Council to also increase transparency in City\u2019s development projects <\/p>\n
City Hall \u2013 Today, the New York City Council will vote on two pieces of legislation that will increase transparency in both New York City’s Department of Transportation and in the City\u2019s economic development projects. In the Council\u2019s effort to help coordinate and oversee the Department of Transportation\u2019s plans to slow down traffic and increase pedestrian safety on City streets, the Council will vote on legislation to increase transparency at DOT by requiring guidelines governing the installation of bike lanes and pedestrian plazas.<\/p>\n
The Council will also vote on a bill that will allow the public to more easily analyze whether the economic development projects the City subsidizes are benefiting the City and creating jobs for New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
IMPROVING PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
\nAs it seeks to reduce traffic fatalities by 50% by 2030, the Department of Transportation is using an increasingly broad range of traffic-calming devices, including dedicated bicycle lanes, pedestrian plazas, speed humps, curb extensions, and median islands. Unlike with traffic lights and stop signs, which are governed by federal standards, DOT has wide latitude to approve and place traffic-calming devices.<\/p>\n
This bill would require that DOT establish guidelines governing the approval and placement of such devices and publish this information on its website and distribute such guidelines upon request. The guidelines must:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Consider whether such traffic devices would be installed adjacent to a school, in locations with a high percentage of seniors, such as adjacent to senior centers and nursing homes, and other locations as determined by DOT; and
\n\u2022 List the conditions under which the installation of traffic calming devices would be appropriate.<\/p>\n
This is all part of the Council\u2019s mission to help coordinate and oversee DOT\u2019s effort to slow down traffic and increase pedestrian safety on the streets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Council is constantly looking at ways to increase safety throughout the City,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cThis legislation will help the public gain a better understanding of where and why the Department of Transportation\u2019s decides to put a traffic device, whether it’s a speed hump, a bike lane, or a pedestrian plaza. When this legislation becomes law, the public will be more informed about decisions related to improving safety on our streets.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDOT has a bigger toolbox than ever when it comes to slowing down cars and protecting pedestrians,\u201d said Council Member James Vacca, Chair of the Committee on Transportation and sponsor of the bill. \u201cYet citizens often do not now know the methodology behind why DOT does what is does on their block and in their community. By publishing clear and concise guidelines for the first time, I intend to begin a serious legislative effort to empower and protect pedestrians in this city.\u201d<\/p>\n
INCREASING TRANSPARENCY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
\nThis bill would increase transparency for economic development projects across the City and improve public accessibility to the Economic Development Corporation\u2019s reports. This will, in effect, allow both the public and private sectors to more easily analyze whether the economic development projects the City subsidizes are benefitting the City and creating jobs for New Yorkers.<\/p>\n
The bill would specifically expand the duration of the reporting period for all projects regardless of the project\u2019s starting date. The bill would require these projects would provide a comprehensive listing of all City-owned land that was either leased or sold to private entities. It would also mandate that the list of projects be placed in a non-proprietary database format on EDC\u2019s website.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of our top priorities is to create an open and transparent process for economic development information across the five boroughs,\u201d said Diana Reyna, Chair of the Small Business Committee. \u201cWe want to make the costs and economic benefits readily available and easily accessible to the general public \u2013 allowing for greater clarity and more information to be shared. Our work today will affect the way the public analyzes the content of these reports as well as the successes or failures of future projects.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Council to also increase transparency in City\u2019s development projects <\/p>\n
City Hall \u2013 Today, the New York City Council will vote on two pieces of legislation that will increase transparency in both New York City’s Department of Transportation and in the City\u2019s economic development projects. In the Council\u2019s effort to help coordinate and oversee the Department of Transportation\u2019s plans to slow down traffic and increase pedestrian safety on City streets, the Council will vote on legislation to increase transparency at DOT by requiring guidelines governing the installation of bike lanes and pedestrian plazas.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n