S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
6235--B
2021-2022 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
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:
Section 1. The metropolitan transportation authority shall, in
consultation with the Long Island Rail Road Commuter's Council, the
Metro-North Rail Commuter Council and the New York City Transit Authori-
ty Advisory Council, develop a strategic action plan to improve bicycle
and pedestrian access at bridges, stations and other facilities operated
by the authority or its affiliates or subsidiaries. One component of the
strategic action plan shall be to develop and monitor capital projects
to allow for and/or expand bicycle access on all bridges operated by the
authority or its affiliates or subsidiaries, provide for bicycle parking
at all passenger stations operated by the authority or its affiliates or
subsidiaries, and, where feasible, expand bicycle access on equipment as
such term is defined in paragraph 5 of section 1261 of the public
authorities law. The strategic action plan shall also include a review
of the authority's and the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority's
capital program plans in effect on and after January first, two thousand
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
trian access and shall include any proposed amendments and modifications
to such capital program plans that the authority deems necessary to
accomplish the purposes of this section. Within one year of the effec-
tive date of this act, the chairperson of the metropolitan transporta-
tion authority shall submit a written report to the governor, temporary
president of the senate, speaker of the assembly and mayor of the city
of New York, detailing the strategic action plan conducted pursuant to
this act. Such report shall be made available to the public on the
metropolitan transportation authority's website.
§ 2. Section 1269-b of the public authorities law is amended by adding
a new subdivision 11 to read as follows:
11. IN FORMULATING THEIR CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS, THE AUTHORITY AND ITS
AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES SHALL CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF ANY PROPOSED
PLAN, AMENDMENT OR MODIFICATION SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION ON
BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESSIBILITY. SUCH CONSIDERATION SHALL BE MADE
IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LONG ISLAND RAIL ROAD COMMUTER'S COUNCIL, THE
METRO-NORTH RAIL COMMUTER COUNCIL AND THE NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORI-
TY ADVISORY COUNCIL.
§ 3. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-e of the public authorities
law, subdivision 1 as amended by chapter 669 of the laws of 1986 and
subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 396 of the laws of 1998, are amended
to read as follows:
1. There is hereby created the Metro-North rail commuter council to
study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with respect to the
maintenance and operation of those portions of, if any, the Hudson,
Harlem, New Haven, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis commuter railroad
lines remaining within the metropolitan commuter transportation
district. Such council shall study and investigate all aspects of the
day to day operation of such railroad lines, monitor their performance
and recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the operation there-
of. SUCH COUNCIL SHALL STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN REGARD TO
IMPROVING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AT BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER
FACILITIES OPERATED BY SUCH RAILROAD LINES.
2. Such council shall consist of [eleven] TWELVE members and shall be
commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such railroad
lines. At least five of such members shall be residents of the county of
Westchester. Of the other [six] SEVEN members, at least one of such
members shall be a resident of each of the counties of Rockland, Putnam,
Dutchess, Orange and Bronx, provided that such county has not withdrawn
from the metropolitan commuter transportation district pursuant to
section twelve hundred seventy-nine-b of this [article] TITLE; provided
further, should only the county of Putnam remain in the metropolitan
commuter transportation district then membership on such council shall
consist of [seven] EIGHT members, [five] SIX of whom reside in the coun-
ty of Westchester and two of whom reside in the county of Putnam.
Members shall be appointed by the governor. In making such appointments
the governor shall consult with and solicit recommendations from local
officials and to the extent possible appoint members who represent the
ridership of the several commuter railroad lines. PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
THAT ONE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED WHO HAS A DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE OR
INTEREST IN THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED BICYCLE AND PEDES-
TRIAN ACCESS AT BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE
AUTHORITY AND ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES. Vacancies occurring in
the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner as
original appointments.
A. 6235--B 3
§ 4. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1266-d of the public authorities
law, subdivision 1 as added by chapter 482 of the laws of 1981, and
subdivision 2 as amended by chapter 396 of the laws of 1998, are amended
to read as follows:
1. There is hereby created the Long Island rail road commuter's coun-
cil, to study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations with
respect to the maintenance and operation of the Long Island rail road.
Such council shall study and investigate all aspects of the day to day
operations of such railroad, monitor its performance and recommend
changes to improve the efficiency of the operation thereof. SUCH COUN-
CIL SHALL STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN REGARD TO IMPROVING BICYCLE
AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AT BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES OPERATED
BY THE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD.
2. Such council shall consist of [twelve] THIRTEEN members who shall
be commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such rail-
road, and who shall be residents of Nassau, Suffolk, Queens or Brooklyn
county. Members shall be appointed by the governor upon the recommenda-
tion of the county executive of each such county, provided, however,
that such members shall be chosen from a list of ten names submitted by
each such county executive and provided further however that no more
than six members of such council shall be residents of either such coun-
ty. Provided, however, that one member shall be appointed on the recom-
mendation of the borough president of Queens and one member shall be
appointed on the recommendation of the borough president of Brooklyn.
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT ONE MEMBER SHALL BE APPOINTED WHO HAS A DEMON-
STRATED EXPERTISE OR INTEREST IN THE PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF
IMPROVED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AT BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER
FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE AUTHORITY AND ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSID-
IARIES. Vacancies occurring in the membership of the council shall be
filled in the same manner as original appointments, provided, however,
that such vacancy shall be filled from a list of three names submitted
by each such county executive.
§ 5. Subdivisions 1 and 2 of section 1204-e of the public authorities
law, as added by chapter 483 of the laws of 1981 and such section as
renumbered by section 2 of part H of chapter 25 of the laws of 2009, are
amended to read as follows:
1. There is hereby created the New York city transit authority advi-
sory council, to study, investigate, monitor and make recommendations
with respect to the maintenance and operation of the New York city tran-
sit authority, its subsidiaries and the Staten Island rapid transit
operating authority. Such council shall study and investigate all
aspects of the day to day operations of such authority, its subsidiaries
and the Staten Island rapid transit operating authority, monitor their
performance and recommend changes to improve the efficiency of the oper-
ation thereof. SUCH COUNCIL SHALL STUDY AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS IN
REGARD TO IMPROVING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON TRAINS AND BUSES,
AND AT BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE AUTHORITY,
ITS AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES AND THE STATEN ISLAND RAPID TRANSIT
OPERATING AUTHORITY.
2. Such council shall consist of [fifteen] EIGHTEEN members who shall
be commuters who regularly use the transportation services of such
authorities. [Five] EIGHT of such members shall be appointed by the
governor upon the recommendation of the mayor of the city of New York;
five upon the recommendation of the president of the city council of the
city of New York; and five other members appointed upon the recommenda-
tion one by each of the borough presidents of the boroughs of the city
A. 6235--B 4
of New York. PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT THREE MEMBERS RECOMMENDED BY THE
MAYOR OF NEW YORK SHALL HAVE A DEMONSTRATED EXPERTISE OR INTEREST IN THE
PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AT
BRIDGES, STATIONS AND OTHER FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE METROPOLITAN
TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, AS CREATED BY SECTION TWELVE HUNDRED SIXTY-
THREE OF THIS ARTICLE, AND SUCH AUTHORITY'S AFFILIATES AND SUBSIDIARIES.
The chairman shall be a member selected by the membership of the commit-
tee. Each of the members shall serve for a term of two years, provided,
however, that of the first appointments, two appointed upon the recom-
mendation of the mayor and two appointed upon the recommendation of the
president of the city council shall serve for a term of one year. Vacan-
cies occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled in the
same manner as the original appointments for the balance of the unex-
pired term.
§ 6. This act shall take effect immediately.