As New York City counts down the hours to this year’s mayoral election (Nov. 5), transportation users wonder how the two leading candidates stand on transportation issues. Reporting in The New York Times (Oct. 30) gives some insights:
- Bill de Blasio (Democrat) would focus on increasing bus service, which he says is the system’s most neglected aspect; advocates expanding service in the four outer boroughs; and installing traffic cameras to catch violators. He says Mayor Bloomberg’s taxi system of green taxis outside Manhattan should be reworked to avoid hurting the yellow cab industry. He has expressed some ambivalence about pedestrian plazas.
- Joseph Lhota (Republican) wants to expand subway service to Staten Island, decrease waiting times for trains, and synchronize traffic lights. He would increase the number of bicycle lanes, but said it should be done more prudently than in the past. He says the green-cab system makes sense for upper Manhattan, but not for the outer boroughs. He has some misgivings about pedestrian plazas, saying that they might be opened to traffic at some times of the day.
The article can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/30/nyregion/comparing-two-new-york-city-mayoral-rivals-on-issues.html