Thank you, Chair Brooks-Powers, for holding this hearing today. I am here representing Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, whose transportation priorities focus on improving public transit—especially in areas where access is lacking—and making walking and biking safer and more accessible.
This year, New York City became the first in the nation to implement congestion pricing, demonstrating that we are still capable of bold, transformative policy changes. However, despite this progress, cars killed more people than guns in NYC in 2024. When my office testified before this committee last year, I stressed the urgent need to fully fund the NYC Streets Plan. This tragic statistic underscores the continued need for street safety improvements, and I applaud the City Council for proposing baselined funding for daylighting intersections.
Meanwhile, other aspects of the NYC Streets Plan remain far behind schedule. In 2024, the plan set a goal of 30 miles of new protected bus lanes, yet only 13.5 miles were completed. The target for 50 new miles of protected bike lanes fell short as well, with just 29 miles delivered. The NYC Streets Plan also commits to expansion of the Open Streets program and creation of vibrant public spaces that both enhance the public realm and contribute to street safety. In the recent Streets Plan update, DOT cites pushback from local elected officials and community members as a general barrier to progress. In other words, the department is prioritizing local support for parking over life-saving street improvements that would improve safety and speed up travel for thousands of New Yorkers. Over the next fiscal year, DOT must stand firm against opposition to street safety measures, and the City Council must ensure the City meets the benchmarks of the NYC Streets Plan and continues to support the partner organizations that help manage the Open Streets and other public space programs.
Additionally, as DOT moves forward with capital projects, school safety improvements in Brooklyn must remain a priority to protect students. I also urge DOT to integrate curb bump-outs and raised crosswalks into routine road maintenance to accelerate these critical safety upgrades. Timing matters. Lives are at stake.
Beyond street safety, I am committed to closing gaps in access to opportunity. Expanding funding for priority bus projects is a direct way to do that. Research from the Pratt Center and the Riders Alliance shows that 91% of the surveyed riders on Flatbush Avenue buses have experienced delays, and one in three has been fired, reprimanded, or lost wages as a result. Moreover, Flatbush Avenue buses primarily serve Black, female, and low-income riders.
This mayoral administration identified Flatbush Avenue as a priority for bus improvements in 2022. However, only a portion of Flatbush Avenue has seen investment, and that was in the wealthier and whiter segments north of Grand Army Plaza. In addition, Utica Avenue, which runs Brooklyn’s busiest bus routes carrying almost 44,000 daily riders, was identified as needing improvements. Prioritizing and increasing funding for these bus projects will directly improve transit reliability and economic opportunities for the mostly low-income communities of color who depend on them.
Finally, I urge the City Council to take a bold approach to expanding freight capacity at the Brooklyn Marine Terminal (BMT). We already know that shifting freight from trucks to water and rail is critical. This need has been emphasized repeatedly—by EDC and DOT in Delivering Green and Blue Highways, by EDC in Freight NYC, by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council in its Regional Transportation Plan, and by DOT in Delivering New York. Now that NYC has jurisdiction over BMT, EDC has the opportunity to act on these long-standing recommendations. We must maximize freight capacity at this critical infrastructure hub and protect the footprint of the Red Hook Container Terminal to support a more sustainable, efficient freight network.
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 and make life in this city easier and safer.