Thank you, Chair Brooks-Powers and members of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for holding this hearing today. As Brooklyn Borough President, I have many transportation priorities for our great borough, all of which are aimed at ending car culture and encouraging residents to use more efficient and sustainable modes of transportation, including walking, biking, and public transit.
Critically, we need a robust financial commitment to the NYC Streets Plan, which the administration all but abandoned in 2023. DOT has completed only a fraction of the mandated bike lanes, bus lanes, and public plazas mandated by law, and announcements for new projects have slowed to a halt. Of the projects completed, the majority have been done in-house using expense funds and DOT headcount. The City should be bolstering this in-house capacity, but the preliminary budget proposes keeping vacancies unfilled and imposes PEGs on traffic and street operations, signaling that the administration intends to keep DOT understaffed.
DOT has talented and passionate personnel ready to implement lifesaving streets projects across the city, and the budget needs to give them the resources to complete this work. As the coming implementation of congestion pricing will encourage more people to switch to public transportation, it is vital that we invest in critical infrastructure to speed up our buses, paratransit, and emergency vehicles, and keep pedestrians and cyclists safe.
As Borough President, I remain committed to Vision Zero: no one should die on New York City’s streets. This preliminary budget does not agree; in addition to cutting in-house capacity, it includes cuts to Vision Zero education and outreach programming. While infrastructure and design are the foundation of Vision Zero, these cuts are emblematic of a complete disregard for the program’s goal to reduce traffic violence.
While I am encouraged by City Hall’s interest in sustainable delivery, the administration should first fully support the existing freight mobility staff and initiatives within DOT and outlined in the Delivering Green plan with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC). The recent announcement of six waterfront shipping hubs is a step in the right direction, but I am concerned by the absence and continued uncertainty surrounding the Red Hook Container
DOT’s Curb Management Action Plan is an exciting step towards using the city’s valuable curb lanes for more than just car storage, which should be expanded in the coming years. DOT should follow through on the Local Delivery Hub and LockerNYC pilot programs to reduce the negative environmental and safety effects of truck deliveries.
Open Streets are a vital part of Brooklyn’s public realm. Streets are not just where New Yorkers travel, they are where we rest, socialize, and relax. I will continue to advocate for funding and expansion of Open Streets and Summer Streets across the borough.
Finally, I would like to discuss the future of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE). In February, the Federal Highway Administration rejected the administration’s application for federal funds to rebuild the triple cantilever in Brooklyn Heights. This proposal was a temporary fix that included too many lanes and ignored community needs along the entire BQE corridor. DOT should continue to work to secure funds from the Federal government through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to pursue a full redesign of the BQE corridor that centers racial justice, equity, and climate mitigation.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I look forward to working with the Council on this effort. Together, we can transform our city’s streets, our freight network, and the BQE corridor.