| Issue 4 | September 28, 1994 |
NYC DOT Takes Stance on ISTEA-funded Bike/Ped Projects
Transportation Alternatives has learned that the NYC Department of Transportation and the Mayor's office have no intention of seeking additional CMAQ and Enhancement money for bicycle and pedestrian programs. Felice Farber, special asst. to Commissioner Sander, and Gerard Soffian, Asst. Comm. for Planning, say that budget cuts have made it impossible for the DOT to fund additional bike/ped programs. Soffian said that NYC Office of Management and Budget makes him defend all of his expenses, and in budget review meetings, matching CMAQ or Enhancement dollars seems like a luxury. Soffian implied that DOT may have to return some allocated CMAQ money because of DOT difficulty producing budgeted match money. DOT/OMB are willing to match a maximum of $14 million in bike and ped projects over the next two years ($2.8 mil NYC share, $11.2 mil CMAQ). This leaves very little room for new projects. Related developments include pullout by the NYC Economic Development Corporation from sponsoring or matching bike/ped programs, including giving back CMAQ funds for the E. River Bikeway/Esplanade and the Staten Island Greenway, and the news that NYC Borough Presidents are out of capital funds because of commitments to fund previously approved CMAQ/Enhancement projects.
