Requires the metropolitan transportation authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road Commuter's Council, the Metro-North Rail Commuter's Council and the New York City Transit Authority Advisory Council to develop a strategic action plan to improve bicycle and pedestrian access at its bridges and passenger stations.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6235--B
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 10, 2021
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS, GALLAGHER, JACKSON, EPSTEIN,
SIMON, SEAWRIGHT, FERNANDEZ, CRUZ, DINOWITZ, GOTTFRIED, CARROLL, RICH-
ARDSON, ANDERSON, QUART, HEVESI, SEPTIMO, RODRIGUEZ, JEAN-PIERRE,
FALL, BARNWELL, FORREST, CUSICK, STECK, THIELE, OTIS -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
-- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
and recommitted to said committee -- reported and referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means -- committee discharged, bill amended,
ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the public authorities law, in relation to requiring the
metropolitan transportation authority to develop a strategic action
plan to improve bicycle and pedestrian access at its bridges and
passenger stations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The metropolitan transportation authority shall, in
2 consultation with the Long Island Rail Road Commuter's Council, the
3 Metro-North Rail Commuter Council and the New York City Transit Authori-
4 ty Advisory Council, develop a strategic action plan to improve bicycle
5 and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other facilities operated
6 by the authority or its affiliates or subsidiaries. One component of the
7 strategic action plan shall be to develop and monitor capital projects
8 to allow for and/or expand bicycle access on all bridges operated by the
9 authority or its affiliates or subsidiaries, provide for bicycle parking
10 at all passenger stations operated by the authority or its affiliates or
11 subsidiaries, and, where feasible, expand bicycle access on equipment as
12 such term is defined in paragraph 5 of section 1261 of the public
13 authorities law. The strategic action plan shall also include a review
14 of the authority's and the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority's
15 capital program plans in effect on and after January first, two thousand
16 twenty, to determine the impact of such projects on bicycle and pedes-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09372-14-1
A. 6235--B 2
1 trian access and shall include any proposed amendments and modifications
2 to such capital program plans that the authority deems necessary to
3 accomplish the purposes of this section. Within one year of the effec-
4 tive date of this act, the chairperson of the metropolitan transporta-
5 tion authority shall submit a written report to the governor, temporary
6 president of the senate, speaker of the assembly and mayor of the city
7 of New York, detailing the strategic action plan conducted pursuant to
8 this act. Such report shall be made available to the public on the
9 metropolitan transportation authority's website.
10 § 2. Section 1269-b of the public authorities law is amended by adding
11 a new subdivision 11 to read as follows:
12 11. In formulating their capital program plans, the authority and its
13 affiliates and subsidiaries shall consider the impact of any proposed
14 plan, amendment or modification submitted pursuant to this section on
15 bicycle and pedestrian accessibility. Such consideration shall be made
16 in consultation with the Long Island rail road commuter's council, the
17 Metro-North rail commuter council and the New York city transit authori-
18 ty advisory council.
19 § 3. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-e of the public authorities
20 law, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 669 of the laws of 1986 and
21 subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 396 of the laws of 1998, are amended
22 to read as follows:
23 1. There is hereby created the Metro-North rail commuter council to
24 study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with respect to the
25 maintenance and operation of those portions of, if any, the Hudson,
26 Harlem, New Haven, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis commuter railroad
27 lines remaining within the metropolitan commuter transportation
28 district. Such council shall study and investigate all aspects of the
29 day to day operation of such railroad lines, monitor their performance
30 and recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the operation there-
31 of. Such council shall study and make recommendations in regard to
32 improving bicycle and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other
33 facilities operated by such railroad lines.
34 2. Such council shall consist of [eleven] twelve members and shall be
35 commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such railroad
36 lines. At least five of such members shall be residents of the county of
37 Westchester. Of the other [six] seven members, at least one of such
38 members shall be a resident of each of the counties of Rockland, Putnam,
39 Dutchess, Orange and Bronx, provided that such county has not withdrawn
40 from the metropolitan commuter transportation district pursuant to
41 section twelve hundred seventy-nine-b of this [article] title; provided
42 further, should only the county of Putnam remain in the metropolitan
43 commuter transportation district then membership on such council shall
44 consist of [seven] eight members, [five] six of whom reside in the coun-
45 ty of Westchester and two of whom reside in the county of Putnam.
46 Members shall be appointed by the governor. In making such appointments
47 the governor shall consult with and solicit recommendations from local
48 officials and to the extent possible appoint members who represent the
49 ridership of the several commuter railroad lines. Provided, however,
50 that one member shall be appointed who has a demonstrated expertise or
51 interest in the promotion and development of improved bicycle and pedes-
52 trian access at bridges, stations and other facilities operated by the
53 authority and its affiliates and subsidiaries. Vacancies occurring in
54 the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner as
55 original appointments.
A. 6235--B 3
1 § 4. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-d of the public authorities
2 law, subdivision 1 as added by chapter 482 of the laws of 1981, and
3 subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 396 of the laws of 1998, are amended
4 to read as follows:
5 1. There is hereby created the Long Island rail road commuter's coun-
6 cil, to study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with
7 respect to the maintenance and operation of the Long Island rail road.
8 Such council shall study and investigate all aspects of the day to day
9 operations of such railroad, monitor its performance and recommend
10 changes to improve the efficiency of the operation thereof. Such coun-
11 cil shall study and make recommendations in regard to improving bicycle
12 and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other facilities operated
13 by the Long Island Railroad.
14 2. Such council shall consist of [twelve] thirteen members who shall
15 be commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such rail-
16 road, and who shall be residents of Nassau, Suffolk, Queens or Brooklyn
17 county. Members shall be appointed by the governor upon the recommenda-
18 tion of the county executive of each such county, provided, however,
19 that such members shall be chosen from a list of ten names submitted by
20 each such county executive and provided further however that no more
21 than six members of such council shall be residents of either such coun-
22 ty. Provided, however, that one member shall be appointed on the recom-
23 mendation of the borough president of Queens and one member shall be
24 appointed on the recommendation of the borough president of Brooklyn.
25 Provided, however, that one member shall be appointed who has a demon-
26 strated expertise or interest in the promotion and development of
27 improved bicycle and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other
28 facilities operated by the authority and its affiliates and subsid-
29 iaries. Vacancies occurring in the membership of the council shall be
30 filled in the same manner as original appointments, provided, however,
31 that such vacancy shall be filled from a list of three names submitted
32 by each such county executive.
33 § 5. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1204-e of the public authorities
34 law, as added by chapter 483 of the laws of 1981 and such section as
35 renumbered by section 2 of part H of chapter 25 of the laws of 2009, are
36 amended to read as follows:
37 1. There is hereby created the New York city transit authority advi-
38 sory council, to study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations
39 with respect to the maintenance and operation of the New York city tran-
40 sit authority, its subsidiaries and the Staten Island rapid transit
41 operating authority. Such council shall study and investigate all
42 aspects of the day to day operations of such authority, its subsidiaries
43 and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority, monitor their
44 performance and recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the oper-
45 ation thereof. Such council shall study and make recommendations in
46 regard to improving bicycle and pedestrian access on trains and buses,
47 and at bridges, stations and other facilities operated by the authority,
48 its affiliates and subsidiaries and the Staten Island rapid transit
49 operating authority.
50 2. Such council shall consist of [fifteen] eighteen members who shall
51 be commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such
52 authorities. [Five] Eight of such members shall be appointed by the
53 governor upon the recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York;
54 five upon the recommendation of the president of the city council of the
55 city of New York; and five other members appointed upon the recommenda-
56 tion one by each of the borough presidents of the boroughs of the city
A. 6235--B 4
1 of New York. Provided, however, that three members recommended by the
2 mayor of New York shall have a demonstrated expertise or interest in the
3 promotion and development of improved bicycle and pedestrian access at
4 bridges, stations and other facilities operated by the metropolitan
5 transportation authority, as created by section twelve hundred sixty-
6 three of this article, and such authority's affiliates and subsidiaries.
7 The chairman shall be a member selected by the membership of the commit-
8 tee. Each of the members shall serve for a term of two years, provided,
9 however, that of the first appointments, two appointed upon the recom-
10 mendation of the mayor and two appointed upon the recommendation of the
11 president of the city council shall serve for a term of one year. Vacan-
12 cies occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the
13 same manner as the original appointments for the balance of the unex-
14 pired term.
15 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
