Thursday, June 25, 2026, 10:15 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
0:10 To begin
0:10 . Booze. Good morning. Welcome
0:12 to today's New York City
0:13 council hearing for the
0:15 committee on transportation
0:16 and infrastructure at this
0:17 time, please. Silent and
0:19 cellphones electronic devices.
0:22 If you wish to speak in
0:23 today's hearing. Please fill
0:24 out an a parent's card with
0:26 one of the sergeants moving
0:27 forward no one is to approach
0:29 the days chair. You begin.
0:34 Welcome to today's hearing of
0:34 the New York City Council's
0:36 committee on transportation
0:37 and infrastructure and council
0:38 member shawn brave majority
0:39 leader and chairman of this
0:42 committee today, the committee
0:42 will hear testimony on fiv
0:43 epieces of legislation
0:45 introduction number 8 45,
0:46 sponsored by Council Member
0:48 Thomas Henry in relation t
0:48 orequiring the department of
0:49 transportation to install
0:52 lighting under elevated train
0:54 lines introduction number 8 6
0:57 sponsored by counselor Epstein
0:58 in relation to requiring the
0:59 department of transportation
1:00 to post notification signs
1:03 regarding upcoming disruptive
1:06 work introduction number 8 9 4
1:07 , sponsored by counsel Brewer
1:10 in relation to seasonal
1:11 enclosures for sidewalk cafes
1:14 . Introduction number nine.
1:15 Sponsored by councilman
1:17 Justin Sanchez in relation t
1:19 osanitation and claiming this
1:22 requirements for roadway and
1:22 sidewalk cafes and
1:24 introduction number 900 and
1:26 . Also sponsored by council
1:27 member Thomas Henry.
1:28 In relation to allowin
1:29 gsidewalk and rolling cafe
1:31 revokable consent fees to be
1:32 paid and quarterly
1:35 installments because today's
1:36 hearing is focused solely on.
1:38 Legislation. We'll use it as
1:39 an opportunity to examine the
1:40 purpose of and potential
1:42 impact of these bills togethe
1:44 r, these bills raise important
1:45 questions about how New York
1:47 City manages its streets,
1:48 sidewalks in public.
1:50 Spaces. Whether we are
1:51 discussing lighting beneath
1:52 elevated train lines, public
1:53 notice requirements for work
1:56 on streets or the cleanliness,
1:58 affordability or seasonal
1:59 availability of outdoor dining
2:00 the issue at the heart of
2:02 these bills is how to make our
2:05 public spaces safer, more
2:06 accessible and better
2:08 maintained for everyone. I
2:09 look.
2:09 Forward to hearing from the
2:10 administration about their
2:11 views on these bills,
2:13 including any operational or
2:14 fiscal concerns as well as any
2:16 recommendations on how these
2:17 bills could be improved. I
2:20 also look forward to hearing
2:21 from restaurant owners,
2:22 community members, advocates
2:24 and other stakeholders about
2:25 how these proposals would
2:26 affect them in the
2:27 neighborhoods they served
2:30 before I hand it over to m
2:31 ycolleagues to speak on their
2:32 bills. I would like to thank
2:33 my staff and the committee
2:34 staff for their hard work and
2:35 preparing for today's hearing,
2:37 lisa quickly, my deputy chief
2:38 of staff theodore miller and
2:41 terror sierra townsend
2:42 councils to the committee
2:43 ,Kevin kostovski and john
2:44 brazil, senior policy analyst
2:46 with committee and sarah swain
2:49 and that natalie meltzer staff
2:50 to the committee on consumer
2:51 protection who have been in
2:53 developing the council's
2:54 outdoor dining legislation.
2:57 I'd also like to give a
2:58 special thanks to agent of paw
3:00 , who has been the principal
3:00 financial alice of the
3:03 committee for several years
3:05 for his commitment savvy and
3:06 unfailing good humor and
3:09 working to better this
3:09 committee, the council in our
3:11 City. Adrian, thank you for
3:12 your service and good luck in
3:13 your next endeavor, we miss
3:15 your bolt as I will now pass
3:18 it over to my colleagues to
3:20 speak on their bills, startin
3:21 gwith Council Member Gale
3:27 Brewer
3:27 . Thank you. Thank you ver
3:28 ymuch. I am here to talk about
3:29 as you heard from the chair
3:32 hundred hundred 94. It has t
3:33 odo with seasonal enclosures
3:35 for cafes that are outdoor and
3:37 this did come from the
3:40 suggestion made by the
3:41 hospitality alliance. I want
3:42 to thank them as I always do
3:45 for their incredible support
3:46 of these kinds of issues.
3:48 There's a time frame during
3:50 the.
3:51 A. When it's chilly as you
3:53 all know and the idea would be
3:55 because of that frigid and wet
3:58 weather across our City,
4:00 especially between October 1
4:03 March 31 during that time
4:06 period
4:06 . Intro 8 9 4 if enacted into
4:09 law.
4:09 Would allow restaurants t
4:11 oinstall high quality winter
4:13 vestibules and closing their
4:15 licensed sidewalk cafe area.
4:19 These are spaces which they
4:19 already pay the City for the
4:21 year actually, for the whole
4:23 year and so that notion would
4:24 be to have better access to
4:27 that space
4:28 . There are also businesses
4:29 that are unclear on what I
4:31 tto provide clear guidance t
4:37 ohelp businesses and owners
4:40 plan. I think we all see in
4:42 some cases, businesses have
4:44 these enclosures. Sometimes
4:44 they don't and they all differ
4:47 this bill would make it clear
4:48 I do.
4:48 Want to thank andrew ready
4:50 from the New York City
4:51 hospitality one for raising
4:54 this issue and for his
4:55 tireless advocacy for
4:55 restaurants and bars and cafes
4:57 and owners and people who are
4:58 crucial to our city's economy
5:01 and neighborhood life. I want
5:03 to thank ray who for including
5:03 this on the agenda and
5:07 legislative staff richard
5:08 federal sarah swain, natalie
5:09 mel serve as well as committee
5:11 stuff. Townsend, theo miller,
5:13 john back Kevin khodorkovsky.
5:15 Thank you very much and we
5:15 hope that it will pass. Thank
5:20 you,
5:21 thank you, councilman brewe
5:21 r. I will now turn it over t
5:22 ocouncil member Sanchez t
5:24 ospeak on, it showed nine. 17,
5:35 Um
5:35 , enter 9 17 1 person.
5:37 Foremost. I want to thank the
5:38 chair and all of the committee
5:41 . Staff for having this on the
5:41 agenda today. Um, we're really
5:44 excited to hear more about how
5:46 this bill can help actually
5:49 improve cleanliness standards
5:50 across the City as we roll out
5:52 outdoor dining, and we look
5:54 forward to, um hearing a
5:58 substantive, um, question and
5:59 answer period. Easy. Thank you
6:03 , councilmember. I'll now read
6:04 counsel, mr Epstein remarks on
6:06 introduction number 8 66.
6:10 Thank you to chair of radio
6:11 and all my colleagues for the
6:12 opportunity to hear my bill
6:12 into a 66 that today's hearing
6:14 my office has already had
6:15 discussions with it and we'll
6:17 be moving forward with
6:18 amending this bill to require
6:20 the entity obtaining the
6:21 permit, not a cult. The
6:24 signage
6:25 . We all know the feeling you
6:26 wake up to unexpected noise
6:27 coming from the sidewalk below
6:29 . You're walking your child t
6:30 oschool and suddenly the path
6:30 you take every day is taped
6:31 off for construction. You go
6:35 to open up your deli for the
6:35 day only to find someone jack
6:37 outside of your business. You
6:39 didn't know this was going t
6:40 ohappen and you're not sure how
6:41 long it will last.
6:42 This type of disruptive work
6:44 presents additional challenges
6:46 for individuals who use
6:48 assisted mobile mobility
6:49 devices who struggle to get
6:50 around if they're a typical
6:51 sidewalk route has changed
6:53 while the work being done t
6:54 oimprove our streets and
6:56 sidewalks is necessary. It can
6:57 be disruptive to our daily
7:00 life. It is critical that all
7:01 New yorkers have access to the
7:04 information necessary so they
7:05 can plan ahead for
7:07 construction projects arise
7:08 ,my bill intro 66 addresses
7:11 this all too common occurrence
7:12 for providing New yorkers with
7:13 posted signs within a 500 foot
7:16 radius of the location of plan
7:17 disruptive work, at least 48
7:19 hours before the work is
7:19 scheduled to begin
7:22 . It would also include
7:23 contact information and
7:24 ensuring the public knows who
7:25 to talk to about the work. If
7:26 there are questions o
7:28 rconcerns constructions can be
7:30 disruptive to surrounding
7:31 residents, schools and
7:32 businesses. It is important
7:33 that neighbors have advanced
7:34 notice of d construction, so
7:36 they can make necessary
7:37 . Plans this bill is about
7:39 increasing transparency
7:40 between City agencies and
7:42 residents and increasing
7:42 accessibility in our
7:45 government system. I look
7:46 forward to hearing feedback
7:46 about this bill about how we
7:47 can make our streets more
7:48 accessible for everyone.
7:49 Thank you. That was a
7:50 statement by my colleague,
7:55 uncil member, and I will. I
7:56 would like to recognize the
7:56 college who have joined us
7:57 today, council members Brewer
7:59 Wong christian on Justin
8:01 Sanchez, lewis and Thomas
8:02 Henry, I
8:03 . Will now pass it over to my
8:06 colleague counselor
8:07 retirements Henry to speak on
8:13 her bill.
8:13 Thank you. Chair just need
8:31 one second. Oh, so
8:32 . Good morning chair. Bray who
8:33 and thank you for convening
8:35 today hearing thank you to my
8:37 colleagues on the committee
8:40 .transportation is about more
8:42 than getting people from one
8:43 place to another. It is about
8:44 how people feel our
8:47 neighborhoods people
8:48 experience our neighborhoods
8:50 once they.
8:50 Arrive. It's about whether a
8:51 resident feels safe walking
8:53 home beneath an elevated train
8:56 . It's about whether a family
8:57 chooses to stop by at a
9:00 neighborhood cafe.
9:01 It's about whether our
9:01 streets invite people in or
9:03 push them away today as a
9:06 member of this committee as a
9:09 member of this committee and
9:09 the chair of small business
9:11 committee. I am proud to
9:12 present two pieces of
9:14 legislation that recognize a
9:17 simple troop, our
9:17 transportation system should
9:18 work for the people who use it
9:22 every day.
9:22 Introduction hundred 4
9:24 5would require the department
9:26 of transportation to assess
9:27 streets and sidewalks beneath
9:29 elevated train infrastructure
9:31 to determine where additional
9:32 lighting is needed and install
9:34 it within a defined timeframe
9:37 in my district, the seven
9:38 train runs through the heart
9:40 of our community for years,
9:41 residents have shared concerns
9:43 about darkness and dark under
9:46 the underpasses that feel
9:47 unsafe and overlooked.
9:48 No New yorker should have t
9:50 oquestion their safety simply
9:52 because they are walking home
9:53 beneath our transit
9:57 infrastructure
9:57 . This legislation creates
9:59 accountability by those
10:00 concerns are evaluated
10:01 ,addressed and reported on.
10:04 Introduction. 918, Focuse
10:06 son another important part of
10:09 our streetscape, the small
10:09 businesses that activate our
10:10 sidewalks and make our
10:12 commercial corridors vibrant
10:14 . By allowing roadway cafe
10:16 operators to pay revocable
10:18 consent fees in quarterly
10:21 installments rather than all
10:22 at once we can ease
10:24 unnecessary financial burdens
10:26 while continuing to support
10:27 the outdoor dining program
10:29 that ba has become such an
10:31 important part of our city's
10:33 fabric. These bills address
10:34 different issues, but they
10:36 advanced the same goa
10:37 lcreating streets that are safe
10:39 and more economically vibrant
10:42 .that is the kind of
10:43 transportation system. We
10:43 should continue building one
10:45 that moves people while also
10:47 strengthening the communities
10:48 they call home. Thank you. And
10:49 I look forward to today's
10:53 discussion
10:53 . Thank you. Councilmembe
10:54 rlikes to sit ad that we've
10:55 been joined by councilman mr
10:56 nifong, zoom and counsel over
11:00 what's thank you and all turn
11:00 over to testimony from the
11:11 administration
11:11 . Good morning. Please raise
11:12 your right hand, do you affirm
11:14 to tell the truth, the whole
11:14 truth and nothing but the
11:16 truth before this committee
11:17 and to respond honestly to
11:18 Council Member questions.
11:21 Thank you. You begin when
11:22 you're ready. And if you could
11:23 just state your name and
11:23 record for our name and title
11:24 for the record before you
11:25 begin that would be great.
11:27 Right. Oh! Oh! Good morning.
11:44 Good morning, cherry bariu
11:45 mmembers of the transportation
11:45 committee on it of the
11:46 committee on transportation
11:48 and infrastructure. My name is
11:49 monty that commissioner of
11:52 traffic operations. I I am
11:53 joined by michelle craven,
11:55 associate deputy commissioner
11:55 cityscape and franchises. Jeff
11:59 mala, me, director of st
12:00 improvement projects and rick
12:01 rodriguez, assistant
12:02 commissioner for inter
12:03 community affairs. Thank you
12:05 for the opportunity to testify
12:06 on behalf of Mayor, man die
12:08 and commissioner flynn about
12:09 intro 8 45 8 6694 9 17 and 1
12:20 918 first 245 sponsor council
12:20 member Thomas Henry this bill
12:22 required to install
12:23 distinctive lighting under
12:24 elevated train lines with
12:26 nearly 400000 streetlights
12:29 citywide under our
12:29 responsibility. We recognize
12:30 the importance of street
12:31 lighting and enhancing both
12:32 safety and quality of life. We
12:35 are committed to ensurin
12:36 gstreets are well lit from
12:37 vehicle traffic as well as
12:38 pedestrians in both the
12:39 roadway and the sidewalk as a
12:44 national leader and
12:44 sustainable street lighting
12:45 our lighting studies are based
12:47 on standards these standards
12:49 include recommended practices
12:50 and guidelines published by
12:51 the illuminating engineering
12:55 society, the internationally
12:55 recognized entity that sets
12:57 recommended practices for
12:58 lighting levels in various
12:59 applications to ensur
13:01 elighting standard. There's
13:03 sufficiently addressed
13:03 citywide. We are happy t
13:04 oprovide a quick breakdown of
13:06 how lighting is installed
13:06 ,provide more background.
13:09 Based on study evaluations
13:10 ,we routinely make upgrades in
13:12 any street reconstruction
13:14 project for installation
13:15 .there are three ways we can
13:17 add lighting depending on
13:17 where the lower lighting
13:18 levels are located, we can
13:21 reduce the distance between
13:23 streetlights. Add secondary
13:24 lighting on the back of
13:25 existing polls over the
13:26 sidewalk at a lower height or
13:28 install New stand polls mus
13:32 tconsider various factors when