The Second Avenue Subway's expected $1.3 billion in funding for it's first phase was cemented in Washington today. From a release:
The Federal Transit Administration has informed Congress that it will approve a full-funding grant agreement for the Second Avenue Subway, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Governor Eliot Spitzer, and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver announced today. The New Yorkers hailed this crucial investment in New York City’s transportation system, which is expected to provide about $1.3 billion in federal funds to build the first leg of the subway project.
Council Members Jessica Lappin and Alan Gerson hope to curb illegal bicycling on sidewalks with city legislation introduced today. The bill seeks to fine owners of businesses if their delivery personnel ride on the sidewalk.
From a release:
Transferring the fine from the rider to the business affiliated with that delivery person will hold business owners responsible for the actions of their delivery personnel. This will encourage restaurants and messenger services to adequately train their riders, protecting both the commercial cyclists and the public at large.
In other City Council news, the transportation committee pushed through two bills today. From a release:
The first bill - Intro 430-A, sponsored by Council Member
Liu - would allow authorized commuter vans to be more easily
identified by the riding public and law enforcement, and help prevent
the proliferation of illegal dollar vans that operate without proper
licenses and insurance. The second bill - Intro 581-A, sponsored by
Council Member Joseph Addabbo, Jr. - would require critical traffic
signs to be fixed within three business days after being reported
missing or fallen into disrepair.
The committee will probe sidewalks' state of repair at a hearing tomorrow.
