NYC’s Failing Streets Plan: A City in Gridlock
Table of Contents
New York City’s ambitious plan to improve street safety and create hundreds of miles of new bike and bus lanes is facing a major setback. The Adams administration has consistently missed deadlines and fallen drastically short of its targets, leaving commuters frustrated and advocates deeply concerned.
The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) missed a legally mandated deadline to report on the progress of its five-year plan. While the exact figures remain undisclosed, estimates suggest the city has installed a mere fraction of the required miles of protected bus and bike lanes. Instead of the legally mandated 30 miles of protected bus lanes and 50 miles of protected bike lanes, estimates place the actual numbers far lower, at approximately five miles and 22 miles respectively. This represents a dismal 17.6% and 44% of the required minimums.
This failure has sparked outrage among advocates. Philip Miatkowski, Interim Deputy Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, stated, “This pattern of neglect is not just a failure of leadership; it’s a failure of the mayor’s obligation to the people of new York City. The Streets Plan isn’t a suggestion — it’s the law, and every day the administration falls behind, it puts lives at risk. No more excuses. No more delays. Mayor Adams must stop neglecting his legal obligations, get the Streets Plan back on track, and deliver the safe, protected infrastructure that our communities need to stay safe and get around.”
The situation is particularly dire for bus commuters. This marks the third consecutive year of minimal bus lane expansion, impacting over one million daily riders, many of whom are low-income residents. The MTA’s data reveals a concerning trend: weekday bus speeds have dropped from 8.3 mph in January 2022 to 7.9 mph in November 2024, a nearly 5% decrease. In some boroughs, speeds average below 7 mph. The M50 bus route, for example, experienced a staggering 16% decrease in speed.
Danny Pearlstein, Policy and Communications Director at Riders Alliance, sharply criticized the administration, saying, “The mayor still operates the slowest buses in the country and that’s to his great shame.”
Despite the alarming statistics, DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez claimed his agency is doing a “great job.” The agency’s recent additions of bus lanes on Second Avenue,96th Street,and Pike Street totaled only 5.3 miles in 2024. At this rate, it would take 28 years to complete the 150 miles promised by Mayor Adams during his campaign. His campaign also included a pledge to build 300 miles of protected bike lanes and create “bike superhighways,” neither of which have materialized.
The DOT can fulfill its bus lane requirements by constructing new physically protected lanes, implementing camera enforcement, or adding safety measures to existing lanes. The ongoing failure to meet these targets raises serious questions about the city’s commitment to improving its transportation infrastructure and ensuring the safety of its residents.
NYC’s Streets Master Plan: A Year of Unfulfilled Promises?
New York City’s ambitious Streets Master Plan, unveiled with much fanfare, has fallen short of its ambitious goals in 2023, leaving many questioning the city’s commitment to improving its transportation infrastructure. While the city boasts progress in certain areas, a closer look reveals significant unmet targets, particularly concerning bus lane expansion and the overall implementation of the plan.
The year saw several key projects delayed or scaled back.A planned Tremont Avenue busway in the Bronx has been pushed to 2024. Similarly, a proposed busway on 34th Street in Manhattan, along with bus lane projects on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn and Hillside Avenue in queens, remain in various stages of planning or implementation. Further highlighting the shortcomings, much-needed upgrades to fordham Road bus lanes were abandoned, reportedly due to pressure from pro-car business interests.
This lackluster performance on bus improvements has become a significant campaign issue for Mayor Eric Adams’ challengers in the upcoming June primary. The mayor’s handling of the Streets Master Plan, coupled with his April corruption trial and the January inauguration of his ally, Donald Trump, has added further scrutiny to his administration.
While the city fared slightly better in the construction of protected bike lanes, the progress still lags far behind the plan’s targets. Transportation Alternatives’ project tracker shows approximately 17 miles of completed cycling infrastructure as of early December, with a potential increase to 22 miles once ongoing projects are finalized. This pales in comparison to the 50-mile minimum outlined in the plan and the record-breaking 32 miles completed in 2022.
In a year-end press release, the Department of Transportation (DOT) claimed to be ”on pace to install a substantial number of protected bike lane miles,” a statement that suggests a significant reduction compared to the previous year’s achievements. When questioned about discrepancies in reported mileage,a DOT spokesperson stated that figures circulating in news reports were “not DOT estimates,” but declined to provide alternative figures,citing ongoing data collection.
“We are always working towards the goals of the Streets Plan, with a record-high number of protected bike lanes and pedestrian space created, along with new and improved bus lanes, which have made commutes faster and more reliable for 680,000 daily riders,” said Anna Correa in a statement. “In addition to new bus lanes we’re installing this year, we’re also adding camera enforcement to existing corridors across the city to speed up commutes and help us reach our goals.”
A subsequent statement from DOT spokesperson Vincent Barone asserted that the department ”expects to far exceed Streetsblog’s estimate” of 5.3 miles of protected bus lanes. This claim, though, comes after a pattern of the city’s government spokespeople either questioning the accuracy of independent reporting on bike and bus lane mileage or simply not responding to inquiries.
The discrepancy between the city’s claims and independent assessments raises serious questions about transparency and accountability in the implementation of the Streets Master Plan. The plan’s ultimate success hinges on a renewed commitment to its ambitious goals and a more obvious approach to reporting progress.
NYC Council Demands Transparency on Streets Plan Implementation
The New York City Council is intensifying its pressure on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve transparency and accountability regarding the implementation of the city’s ambitious Streets Plan. Concerns over the DOT’s consistent failure to meet its own benchmarks have led to calls for increased public oversight and potential legal action.
A key point of contention centers around the DOT’s reporting practices. Instead of proactively providing data,the agency has repeatedly fallen short of projected goals,only acknowledging these shortfalls months later in annual reports. This lack of timely information has fueled frustration among city officials and advocates alike.
To address this issue, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams has proposed a bill mandating the creation of a publicly accessible, monthly updated tracker for the Streets Plan’s progress. “The street safety requirements are a prime example,” adams stated in her annual address, ”of how laws are only as good as their implementation.”
this initiative builds upon another pending piece of legislation that would require the DOT to establish a capital project tracker,mirroring the system already in place for the Parks Department. This would provide a clearer picture of the DOT’s progress on various infrastructure projects.
Speaker Adams previously hinted at the possibility of legal action against the city for its repeated failures to meet the Streets Plan’s targets. While she hasn’t yet pursued a lawsuit, the Council’s commitment to holding the DOT accountable remains firm.
Council spokesperson Mara Davis emphasized the council’s stance, stating, “The Speaker takes the benchmarks of the Streets Plan as ‘critical for street safety in New York City’ and called out the Department of Transportation for ‘consistently falling short of complying with the law.'” Davis further affirmed the Council’s commitment to accountability, adding, “the Council will continue to hold DOT accountable to the requirements of the law.”
While the Council’s concerns are significant, concrete examples of the DOT’s shortcomings were not provided in the statement. The lack of specific details underscores the need for the proposed transparency measures to shed light on the agency’s performance and ensure the Streets Plan’s goals are met.
The ongoing debate highlights the crucial need for effective oversight and transparent reporting in municipal projects aimed at improving public safety and infrastructure. The outcome of these legislative efforts will considerably impact the future of the Streets Plan and the city’s commitment to enhancing street safety for all New Yorkers.
NYC’s Streets Plan: An Interview Blueprint
This structure aims to create a comprehensive interview focusing on NYC’s failing streets plan, drawing on the provided text.
I. Introduction
briefly introduce the topic: NYC’s Streets Master Plan and its enterprising goals for safer streets, bike lanes, and bus lanes.
Highlight the central issue: The city’s failure to meet targets, leading to frustration and concerns from advocates.
Mention specific examples of missed deadlines and inadequate progress.
II. Missed Deadlines and Falling Short of Targets:
Focus on the legally mandated reporting deadline and the DOT’s failure to comply.
Review specific numbers: disproportionately low figures for protected bus and bike lanes compared to the required minimums.
Present data from Transportation Alternatives on the actual progress made.
III.Advocate Outrage:
Feature quotes from Philip Miatkowski, Interim Deputy Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives, highlighting their disappointment and pointing out the legal obligations of the mayor’s office.
Discuss the consequences of this inaction, particularly the impact on cyclist and pedestrian safety.
IV.Consequences for Bus Commuters:
Explain the impact of delayed bus lane expansions on over one million daily riders, many of whom are low-income residents.
Cite MTA data illustrating the decrease in weekday bus speeds, emphasizing the significant slowdowns in certain boroughs.
Include Danny Pearlstein, Policy and Communications Director at Riders Alliance, criticizing the administration for having the slowest buses in the country.
V. DOT Commissioner’s Defense and Criticisms:
Present DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez’s claim of “doing a great job,” juxtaposed with facts about the minimal additions of bus lanes in 2024.
Calculate the time it would take to complete the promised miles at this rate, further highlighting the inadequacy of the progress.
Mention the unfulfilled campaign promises of bike superhighways and 300 miles of protected bike lanes.
VI. DOT’s Potential Solutions and Ongoing Concerns:
Discuss the DOT’s options for fulfilling bus lane requirements: new construction, camera enforcement, or safety measures for existing lanes.
Emphasize the ongoing concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability in the implementation of the plan.
VII. The Streets master Plan: A Year of Unfulfilled Promises?
Introduce the topic: The Streets Master Plan’s performance in 2023 and its failure to achieve many of its objectives.
Cite specific examples of delayed and scaled-back projects, such as the Tremont Avenue busway and the 34th Street busway.
VIII. Political Impact and Campaign Issues:
explore how the mayor’s handling of the Streets Master Plan has become a campaign issue in the upcoming primary election.
Discuss the potential impact of the mayor’s ongoing corruption trial and the inauguration of Donald Trump on public perception.
IX. Progress on Bike Lanes, Discrepancies, and Lack of Transparency:
Review the progress made on protected bike lane constructions and compare it to the plan’s targets.
Highlight the discrepancy between the DOT’s claims and autonomous assessments of bike lane mileage.
Analyze the DOT’s responses to these discrepancies and criticisms of lack of transparency.
X. Conclusion and Call for Action:
Summarize the main points of the interview: the significant shortcomings in fulfilling the Streets Plan’s promises.
Reiterate the importance of priority given to safety improvements for cyclists, pedestrians, and bus commuters.
Call for greater transparency, accountability, and a renewed commitment from the city to meet its ambitious transportation goals.
Optional Additions:
Interviews with affected commuters (bus riders, cyclists)
Interviews with local business owners impacted by the lack of bike lanes or bus improvements
* Analysis of the economic impact of inaction on transportation infrastructure.
By following this structured approach, the interview can provide a comprehensive and insightful look at NYC’s struggling Streets Plan and the ongoing fight for safer, more efficient transportation options in the city.
