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Q&A
Commissioner Rodriguez discusses challenges in implementing bike and bus lanes
0:45:43
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123 sec
Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez explains the challenges DOT faces in implementing bike and bus lanes, particularly due to community opposition. He emphasizes that resources are not the only issue, but also gaining community support for these projects.
- Rodriguez highlights the difficulty in meeting the 50-mile protected bike lane and 30-mile protected bus lane goals due to local opposition
- He mentions a specific example of opposition to a bus lane project on Fort Avenue
- The Commissioner suggests that full implementation would require commitment from all 51 council members to accept both bike and bus lanes in their districts
Ydanis Rodriguez
0:45:43
We always appreciate any new funding, more funding is always great.
0:45:49
However, as someone that like you that have been in BNT leadership, we know also that we had to manage every single dollar.
0:45:57
So we're doing a good job when it came to the resources that we have.
0:46:00
Our challenge is, it's not just the resources.
0:46:03
Our challenge is also how can we get to 50 mile protected bike lane when we know that there's so many area in the city where we have a lot of constituency that they don't want to get those bike lanes in those area.
0:46:17
Like as I said before, I wanted to do the bus lane at Fortn Avenue.
0:46:22
But all the elected officials that beat in Little Italy, the Fortnite University, they all went against it.
0:46:30
So like, you know, I like to be a little bit like Ger Brewer.
0:46:34
Same thing as how I feel.
0:46:37
I don't think that the number that we have put in the street master plan, which was a bill that I was a co sponsor.
0:46:43
That was a bill that I passed when I was a chairman of the committee of transportation.
0:46:47
Unless there's an appetite in the commitment of the 51 council member who say I want both leg and bike leg in my tissues.
0:46:54
If that will be the commitment, we can build it.
0:46:57
But with the reality that we feel today, we will not be able to do the 50 mile protected bike lane and the 30 mile protected bus lane.
0:47:05
And even with that picture, the twenty twenty nine miles that you referred, that all of us should be very proud is larger than the protected or by land that all largest city together built in this country.
0:47:35
If you give me green light if you give if the council give me green light for me to do any both lane and bad lane that I want in this agency, then I can do the 50 miles and the 30 miles.
Selvena Brooks-Powers
0:47:23
Thank you for that response, commissioner.
0:47:24
Even though I think we've all come to the conclusion that the responsibility of implementation of the law rests on DOT, not on the council members.
0:47:34
In terms of