Establishes in N.Y. city a bus rapid transit and bus mobility demonstration program to enforce certain restrictions

8 Co-sponsors

• Ruben Diaz
• Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• Liz Krueger
• Bill Perkins
• John L. Sampson
• Diane J. Savino
• Daniel L. Squadron
• Toby Ann Stavisky

Title of bill

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the public officers law, in relation to establishing in a city with a population of one million or more a bus rapid transit and bus mobility demonstration program to enforce restrictions on the use of bus lanes by means of bus lane photo devices; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof

Summary of provisions

This bill amends the Vehicle and Traffic Law and the Public Officers Law to authorize the City of New York to establish a Bus Rapid Transit and Bus Mobility Demonstration Program imposing liability on the owners of motor vehicles found to be in violation of City restrictions on the use of bus lanes through the use of bus lane photo devices. Bus lane photo devices will record data by photographic, micrographic, video tape, digital video recorder or other recording methods and produce one or more images or sequence of video images of the motor vehicle at the time it is in violation of bus lane restrictions. The bus lane photo devices will be utilized exclusively within the routes receiving improvements as part of the Bus Rapid Transit and Bus Mobility Demonstration Program.

Justification

The New York City Department of Transportation in coordination with the New York State Department of Transportation and MTA New York City Transit Authority is implementing a Bus Rapid Transit and Bus Mobility Demonstration Program. This program will provide faster, more reliable, and more attractive bus service throughout the City, using a variety of techniques, including but not limited to upgraded signage, enhanced markings of bus lanes, traffic signals that give buses priority, and proof of payment fare collection. The Bus Rapid Transit and Bus Mobility Demonstration Program will provide New Yorkers and visitors to the City with new and high performance transit options. These options are necessary given the 53\ rise in bus ridership in the City over the past 30 years and the subsequent reduction in bus speeds due to increased traffic. The Bus Rapid Transit and Bus Mobility Demonstration Program will consist of improvements to various bus routes; however, the use of bus lane photo devices shall be limited to cover no more than 50 miles of bus lanes and shall operate only on weekdays from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.