What's happening
This bill exempts pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure projects from the ten-year service life requirement for state-funded transportation projects.
Why it matters
Speeds up pedestrian and cyclist safety improvements. By removing the ten-year durability requirement, local governments and agencies can more quickly implement lower-cost, flexible infrastructure (like paint, striping, and bollards) to improve safety for walkers and bikers, without needing to meet expensive longevity standards.
Encourages experimentation and innovation. The exemption allows cities and towns to try out new designs and reconfigure streets for non-drivers without the risk or delay of committing to infrastructure that must last a decade, making it easier to pilot protected bike lanes or pedestrian zones.
Reduces barriers to funding active transportation projects. Since many pedestrian and cyclist improvements are inherently temporary or need to be adjusted over time, this change makes state funding more accessible for small-scale, quickly implemented safety measures, potentially accelerating the buildout of bike and pedestrian networks.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Relax Pedestrian Path Durability Rules
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 7
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Lift Bike Lane Durability Rules
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5814
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KAPLAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
AN ACT to amend chapter 329 of the laws of 1991, amending the state finance law and other laws relating to the establishment of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund and the dedicated mass transportation trust fund, in relation to the service life requirement for painting, striping and other new infrastructure dedicated primarily for pedestrian or cyclist use
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision (e) of section 15 of chapter 329 of the laws of 1991, amending the state finance law and other laws relating to establishing the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund and the dedicated mass transportation trust fund, as added by chapter 330 of the laws of 1991, is amended to read as follows:
(e) i. The service life of all projects funded pursuant to this section shall be at least ten years.
ii. The ten year service life requirement of paragraph i of this subdivision shall not apply to projects funded for painting, striping and other new infrastructure dedicated primarily for pedestrian or cyclist use.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD07673-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend chapter 329 of the laws of 1991, amending the state finance law and other laws relating to the establish- ment of the dedicated highway and bridge trust fund and the dedicated mass transportation trust fund, in relation to the service life require- ment for painting, striping and other new infrastructure dedicated primarily for pedestrian or cyclist use
Purpose or general idea of bill
To allow certain transportation funds to be used for bike lane striping
Summary of provisions
Section 1:
(a) Amends section(e) subparagraph (ii) to exempt painting, striping or other new infrastructure dedicated primarily for pedestrian or cyclist use from the ten year service life requirement.
Justification
Communities looking to incorporate complete street design features face a number of funding challenges in building out pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. The highway and bridge trust fund and the dedicated mass transit trusts fund both require all component of a project to have a ten year s4ervice life. Oftentimes, pedestrian and cycling infrastruc- ture can be included in a project for little to no additional cost; however the ten year service life requirement prevents these features from being included.
This bill aims to remedy this obstacle by removing the ten year service life requirement for these kinds of features. This will benefit cyclists, the elderly and those with limited mobility, as well as busi- nesses that benefit from additional foot traffic across New York State.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.