Friday, February 27, 2026, 1 p.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
This joint oversight hearing of the Committees on Disabilities (its first-ever hearing), Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, and Transportation and Infrastructure examined pedestrian and transit accessibility during the recent January and February 2026 snowstorms. Chairs Shahana K. Hanif, Justin E. Sanchez, and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu questioned the Department of Sanitation (DSNY), the Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) about snow removal from curb ramps, sidewalks, bus stops and shelters, pedestrian bridges, Citi Bike stations, and the city's reliance on complaint-driven enforcement against property owners. A panel of disabled New Yorkers testified to being stranded at home for days or weeks. Agency officials described operational improvements between the two storms, including emergency snow shovelers activated during the blizzard, prioritized 311 complaints, and faster contractor clearing; several committed to report back with data on storm costs, fleet age, pedestrian bridge clearing, and Citi Bike contract terms. Numerous public witnesses urged the City to take on sidewalk clearing directly, as other cities do.
0:12 Starting momentarily. Good
0:12 morning. Welcome cities New
0:14 York City Council hearing for
0:18 the comedian disabilities
0:25 committee on transportation
0:27 and sanitation, please silence
0:29 all cell.
0:30 Phone electronic devices
0:32 moving forward no one is to
0:34 approach the day is chairs. We
0:37 are ready to begin. Good
0:40 afternoon, everyone. I'm
0:42 Council Member Shahana Hanif,
0:43 of the New York City Council's
0:44 committee on disabilities
0:48 today, the newly created
0:49 committee on disabilities
0:50 convenes its very first
0:50 hearing. This is a historic
0:52 moment and one long overdue. I
0:55 also want to share something
0:58 personal. I live with an
0:59 autoimmune disease, lupus and
0:59 as a result, I have
1:01 experienced disability. I was
1:03 diagnosed at 17. I am now
1:09 00:35 I'm in remission, but I
1:10 remain under the care of
1:14 several specialists living
1:15 with lupus shape my life, my
1:18 path, it propelled me into
1:19 transit activism if it weren't
1:23 for our cities low floor bus
1:25 buses. I not have graduated
1:27 from brooklyn college mapping
1:29 subway elevators and
1:33 escalators wasn't an
1:34 inconvenience. It was a
1:36 necessity. That's why today
1:37 matters. Accessibility is not
1:38 a luxury it is infrastructure
1:41 ,dignity and survival disabled
1:43 New yorkers are the largest
1:44 minority in our City get their
1:48 needs are too often treated a
1:50 secondary. This committee
1:52 existed to change that today
1:57 we begin an important chapter
1:58 are work starts here with the
2:01 clear cmitmoment to centering
2:02 the voices of New yorkers with
2:05 disabilities and ensuring
2:07 their experiences lied to
2:09 meaningful and lasting change
2:10 .I am proud to serve as the
2:13 committee's first chair and t
2:14 Justin Sanchez and majorityd. I
2:22 leader Shaun Abreu joining us
2:26 for this critically important
2:27 oversight hearing on
2:28 pestridean and transit
2:30 accessibility during winter
2:31 weather. I also want t
2:34 orecognize council members
2:35 joining us in person and
2:37 remotely council members
2:45 .Sanchez, a brave New Inna
2:48 Vernikov
2:48 , Nurse and Sanchez remote
2:57 . That's Pierina Sanchez,
2:59 right. Okay, great. Oh, she's
3:06 here
3:06 , and herbs and Brewer during
3:08 the February 2026 blizzard,
3:11 New York City experience
3:13 sustained winds and heavy
3:15 snowfall that blanketed our
3:17 streets as temperatures
3:17 dropped in the days that
3:19 followed snow hardened into
3:23 ice across sidewalks, corners
3:26 and bus stops. This came just
3:28 after the January 2026 winter
3:32 storm when the City saw up t
3:34 o15 inches of snow, followed by
3:36 freezing temperatures that
3:37 turned even cleared paths into
3:39 sheets of ice. We are grateful
3:41 to the sanitation workers
3:43 first responders and City
3:44 staff who worked under
3:46 extremely difficult conditions
3:51 to protect New yorkers and we
3:53 honored, lives lost during and
3:54 in the aftermath of this of
3:57 these storms at the same time
3:58 disability advocates and
4:00 community members have raised
4:02 serious concerns about
4:03 persistent accessibility
4:04 barriers following both storms
4:06 there. Advocacy highlights the
4:07 reality we are here to examine
4:10 for many New yorkers
4:13 accessible routes remained
4:14 obstructed long after the
4:18 snowfall ended when daley
4:18 mobility is compromised
4:19 participation in economic,
4:21 civic and community life,
4:22 including attending hearings
4:23 like this one is constrained
4:25 .we take that frustration
4:27 seriously. The fact that
4:29 access remains inconsistent is
4:33 precisely why this
4:33 conversation cannot wai
4:35 taccessibility during and after
4:36 winter storms is not
4:37 peripheral. It is urgent,
4:39 ongoing and consequential for
4:42 many New yorkers with
4:43 disabilities older adults and
4:46 families with the question was
4:48 not how many streets were
4:51 plowed. It was whether they
4:52 could leave their homes at all
4:54 under the americans with
4:59 disabilities act, the City is
5:01 required to maintain
5:03 accessible pedestrian
5:04 infrastructure, inoperable
5:06 condition while temporary
5:06 disruptions occur during a
5:11 treem weather prolonged
5:13 obstruction of curb ramps,
5:16 sidewalks, bus stops and power
5:18 transit pickup points raises
5:19 serious civil rights concerns.
5:21 Accessibility is not optional
5:22 ,and it is not seasonal across
5:24 the five boroughs. We were
5:26 received, reported repeated
5:28 reports of curb ramps buried
5:31 in compact, it's snow,
5:33 sidewalks narrowed t
5:35 oimpassable wits. Bus riders
5:36 forced into the street and
5:38 para transit users unable t
5:41 oreach pick up locations in
5:43 some cases days after plowing
5:46 concluded when accessible
5:47 routes are blocked. The result
5:50 is not inconvenience it is
5:52 exclusion back to back storms
5:54 have exposed the city's
5:56 limitation. The excuse me? The
5:56 limitations of the city's
5:59 current approach snow, that is
6:01 partially cleared but not
6:03 fully removed becomes
6:04 compacted freezes and
6:05 compounds with subsequent
6:09 snowfall, further constrictin
6:10 g, already limited accessible
6:11 pathways are current system
6:12 relies heavily on private
6:13 property owners to clear
6:16 sidewalks with enforcement
6:16 largely complaint driven that
6:18 model address individual
6:20 violations, but it does not
6:22 ensure continuous accessible
6:23 routes. A single unclear gramp
6:26 can sever an entire path of
6:31 travel. So today we are asking
6:32 straightforward questions are
6:33 winter response practices
6:35 centered on accessibility from
6:36 the outset or treated as
6:38 secondary to roadway clearance
6:39 our responsibilities clearly
6:40 defined across agencies are
6:43 performance standards
6:44 measurable and time bound and
6:47 when accessible routes remain
6:48 blocked. Who is accessibility
6:50 cannot be an afterthought once
6:52 roads are clear, it must be
6:54 treated as essential
6:55 infrastructure and a civil
6:56 civil rights obligation as we
6:58 recover from monday's blizzard
7:00 , we are reminded that no New
7:02 yorker should be isolated in
7:04 their home because a path
7:06 outsid wase left inaccessible.
7:08 I want to thank the
7:09 administration for being here
7:10 today as well as the advocates
7:11 and members of the public here
7:13 to testify and those who have
7:15 and will submit written
7:17 testimony. I also want t
7:18 othank all the staff who made
7:22 today's hearing possible,
7:23 including the disabilities
7:24 committee staff, senior
7:25 legislative council, sarah's
7:28 and senior.
7:29 Legislative policy analyst
7:31 chloe rivera. Rivera. I will
7:33 now pass the
7:34 . Mic to chair Sanchez for his
7:38 opening statement. I also want
7:44 to recognize that council
7:45 member martin has joined us o
7:59 and councilman Phil wang. I'm
8:08 sorry
8:09 , good afternoon, everyone. My
8:10 name is council Justin Sanchez
8:12 and I'm the chair of the
8:13 committee on sanitation and
8:14 solid waste management first
8:16 ,I want to take a moment to
8:17 acknowledge the several New
8:19 York City residents who have
8:20 passed away due to the sub
8:22 freezing temperatures here and
8:25 after winter storm firm. We
8:27 continue to keep them in our
8:29 thoughts next. I would like t
8:32 othank council person is
8:35 leading these
8:35 . Oversight operations here
8:36 today as well as a majority
8:40 leader Shaun. You and the rest
8:42 of my colleagues who have
8:42 joined us. Thank you all for
8:44 being here, I'd like to also
8:47 thank a very warm. Welcome to
8:49 the representatives here from
8:49 the department of sanitation
8:52 .I know we're coming out of a
8:54 few recent snowstorms, you
8:56 know, light and simple. These
8:57 ,uh, first few weeks and I
8:59 really want to thank the men
9:03 and women of the department
9:03 that I've been working day in
9:06 and night on to clear our
9:08 public spaces of snow and ice.
9:10 Thank you for making the time
9:11 to be here and to keep us
9:16 informed. I'd like to also
9:17 thank each member of the
9:17 public who is here who made
9:19 virtually
9:22 . We welcome your thoughtful
9:23 input. Welcome to the
9:24 oversight hearing on
9:27 pedestrian transit
9:27 accessibility during winter
9:29 weather events. The city's
9:29 administrative code requires y
9:33 to submit to the council and
9:36 to make public anne annual
9:39 snowplowing and removal plan
9:41 for each of our five boroughs.
9:45 This hearing will examine
9:45 those burro based snow plans
9:46 and seek to understand how our
9:52 City agencies are addressed,
9:54 our dressing the latest influx
9:56 of winter weather. I am
9:58 particularly interested to
10:00 learn about.
10:00 The department's removal of
10:02 snow and ice and pedestrian
10:06 areas like bike lanes and
10:07 sidewalks as well as how the
10:09 department plans for
10:13 efficiency despite your over
10:16 your differences and winter
10:19 weather.
10:19 I look forward to hearing
10:21 from and y and other
10:23 . Interested individuals, I
10:24 would like to thank everyone
10:25 on my team.
10:26 And in the legislative
10:27 division for their work
10:28 preparing for today's
10:29 oversight hearing and now I
10:30 would like to turn it back
10:33 over to chair person, honey.
10:38 Thank you. Cheryl will not
10:38 pass it to leader for his
10:43 opening statement. Ah. Mmm
10:47 . Good afternoon and welcome
10:48 today's joint hearing of the
10:50 New York City Council's
10:51 committees on disabilities,
10:53 sanitation and solid waste
10:56 management and transportation
10:57 and infrastructure. I a
10:59 mcouncil member Shaun, majority
11:03 leader and chair of the
11:04 committee on transportation
11:09 and infrastructure to start.
11:10 Iwould like to thank her for
11:10 leading today is critically
11:14 important oversight hearing,
11:16 which as Shahana Hanif
11:18 represents the
11:18 . First ever hearing of the
11:20 newly created committee on
11:23 disabilities. I also want t
11:24 othank chair
11:24 . Justin Sanchez for helping
11:28 organize is hearing for
11:30 joining us today as my co
11:32 chairs have discussed we're
11:36 going to examine New York
11:38 city's response to the recent
11:40 snowstorms and what it
11:43 revealed about the city's
11:44 ability to keep New yorkers
11:46 safe and moving, especially
11:48 when it comes to pedestria
11:50 naccessibility and transit
11:50 access after a major weather
11:54 event. During the storms, the
11:55 City experienced widespread
11:56 and significant snowfall
11:57 across all five borough
11:58 sfollowing the first storm
11:59 freezing temperatures slowed,
12:02 melting and contributed t
12:03 olingering snow and ice
12:07 conditions, meaning the city's
12:08 work cannot end with an
12:10 initial plowing and had to
12:12 include thorough follow up.
12:14 For the transportation
12:14 infrastructure committee, the
12:15 core issue is not just how
12:17 quickly streets were plowed
12:18 these past two storms. It is
12:22 whether New yorkers can safely
12:25 walk across and access transit
12:27 in the days that followed in
12:31 many neighborhoods, snowbanks
12:35 narrowed
12:36 . Sidewalks, curb rams and
12:38 crosswalk approaches were
12:39 blocked by compact snow and
12:41 ice and refreezing created
12:43 hazardous conditions for New
12:44 yorkers who use wheelchairs
12:45 ,walkers, strollers and other
12:47 mobility aids and for older
12:49 adults and those with limited
12:51 mobility. These conditions
12:52 turned every trip into unsafe,
12:54 difficult journeys access t
12:57 opublic transportation was also
12:58 impacted after both storms
13:00 ,but particularly for the first
13:04 storm stops when snow Banks
13:05 remain.
13:06 At curbsid stoeps, writers
13:06 can be forced into the street
13:08 or onto uneven, icy surfaces
13:10 to board a bus and this is not
13:14 . Acceptable buses are
13:14 lifeline for many New yorkers
13:16 and we must ensure that these
13:18 areas are cleared and remain
13:20 accessible as follow up work
13:25 is performed. Today's hearing
13:26 will also focus on the city's
13:28 snow and ice removal framework
13:30 , although the department of
13:32 sanitation largely lead snow
13:34 clearing operations, the
13:35 department of transportation
13:36 plays a critical role
13:37 providing plow truck operators
13:38 participating in interagency
13:39 coordination at the snow
13:40 command center and supporting
13:42 snow hauling operations, the
13:43 department also has several
13:45 specifics snow clearing
13:47 responsibilities, including
13:48 with respect to bus shelters.
13:51 The David east river bridges
13:54 and the triple candidly
13:55 proportion of the big parade
13:59 at today's hearing, we will
14:00 also review how the City
14:02 manager's performance and
14:04 compliance in its public
14:05 private arrangements,
14:06 including the citi bike syste
14:07 m. The role of contractors
14:09 responsible for bus shelter,
14:11 maintenance and how complaints
14:13 are tracked, routed and
14:18 resolved. We tend to examine
14:19 what worked, what did not and
14:20 what we can change going
14:23 forward, including clear
14:24 performance standards for
14:26 accessibility, restoration
14:27 stronger, enter coordination
14:29 better data improved complaint
14:31 response and more consistent
14:32 enforcement across private
14:34 properties and City controlled
14:35 locations before we begin. I'd
14:36 like to thank my staff and the
14:39 committee staff for their hard
14:40 work and preparing for today's
14:45 hearing. Lisa quigley, my
14:46 deputy chief of staff and
14:50 directive legislation and
14:51 budget mark chen,
14:56 counsel to the committee,
15:01 Kevin kostovski, senior policy
15:03 analyst of the committee, john
15:04 brazil senior policy.
15:05 Analyst of the committee and
15:08 adrian drew, paul
15:09 . Principal financial analyst
15:17 committee. But also I think.
15:17 Think again. My co chairs and
15:23 their respective committee
15:24 staff. When I I'll turn it
15:26 back to my culture chair
15:30 haneef. Thank you, majority
15:31 leader. I'd like to recognize
15:35 council delarosa and uncle
15:37 before we hear from the
15:38 administration, we will hear
15:39 from a panel of community
15:41 members directly impacted by
15:42 today's issues to
15:45 . Help center lived experience
15:46 and ground our oversight in
15:48 the realities that they face
15:49 gene ryan, jonathan hadn't
15:52 michael ring iman! Rima, rima,
15:58 we doster, who is remote, one
16:09 of us need to be removed,
16:13 molded the whole.
16:14 When you're.
16:15 You can begin, huh? If you'd
16:17 name is jeanne ryan and I'm