PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Michael Sutherland, Policy Analyst at Open Plans
5:23:11
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124 sec
Michael Sutherland, a policy analyst at Open Plans, testified against Intro 606 and in favor of Intro 1131 regarding e-bike regulation in NYC. He argued that Intro 606 would be burdensome to implement and ineffective in addressing safety concerns, while Intro 1131 offers a better path for improving street safety for all road users.
- Sutherland emphasized that Intro 606 doesn't address core issues like infrastructure, education, or effective enforcement
- He highlighted concerns about the cost and administrative burden of implementing Intro 606
- Sutherland advocated for solutions like daylighting and bike lanes as more effective ways to improve safety
Michael Sutherland
5:23:11
Thank you to the chair for holding this heating for holding this hearing.
5:23:14
My name is Michael Sutherland.
5:23:15
I'm a born and raised Brooklynite, and I'm also the policy analyst at Open Plans, an organization that fights for a more livable city.
5:23:20
The rise of e micro mobility has presented a number of challenges for our streetscape.
5:23:24
It's important to recognize that.
5:23:26
Introducing a new type of mobility at scale requires new infrastructure, education, and enforcement on the rules and laws associated with e biking, and adjustments for all road users.
5:23:35
However, intro 606 does not really solve for any of these issues.
5:23:38
It doesn't create new infrastructure.
5:23:39
It doesn't educate ebike users or the general public, and the behavior of bad actors is already illegal.
5:23:44
Importantly, a program of the size and scale described in intro 606 would be a monetary and staff burden on DOT as we heard from the commissioner and and, other members of DOT earlier.
5:23:54
And we've also seen that to be true in other cities as others have mentioned, during testimony.
5:24:00
Funding that would theoretically be given to DOT to administer this program could be better used in virtually any way by continuing to build out the infrastructure or educating users, for example.
5:24:09
DOT simply does not have the the capacity or expertise to run this program.
5:24:13
Not only will this program be expensive and difficult to administer, but unrealistic to enforce.
5:24:17
The difference between a regular bicycle and an ebike isn't always apparent, which could create confusion in enforcement.
5:24:22
Aside from that, the current bad behavior, which again is already illegal, isn't enforced really enforced to begin with, though it should be.
5:24:29
And the mere presence of a license plate doesn't inherently change that.
5:24:32
It doesn't inherently change driver behavior, and more importantly, it doesn't inherently change police enforcement patterns.
5:24:39
I also have heard a couple of folks, talk about how automated enforcement could catch these license plates.
5:24:44
We believe that that would require another state law because currently they're, designed to and and authorized to capture DMV license plates.
5:24:53
Instead of intro 6 zero six, we believe that intro 1131 provides a better path for all root users, provides real it could provide real, actionable, systemic solutions, which is really what we need.
5:25:04
Identifying new creative solutions to these challenges and better understanding how to implement safety solutions that we know work at scale, like daylighting, bike lanes, for example.
5:25:13
We can work to find a more equitable solution for all road
Selvena N. Brooks-Powers
5:25:15
users.
