Thursday Headlines: Rock The Vote Edition
Nyack Mayor Joe Rand wants to bring Rockland County’s transportation frustrations to Albany. The Democratic nominee challenging Republican state Sen. Bill Weber in November’s 38th District race says commuters west of the Hudson deserve better trains, more reliable buses and streets that don’t require a car to get around.
In an interview with Streetsblog Empire State, Rand called for more efficient Metro-North service, including express trains that could get Rockland commuters into New York City faster through the new Gateway tunnel. He also wants more accountability for HudsonLink buses, which connect Rockland to train stations in Tarrytown and White Plains, and improvements to the county’s own Transport of Rockland bus network.
The pedestrian picture is just as bleak: Rand noted that much of Rockland developed after 1950 has few sidewalks, leaving residents with limited options beyond driving. He sees small, on-demand shuttles as one affordable way to connect more communities to transit and reduce car dependence.
Read our chat with Rand here.
Elsewhere in The Empire State:
- President Trump held a private Syracuse meeting with donors during his upstate New York visit, with attendees reportedly paying a substantial price for access. (Syracuse.com)
- A review of traffic deaths from 2020 to 2024 found an average of 18 pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities annually in the Capital Region and 35 in the Hudson Valley, with advocates calling for street-safety measures to reduce the toll. (The Times Union)
- Rhinebeck officials are considering lowering the village speed limit to 25 mph as part of efforts to address traffic speeds and improve safety on local streets. (The Daily Catch)
- Cold Spring will temporarily restrict parking on sections of Rock Street, Main Street and Route 9D/Chestnut Street today, while crews repaint pavement markings and stripes; the Cold Spring Cemetery will also close for paving. (Highlands Current)
- A pilot ferry service drew about 1,000 passengers, offering an early look at demand for water-based transit in the Hudson Valley. (Mid Hudson News)
- Two new elevators have made the 137 St–City College station on the 1 train accessible under the ADA, improving access to the West Harlem station that serves nearly 7,000 daily riders. (amNewYork)
- In an opinion column, former Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey argues that Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman can appeal to upstate voters by criticizing Gov. Hochul’s policies on fracking, AI data centers and economic development. (The New York Post)
- The MTA is creating a chief complaint officer role to address rider grievances and improve the agency’s response to customer concerns. (The New York Times)
- New York City has opened applications for its 2027 Open Streets program, with increased funding and a new opportunity for applicants to propose permanent infrastructure improvements alongside street programming. (Gothamist)
- Assembly Member Nikki Lucas, who has been put forward as the next chair of the Brooklyn Democratic Party, is being sued by a lawyer who says she owes more than $6,000 in legal fees from her 2021 City Council campaign; her spokesperson says the invoices are disputed and under review. (City & State)
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