[This is an EXCERPT: read the whole article here. -Ed.]

by Ben Fried

New York City's new Intro 199, "a bill requiring New York City's Department of Transportation to collect and monitor data specifically aimed at helping the city 'to reduce automobile traffic and encourage more sustainable means of transportation vital to combating congestion, pollution and improving the City’s long term economic health.' The new law could signal a significant change for a city agency that has typically measured its own performance based on how many potholes it fills, street lamps it fixes and how well it keeps motor vehicle traffic flowing through the city's over-burdened street grid.

"'You measure what you care about,' said Transportation Alternatives executive director Paul Steely White, an architect of the new legislation. 'Traditionally DOT has not cared enough about bus riders, cyclists, and pedestrians. The bill is really seeking to understand more about how much bicycling there is now, how much walking activity, and to look at bus ridership and bus speeds. Armed with this information, DOT can set targets for improving those modes.'

"Passed by the City Council in a 48-0 vote on May 15, Intro 199 creates a framework for DOT to set goals for traffic reduction and the growth of cycling and bus ridership."

"In referring to 'higher-performance traffic modes,' the bill sets another precedent. 'For the first time,' said White, 'the city is recognizing that biking and walking are not just good for the city's air quality, but make the most efficient use of our scarce street space.' By acknowledging that there is a 'spatial dividend' to these modes, he added, the city is setting the stage for quality-of-life improvements that result from a re-allocation of space, like wider sidewalks, which would help make PlaNYC and other green initiatives more palpable for New Yorkers."

Photo credit: Eric Chan