Cuomo Panel Approves Clean Water Funds for Highway Bridge Construction
Earlier today, the state Environmental Facilities Corporation unanimously approved a $511 million loan from the state's federally-funded clean water program to the Tappan Zee Bridge construction project, using funds intended for clean water initiatives in New York City.
June 26, 2014
EPA to Cuomo: Paying for a Highway With Clean Water Funds? Not So Fast
Will anyone stop Governor Andrew Cuomo from using the state's clean water program to pay for a big new highway bridge to replace the Tappan Zee?
June 26, 2014
The Livable Streets Legislation That Albany Didn’t Act on This Session
With the passage of bills to lower NYC's speed limit and significantly expand the city's speed camera program, this year's legislative session was unusually productive for street safety measures, at least by Albany standards.
June 25, 2014
NYC Set for 25 MPH Limit After Overwhelming Votes in Assembly, Senate
The New York state legislature voted last night to lower New York City's default speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. The bill now heads to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who is expected to sign it.
June 20, 2014
NYC Bike-Ped Projects Get $21 Million in Federal Funds From State DOT
On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo announced that the state DOT is awarding $21.2 million in federal highway safety funds over three years to nine projects in New York City that all include big safety improvements for biking and walking. Advocates welcomed the news, but still have questions about whether the state is allocating enough money to active transportation projects statewide.
June 12, 2014
Traffic Violence Victims’ Families Call on Klein, Senate to Back 25 MPH Bill
Families of traffic violence victims gathered with advocates and elected officials this morning to ask State Senate leadership to lower New York City's default speed limit from 30 to 25 mph. The families are hoping key Senate leaders will introduce and pass a companion to the 25 mph Assembly bill sponsored by Speaker Sheldon Silver before this year's legislative session closes out in just over a week.
June 10, 2014
All Eyes on Senate as Families for Safe Streets Push for Lower Speed Limit
Yesterday, five members of Families for Safe Streets were joined by Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg in Albany to build support for a bill to lower the city's default speed limit to 25 mph. Advocates say Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver is set to sign on as a sponsor, while City Hall and advocates continue to aim for support in the State Senate, potentially from Senate Co-Leader Jeff Klein.
May 29, 2014
Speed Limit Bills Shift to 25 MPH, Allow DOT to Designate 20 MPH Streets
With Mayor de Blasio, the City Council, and families of traffic violence victims lining up behind lowering the city's default speed limit from 30 to 25 mph, Assembly Member Daniel O'Donnell and State Senator Martin Malave Dilan said this afternoon that they are amending their speed limit bills. Instead of establishing a 20 mph default speed limit and requiring the City Council to pass laws to designate exceptions, the bills will now drop the default to 25 mph and allow DOT to lower the speed limit to 20 mph on a case-by-case basis.
May 14, 2014
NYC Set to Get Safer Streets After Senate Passes Speed Cam Bill, 49-11
Two days after the Assembly passed legislation to expand the number of speed cameras in New York City from 20 to 140, the Senate followed suit this afternoon in a 49-11 vote. Since Governor Cuomo has signaled support for the bill, it is almost certainly bound to become law. The main question is whether a superfluous amendment from Senator Marty Golden will make it into the final version.
April 30, 2014
Questions Linger Over Cuomo’s Tappan Zee Transit Plans
On Monday, Governor Cuomo announced that the state would provide $20 million for transit service across the new Tappan Zee Bridge, and is applying for a federal grant as well. While this first step is welcome news, there are still more questions than answers about what this money will pay for and how the rest of the project's bus system will be funded and operated.
April 30, 2014