As a new class of New York City Council members prepares to assume office, local publication StreetsBlog has inquired each incoming lawmaker about the transit policies they intend to prioritize. Not every one responded, but those that did gave a sense of what issues will guide the New York City Council moving forward. Below are summaries of the responses StreetsBlog received, by borough.
Incoming District 11 representative Mino Lora said he plans to prioritize the improvement and expansion of bus service, as well as the improvement of transit accessibility. “Traversing the Bronx is also extremely challenging. Intra-Bronx transit and access to subways are just two reasons why expanding our bus service is so important,” he told StreetsBlog. “I want to bring more SBS stops to the district, and have buses run more frequently… Buses are the most accessible form of public transportation, and we must invest in them.”
Incoming District 12 representative Kevin Riley said he plans to advocate for protected bike lanes and paths to keep up with the increase in micromobility use and cycling. He also pledged to advocate for clean transit. “As a dad to an asthmatic 6-year-old, I want to help lower the emissions in our district, and it is important to create more environmentally sustainable means of transportation within the district,” he told StreetsBlog. “Proposing ways to increase incentives for those who transition to hybrid/electric vehicles is the direction we need to veer to in order to created deep-rooted change in New York City.”
Over in District 14, incoming councilman Pierina Ana Sanchez said she intends to push for street design that prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit, which she hopes to make more accessible. She also discussed her intent to advocate for “bus lanes, busways, transit signal priority, external fare collection, and other interventions that improve the quality” of using public transit.
Oswald Felix, incoming District 15 representative, told StreetsBlog he plans to call for transit policy that prioritizes bus riders with traffic signal priorities, “meaning fewer red lights for buses,” as well as contactless payment systems and redesigning roadways that are typically congested.
Incoming District 16 councilperson Althea Stevens pledged to advocate for more accessibility in transit, more protected bike lanes, and more charging stations to encourage the use of electric cars.
In District 18, incoming councilperson Amanda Farias also pledged to advocate for more accessible transit for working class New Yorkers. “Our public transit system is in need of revitalization in order to provide the bare minimum to residents who live in transportation deserts with minimal options,” she told StreetsBlog, going on to describe the need to develop “methods to better utilize and connect our public transit” and to make it more affordable.
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