Enacts the community gridlock prevention act, which requires all land use actions to include an intersection and response time of emergency services impact study in addition to any existing requirements for an environmental assessment statement or an environmental impact statement.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6949
SPONSOR: Rosenthal L TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the transportation law, in relation to enacting the
community gridlock prevention act
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to include traffic impacts on land use
actions and proposals. This bill would prevent land use actions if the
findings of the impact study would cause systematic traffic gridlock in
a neighborhood or planning area.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 is the short title.
Section 2 adds a new Section 14-N to the Transportation Law to implement
the Community Gridlock Prevention Act. This act requires every land use
proposal to study the impact on traffic intersections and the response
times of emergency services. The impact study would review the level of
service and additional seconds of delay caused by the proposal and would
receive a letter grade. Proposals would not be approved if the traffic
delay increases by certain time frames for certain areas or response
times.
Section 3 is the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Our recent experience during the pandemic has shown all New Yorkers the
joys of empty streets, fewer cars, less noise and a big slowdown in
vehicle accidents. As our state reopens, we will want to maintain auto
traffic but with a new understanding of how it should serve, not hinder,
our communities. This bill would prevent certain land use actions that
would cause systemic gridlock in our neighborhoods. As we enter the "new
normal," this is an opportunity to create new ways to think about cars
and to avoid the harmful effects of gridlock.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2019-2020: S.8434 - Referred to Transportation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall have
become a law.
