Republican candidate for NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg released a plan for “untangling traffic” last week.The 8-page document makes reference to the “Unclogging NY” plan issued by business, labor, and environmental groups earlier this summer (MTR #321).In it, Bloomberg pledges to implement several policies long-sought by city pedestrian advocates, and to cut back on the privileged parking now enjoyed by city workers, state federal employees, diplomats and several other groups, many of whom work in transit-rich areas.

He also said he would fight for more frequent subway service and implement new bus lanes around the city, including some form of dedicated busway on Manhattan’s First and Second Avenues, pending construction of a Second Ave. subway.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the plan’s release was the widespread press attention Bloomberg received for pledging to use mass transit or taxis at least once a day during his administration.It appears to indicate that editors and reporters at least are refreshed by a candidate proposing to attack an aspect of the problem of political leaders experiencing daily life very differently than do most of their constituents.Transportation policy making in New York has long suffered from the limousine perspective of top elected and appointed officials, including mass transit executives (in London, Mayor Ken Livingstone abolished company cars for London Transport officials last year).By our count, Mayor Giuliani has been on the subway fewer than five times during the past 8 years, and he has violently berated reporters who published reports of his official SUV significantly exceeding speed limits on highways around the city. During this campaign season, Bronx Borough President Fernando Ferrer has lamented the existence of MTA bridge and tunnel tolls.He says people should be able to travel “for free” within the city, seemingly oblivious to the fact that most people travel within NYC on buses and subways, for which they pay fares.

Since 1989, Transportation Alternatives and the Straphangers Campaign have issued “car potato” challenges urging city leaders to use transit and occasionally forego use of official cars.The efforts have not met much success, but Bloomberg’s pledge seems to have struck a chord in the city that other candidates should heed.

Other specifics of Bloomberg’s plan are:

• Pedestrian-only phases at major intersections;
  
  
• More red light cameras, a new photo radar program and other speed enforcement and signs to slow speeding traffic and increase motorist awareness of pedestrians;
  
  
• Expanded congestion pricing for trucks, and a wider parking pricing program;
  
  
• Shorter headways for subway service, and real-time information at subway and bus stops;
  
  
• A larger bus fleet;
  
  
• Increased commitment to infrastructure maintenance;
  
  
• Support for big transit projects like LIRR-Grand Central, #7 extension to the far West Side and 2nd Ave. subway.

Business, Transit Groups Challenge NYC Candidates - June 21, 2001

Mark Green Speaks - March 3, 2000

MTR search facilityand back issues:

Search our database of all past issues of Mobilizing the Region since Fall, 1994.

Go to indexof all Mobilizing the Region back issues