City Council presses DOT on street safety plan ahead of 2026 deadline
A new five‑year plan is expected from the mayor by the end of 2026.
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City leaders gathered inside council chambers Tuesday to focus on the future of street safety while addressing unfinished work from past years.
“The Department of Transportation has repeatedly fallen short of these requirements,” said City Council Majority Leader Shaun Abreu. “Particularly with respect to bus lanes, bike lanes and bus stop upgrades.”
A new five‑year plan is expected from the mayor by the end of 2026. It must include a completed bicycle network, protected bus lanes on all eligible routes, and accessible pedestrian signals and ramps.
The mayor has said fast buses are one of his top priorities.
“When Mayor Mamdani selected me to serve as DOT commissioner,” said DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn, “he tasked us with thinking big, being ambitious and making our streetscape the envy of the world. That’s exactly what we’re going to deliver.”
During the committee hearing, Abreu urged the department to identify what it needs to complete long‑overdue projects.
The upcoming plan will build on, not replace, earlier commitments that were abandoned or stalled under previous administrations since 2019.
Council Member Christopher Marte introduced a bill that would require the DOT to create a permanent bilingual street sign program in Chinatown and allow other council members to request bilingual signs in their own districts.
