerns, while making the flow of pedestrians and cyclists more efficient. I look forward to hearing from the administration about how we can continue a strong partnership when addressing street safety. I also look forward to hearing from the many advocates with us about what challenges they foresee in moving these bills across the finishline. We know we must build upon our efforts to avoid the tragedies that too often strike at the heart of our neighborhoods.
