de Blasio promises rapid bus system, hires new DOT commissioner

[Via Garibaldi 8]

 

NYC’s Next Transportation Commissioner Is Polly Trottenberg

by Ben Fried

 

Photo: Brookings

 

Bill de Blasio has appointed US DOT Under Secretary for Policy Polly Trottenberg to lead the New York City Department of Transportation. Trottenberg is a veteran federal policy maker, whose resume includes stints working for New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan on the 1998 federal transportation bill and for Senator Chuck Schumer.

At the Obama DOT, she’s been an architect of TIGER, the grant program that’s helped fill funding gaps for many multi-modal projects. She was also a proponent of giving official recognition to the progressive street design guidelines produced by the National Association of City Transportation Officials, which until recently was led by outgoing NYC DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

Trottenberg’s policy credentials are top-notch, and advocates including Transportation Alternatives and the Straphangers Campaign greeted news of her appointment enthusiastically. The big question is how her deep experience at the federal level will translate to the rough and tumble of redesigning NYC streets.

There was one off-note at the presser today, when Trottenberg said DOT would be “more collaborative with local communities” on pedestrian plazas. (Could any DOT program be more collaborative than the plaza program?) But in most respects the message from the de Blasio team was one of continued progress on transit, bicycling, and walking.

In a statement, the de Blasio transition emphasized Trottenberg’s mandate to implement a robust Bus Rapid Transit network and improve street safety:

 

Polly Trottenberg, current Under Secretary for Policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation, will serve as the Transportation Commissioner, executing Mayor-Elect de Blasio’s ambitious agenda to expand Bus Rapid Transit in the outer boroughs, reduce traffic fatalities, increase bicycling, and boost the efficiency of city streets.

 

“One life lost on our streets is too many. We are committed to the maxim that safety — for everyone who uses the roads, including pedestrians and cyclists — is our top priority,” said incoming Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “From improving our roads, bridges and waterways to better serve our citizens and businesses, to connecting New Yorkers to jobs and opportunities through improved high-speed bus service, to expanding biking across the five boroughs, we can have a transportation system that is safe, efficient and accessible to all.”

 

When Trottenberg was first appointed to a top post alongside Ray LaHood at US DOT, advocates took it as a sign that the Obama administration was serious about transportation reform after all, since the LaHood pick was inscrutable on its own. In New York, her knowledge of the federal bureaucracy and funding landscape should be valuable (for starters, maybe she can place a phone call to fix this problem). But running an implementation agency like NYC DOT, which boils down in large part to the allocation of space, is a very different job than working the levers of federal policy, which is mainly about the allocation of money.

De Blasio has set ambitious goals for streets and transportation policy. Achieving them will be tough, and important decisions will inevitably come down to not just the DOT commissioner, but also deputy mayors and de Blasio himself. An early sign that his administration intends to stick to its transportation targets will be if the talented people who’ve risen through the ranks at NYC DOT during Sadik-Khan’s tenure stick with the agency under Trottenberg.

While this marks the end of Sadik-Khan’s remarkable leadership of NYC DOT, it hopefully represents a continuation of the spirit of innovation and determination that she brought to the job. Check here tomorrow morning for Streetsblog’s thoughts on Sadik-Khan’s legacy and accomplishments.

[TeeLow]

Janette Sadik-Khan is the b!%$# that turned Times Sq into an outdoor patio! Her plans for the 34th & 42nd St corridors would've absolutely RUINED midtown cross traffic (beyond what it already is). "...Remarkable leadership"??!! What strain of delusion was Ben Fried's brain infected with when he wrote this article? I'm glad she got the boot.

 

My feeling about bike expansion across the boros are mixed. If Ms. Trottenberg can somehow bring coexistence to the wariness btn car & bike advocates, while not increasing the number of red light cameras and abolishing any idea of further speed camera implementation, she'd have my vote for the next Governor.

 

Mr. DeBlasio deserves a chance to pick up the ball Bloomberg dropped during the last half of his 2nd term and all of his third. He should have an extended honeymoon to reorient this great city in a more tenable direction.

 

Good read. Thanks VG8.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Janette Sadik-Khan is the b!%$# that turned Times Sq into an outdoor patio! Her plans for the 34th & 42nd St corridors would've absolutely RUINED midtown cross traffic (beyond what it already is). "...Remarkable leadership"??!! What strain of delusion was Ben Fried's brain infected with when he wrote this article? I'm glad she got the boot.

lol... My sentiments exactly...

[w8Hou]

Streetblog & Transportation Alternatives = GARBAGE pro-bike organization.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Streetblog & Transportation Alternatives = GARBAGE pro-bike organization.

LMAO...

[MHV9218]

Streetblog & Transportation Alternatives = GARBAGE pro-bike organization.

I'm a huge fan of both. Maybe I'll run into you while biking and tip my cap.

[Vistausss]

I'm a huge fan of both. Maybe I'll run into you while biking and tip my cap.

 

I imagine you'll be more like:

 

 

when running into w8hou.

[Orion VII 4 Life]

People forget that the mayor has little control over the MTA (a STATE agency) except a few appointees to the board. Unless he wants to put this under direct city control like Christine Quinn wanted...

[QM1to6Ave]

Good riddance to Sadik-Khan. She was so irritating and focused on those damn bikes and pedestrian plazas. 

[w8Hou]

I'm a huge fan of both. Maybe I'll run into you while biking and tip my cap.

Good for you, they are the dumbest organization that I have seen.

 

Good riddance to Sadik-Khan. She was so irritating and focused on those damn bikes and pedestrian plazas. 

A colossal train wreck witch by dictator Bloomblah.

[BrooklynBus]

How is he promising a "rapid bus system"? By adding 20 new SBS routes? There are over 300 local bus routes. Speeding 7% of the bus routes will have a minor effect on the overall operation of local buses. Outdated bus routes need to be modified which is not in his jurisdiction and not an MTA priority. This is an empty promise.

[bobtehpanda]

My feeling about bike expansion across the boros are mixed. If Ms. Trottenberg can somehow bring coexistence to the wariness btn car & bike advocates, while not increasing the number of red light cameras and abolishing any idea of further speed camera implementation, she'd have my vote for the next Governor.

 

What exactly is wrong with red light and speed cameras? Everyone in this city knows that no one follows traffic laws because there's no enforcement (and there's no way you could get a consistent level of enforcement without a larger police force), and if it happens to bring in revenue while increasing safety, so be it.

 

In any case, the push for those comes from City Council, and the amount of support those bills have in both the Council and the city delegation in Albany is probably too high for de Blasio to override, even if he wanted to (and I doubt he does, since a major part of his platform was to bring traffic deaths as close to zero as possible).

How is he promising a "rapid bus system"? By adding 20 new SBS routes? There are over 300 local bus routes. Speeding 7% of the bus routes will have a minor effect on the overall operation of local buses. Outdated bus routes need to be modified which is not in his jurisdiction and not an MTA priority. This is an empty promise.

 

The idea is to bring the most improvement in the routes that carry the most people, such as the M15, Bx12, and B44 (and future M60, B46, and Q43), so that the most amount of riders have commute times improved.

 

The only routes that haven't followed this template (M34 and S79) were either showcase projects that backfired horribly, or an attempt to appease a whiny borough that once again horribly backfired. Neither of those should ever have been part of SBS.

Streetblog & Transportation Alternatives = GARBAGE pro-bike organization.

 

 

I'm a huge fan of both. Maybe I'll run into you while biking and tip my cap.

 

Why can't we all get along?

 

In any case, for all of you griping about the pedestrian plazas, keep in mind that all plazas are selected through an application process, and each one must have a local partner for maintenance and programming. The Times Square, Herald Square, Jackson Heights, and Corona Plazas are all very popular within their communities, as are many other plazas. If you don't like it and you're not speaking out at your local CB Board or to your electeds, then that's your fault, but it shouldn't even be your decision to make if you don't live in the area immediately affected by it.

[Missabassie]

1. The only ped plaza that works IMHO is 5 Av/BWAY, all the others suck...

2. Rapid buses - De Sleazio is talking thru his ass about s#!+ he knows little about...

3. Someone should use Sadik Khan for target practice...

 

Just my 2c.

 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

[Culver]

For a transit forum, there sure are a lot of caveman-level idiotic statements about pedestrian plazas around here. Odd how businesses and sane people like them. If you're driving in Midtown Manhattan and you're not driving a cab, a local delivery or public service vehicle, you're an idiot and deserve the pain. Times Square needed the pedestrian space, because in case some around here haven't noticed, IT'S CROWDED AS f**k. Yeah, let's pave over every last inch of this city for the SUV-driving mouthbreathers. Maybe while we're at it, we can exhume Robert Moses' corpse and begin demolishing everything in sight for MOAR HIGHWAYS.

1. The only ped plaza that works IMHO is 5 Av/BWAY, all the others suck...
2. Rapid buses - De Sleazio is talking thru his ass about s#!+ he knows little about...
3. Someone should use Sadik Khan for target practice...

Just my 2c.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

Seek mental help

[Missabassie]

For a transit forum, there sure are a lot of caveman-level idiotic statements about pedestrian plazas around here. Odd how businesses and sane people like them. If you're driving in Midtown Manhattan and you're not driving a cab, a local delivery or public service vehicle, you're an idiot and deserve the pain. Times Square needed the pedestrian space, because in case some around here haven't noticed, IT'S CROWDED AS f**k. Yeah, let's pave over every last inch of this city for the SUV-driving mouthbreathers. Maybe while we're at it, we can exhume Robert Moses' corpse and begin demolishing everything in sight for MOAR HIGHWAYS.

 

 

1. The only ped plaza that works IMHO is 5 Av/BWAY, all the others suck...

2. Rapid buses - De Sleazio is talking thru his ass about s#!+ he knows little about...3. Someone should use Sadik Khan for target practice...

Just my 2c.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

 

 

Seek mental help

Naaaah duuude... all I'm sayin is, string her ass up... like a pinata!

 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk

[qjtransitmaster]

For a transit forum, there sure are a lot of caveman-level idiotic statements about pedestrian plazas around here. Odd how businesses and sane people like them. If you're driving in Midtown Manhattan and you're not driving a cab, a local delivery or public service vehicle, you're an idiot and deserve the pain. Times Square needed the pedestrian space, because in case some around here haven't noticed, IT'S CROWDED AS f**k. Yeah, let's pave over every last inch of this city for the SUV-driving mouthbreathers. Maybe while we're at it, we can exhume Robert Moses' corpse and begin demolishing everything in sight for MOAR HIGHWAYS.

 

Seek mental help

Bravo couldn't say it better myself you deserve a medal. Someone give this guy a medal.

[TeeLow]

What exactly is wrong with red light and speed cameras?

I was going to respond to your post but after reading the posts that came after yours it's best I refrain. I didn't come to this forum to shoot trolls in a barrel.

[Turbo19]

Seeing as the thread is already a wreck I suppose another irrelevant post will do just fine here.
 

Good for you, they are the dumbest organization that I have seen.
 
A colossal train wreck witch by dictator Bloomblah.

Take your reactionary views back to the parsimonious and contemptible piece of shit you consider a worthy online community, Gold12th.

[w8Hou]

Seeing as the thread is already a wreck I suppose another irrelevant post will do just fine here.

 

Take your reactionary views back to the parsimonious and contemptible piece of shit you consider a worthy online community, Gold12th.

Oh please, You live in Cali... Not a New Yorker who has witness of 12 years by the dictator Bloomblah.

[realizm]

Good for you, they are the dumbest organization that I have seen.

 

A colossal train wreck witch by dictator Bloomblah.

 

Well looking through the comments given here I will have to agree that Bloomberg is not exactly our favorite mayor on the way he handled many of todays prevalent issues (In fact I despised him on it). But I will have to give him credit where it is due. Unless I overlooked anything, if I did please point it out, he always pushed for better rapid and surface transit alternatives. The clear case being the extension among other things such as the intro of the B44 +Select Bus Service+. I don't forsee DeBlasio making such concerted efforts anytime soon even as much as I may be in support of DeBlasio on unrelated political issues non-pertinent to this discussion.

 

I mean what in the world is a rapid bus system? That says alot about how astute DeBlasio may be on such vital issues . At least Bloomberg was conscientious when it came to public transportation needs.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

How is he promising a "rapid bus system"? By adding 20 new SBS routes? There are over 300 local bus routes. Speeding 7% of the bus routes will have a minor effect on the overall operation of local buses. Outdated bus routes need to be modified which is not in his jurisdiction and not an MTA priority. This is an empty promise.

Good question... This remains to be seen... Could be one of those empty campaign promises...  The liberals in this city fall for anything... Once they hear "tax the rich" they ignore everything else. 

[realizm]

Good question... This remains to be seen... Could be one of those empty campaign promises...  The liberals in this city fall for anything... Once they hear "tax the rich" they ignore everything else. 

 

Except anything that relates to the poor dying in the street as an alternative. Yeah I know....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Except anything that relates to the poor dying in the street as an alternative. Yeah I know....

LOL... Let's not exaggerate now... Like I said it comes back to supply and demand.  Those who can't afford NYC move to cheaper places.  It happens and not just in NYC either.

[bobtehpanda]

Well looking through the comments given here I will have to agree that Bloomberg is not exactly our favorite mayor on the way he handled many of todays prevalent issues (In fact I despised him on it). But I will have to give him credit where it is due. Unless I overlooked anything, if I did please point it out, he always pushed for better rapid and surface transit alternatives. The clear case being the extension among other things such as the intro of the B44 +Select Bus Service+. I don't forsee DeBlasio making such concerted efforts anytime soon even as much as I may be in support of DeBlasio on unrelated political issues non-pertinent to this discussion.

 

I mean what in the world is a rapid bus system? That says alot about how astute DeBlasio may be on such vital issues . At least Bloomberg was conscientious when it came to public transportation needs.

 

If I remember correctly, one of the Council members pushed legislation that would require DOT to come up with a future network plan for SBS (which they sort of already did, but it was very sparse on details).

Good question... This remains to be seen... Could be one of those empty campaign promises...  The liberals in this city fall for anything... Once they hear "tax the rich" they ignore everything else. 

 

I highly doubt it's empty, since De Blasio managed to poach the Number 3 at USDOT.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I highly doubt it's empty, since De Blasio managed to poach the Number 3 at USDOT.

Well we'll see... If it isn't I'll be the first one to congratulate him for a job well done.  I'm of the belief that we need our buses running quicker here in the city and we need buses that are efficient and on time.  The local buses in much of Manhattan are a joke.