ELECTED OFFICIALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND ADVOCATES LAUNCH SIGNATURE DRIVE FOR ADA ELEVATOR AT MOSHOLU PARKWAY #4 ELEVATED SUBWAY STATION

Community Board 7 Chair Jean Hill and District Leader Eric Dinowitz are organizing a signature drive following today’s rally to support installation of an elevator at the Mosholu Parkway #4 Train station.

  An age-old battle for accessible transit has begun anew in the Northwest Bronx as community leaders and advocates descended on the Mosholu Parkway 4 Train station to launch a month-long effort to lobby the MTA to install an elevator to the subway platform.  The train station is in close proximity to a number of community institutions that service populations with mobility disabilities, including two major hospitals, three nursing homes, a senior center, and several high density residential buildings including Tracey Towers and Scott Tower. The Bronx also has the fewest number of ADA compliant stations among the four boroughs connected to the subway system. In April, the MTA Board announced that they added $300 million to the current 2015-2019 capital plan for ADA station improvements at up to five additional subway stations.

  Over the next six weeks, District Leader Eric Dinowitz and Community Board 7 Chair Jean Hill will be leading a signature drive to demonstrate to the MTA that there is widespread community support for an elevator at this location in addition to a confluence of important demographic and geographic factors which cause Mosholu Parkway to be an ideal location for an elevator. These signatures will be delivered to the MTA Board at their next public meeting on September 26.

Bronx Community Board 7 Chair and President of Tracey Towers Tenants Organization Jean Hill said:“An ADA elevator at the Mosholu Jerome Avenue Station is long overdue. This area covers a large area of seniors, young parents from Tracey Towers, Scott Towers, North Central Bronx and Montefiore Hospital patients. This neighborhood deserves consideration.”

State Senator Jamaal Bailey said: “Ensuring that all residents have the ability to use the public transportation system should never be up for debate. The Mosholu Parkway 4 Train Station is one of the most populated stations in the city, that is consistently used by a large senior population that lives in the area and by patients from the nearby Montefiore Hospital. I urge the MTA to install an elevator at the Mosholu Parkway station and to comply with ADA regulations at all of its stations.”

District Leader Eric Dinowitz said: “The MTA has a duty to serve all New Yorkers and for far too many years they have failed to do so. Across the city, we need to ensure that all subway stations and buses are in compliance with the ADA and accessible to all New Yorkers. The Mosholu Parkway 4 Train station in particular has an urgent need for an elevator to meet the needs of our community, and I am committed to ensuring that residents of the Northwest Bronx have our voices heard by the MTA in our demand for an elevator in the current capital plan.”

The Mosholu Parkway elevated station on the #4 Jerome Avenue line might need two separate elevators however, since there are two flights of stairs to get to the entrance point to pay ones fare. After paying your fare it is another flight of stairs to the train platform.

It should be noted that this elevated station is in the 80th Assembly District, where Ms. Nathalia Fernandez is the Assemblywoman. Eric Dinowitz is the Democratic District Leader of the 81st Assembly District, where his father Jeffrey Dinowitz is the Assemblyman. 

ELECTED OFFICIALS, ADVOCATES ANNOUNCE 24 HOUR "RIDERS RESPOND TRANSIT TOUR" TO GET FIRSTHAND FEEDBACK FROM SUBWAY RIDERS

NYC Council Member Rodriguez, NYS Assemblyman Dinowitz, Riders Alliance, TWU & More Will Travel Subways to Hear About Riders' Concerns Prior to Aug. 8 City Council Hearing on Subways

   Elected officials are ready to ride the rails to hear directly from subway commuters in advance of a City Council hearing on August 8th. After months of delays, derailments, power outages, track fires and more, officials and advocates will take to the tunnels to get feedback, suggestions and concerns from riders, while getting a full picture of the system that sustains our city.

 

Standing outside the City Hall R Train Station, the coalition announced the 24-Hour "Riders Respond Transit Tour." The tour will take place from 7 AM to 7 PM on Thursday August 3rd and Friday August 4th, touching all five boroughs. It is organized by NYC Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez, in conjunction with NYS Assembly Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair Jeffrey Dinowitz, who each chair committees with oversight over the city subway system. 

 

They will be joined by elected officials, advocates and volunteers, travelling from station to station to document feedback about riders' commutes, assess the state of the system's infrastructure and gain a feel for each line in the city. The results of the tour will be shared at the NYC Council Transportation Committee Hearing on the NYC Subway System, scheduled for August 8th. The full route can be found attached.

 

"Lost over the past few months of subway woes has been the point of view of riders," said NYC Council Transportation Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. "It is our duty as representatives of those who take the subway each day to learn about what they're going through and hear their suggestions for improving the system. As we prepare for our subways hearing at the Council on August 8th, this tour will help to gather information and data crucial to getting a more complete picture of the system. I'm glad so many of my colleagues and interested organizations have signed on to this effort and I'm expecting a very informative tour."

 

"New Yorkers are fed up with the burden shifting between New York City and New York State. Councilman Rodriguez and I, as leaders of two committees that have oversight of the MTA at both levels of government, are working together to identify problems and create solutions. There are many issues with our city's transit including ADA accessibility, platform overcrowding, fire-causing trash on the tracks, derailments, and other problems that have combined to create the crisis we are in today," said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, Chair of the NYS Assembly Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions.

 

This event is supported by a growing list of elected officials and advocates, including NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat, Brooklyn and Manhattan Borough Presidents Gale Brewer and Eric Adams, NYS Assemblywoman Carmen De La Rosa, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Council Member Carlos Menchaca, Riders Alliance, Straphangers Campaign and TWU Local 100 and many more.

 

**Route Below** Thursday: Manhattan & The Bronx Time Station (Train line) 7:00-7:30am 242nd St (1) Travel time: 15 min 7:45am-9:00am 168th St (1/A/C) Travel time: 10 min 9:10am-9:40am 125th St (A/B/C/D) Travel time: 10 min 9:50am-10:20am 59th St (A/B/C/D/1) Travel time: 30 min 10:50am-11:35am City Hall/Chambers St (4/5/6/J) Travel time: 25 min 12:00pm-12:45pm East Broadway (F) Travel time: 45 min 1:30pm-2:00pm 125th St (4/5/6) Travel time: 25 min 2:25pm-2:55pm Mosholu Pkwy (4) Travel time: 30 min 3:25pm-3:55pm 161st St-Yankee Stadium (4/B/D) Break 3:55pm-4:25pm; Travel time: 20 min 4:45pm-5:15pm 3rd Ave & 149th St (2/5) Travel time: 25 min 5:40pm-6:10pm Grand Central (4/5/6/7/S) Travel time: 10 min   6:20pm-6:50pm   Times Squae (A/C/E/1/2/3/7/N/Q/R/S) FRIDAY - Queens, Brooklyn & Staten Island   Time Station (Train line) 7:00am-7:30am Queensboro Plaza (N/W/7) Travel time: 15 min 7:45am-8:45am Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave Travel time: 20 min 9:05am-9:35am Sutphin Blvd-Archer Ave (E/J) Travel time: 25 min 10:00am-10:30am Broadway Junction (A/C/J/Z/L) Travel time: 20 min 10:50am-11:20am Jay St./Metro Tech (A/C/F/R) Travel time: 60 min 12:20pm-12:50pm 36th St (R/N/D) Break 12:50pm-1:20pm Travel time: 30 min 1:50pm-2:20pm Coney Island (N/D) Travel time: 1 hour 2:20pm-2:50pm Metropolitan Ave (G)/ Lorimer St. (L) Travel time: 1h 20 min 4:10pm-4:40pm Stapelton (SI Railroad) Travel time: 1 hour 5:40pm-6:10pm Union Square (4/5/L)

Elected Officials, Hoverboard Riders and Advocates Discuss Legislation to Legalize and Regulate These Devices

  Senator Jose Peralta, Assemblymember David Weprin, Councilmembers Andy King and Ydanis Rodriguez and hoverboard riders and advocates discuss legislation to legalize and regulate these devices

  In efforts to legalize the use of hoverboards and electric unicycles in New York City, NY State Senator Jose Peralta (Queens), Assemblymember David I. Weprin (Queens) and NYC Council members Andy King (Bronx) and Ydanis Rodriguez (Manhattan) discussed legislation today that would exempt these devices from being define as “motor vehicles” under New York State law. Senator Peralta introduced a bill that would provide state and municipal authorities with the ability to create regulations regarding these popular devices. Councilmembers King and Rodriguez announced the introduction of a resolution in the City Council in support of the bill.

Under the proposal, these devices are no longer considered “electric personal mobility assistive devices.” In addition, state and municipal authorities would have the ability to create unique sets of regulations regarding hoverboards and electric unicycles. “This is a bill that tries to keep up with technology,” said Senator Peralta. “Because hoverborads and electric unicycles are not cars or motorbikes, my proposal removes these devices from what is considered a ‘motor vehicle’ under State law.”

Senator Peralta explained that nothing in his bill “constricts the ability of State or municipal governments to address operational or safety concerns relative to these devices; quite conversely, it allows these entities to address these issues outside of the blanket regulatory scheme that is applicable to motor vehicles and electric personal assistive mobility devices.”

According to reports, during Cyber Monday, about 7,500 hoverboards were sold nationwide, which means one on every 12 seconds.  Senator Peralta noted, “These are some of the hottest items on store shelves and the idea here is that if they are sold legally in New York, as they are now, you should also be able to ride them in New York.”

Senator Peralta’s bill would render the rule said to pertain to the use of hoverboards and electric unicycles in New York City obsolete, creating a separate categories for these devices.  Following the creation of these categories, State and municipal authorities would then have the power to act on safety and operational issues that are unique to the use of these technologies.

Assembly member Weprin stated “hoverboards have been one of the most popular holiday gifts this season, with many being sold in stores right here in the city. And although you won’t find me on one, New Yorkers of all ages should be able to enjoy their gifts without the threat of a $200-$500 fine. State law must keep up with technology and our bill does this for these new devices. This bill allows users to continue using these hoverboards while still providing state and municipal authorities with the ability to regulate the operation of these popular devices if necessary.”

“It is our aim to revise the traffic law to allow for the use of hover boards and electric unicycles in limited spaces, I am urging all my colleagues at the City Council and the Administration to sign onto my resolution, which would call upon the state legislature to pass Bill # S6260A, which would amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to exempting hoverboards and electric unicycles from the definition of 'motor vehicle' ", said Councilmember King.

“These so-called hoverboards have taken New York City by storm, already in use on our streets and in our parks by New Yorkers from all walks of life,” said Transportation Committee Chair Ydanis Rodriguez. “While I remain dubious about legalizing their use on streets and sidewalks, I believe there is a place for them to be used recreationally, in safe designated areas, without fear of a fine. Regulations should keep up with technology and I support Senator Peralta’s efforts toward this end. This bill will allow us in New York City to deliberate and find where these popular devices are most appropriate.”

“Hoodriderz and the community would like to thank Senator Peralta, Council member King and their teams for addressing the current legislation and bringing it up to date. We are excited for the legalization of personal transportation devices and believe that these fun modes of transport also have great potential to reduce pollution as adoption grows,” said Tim Haden, founder of Hoodriderz and hoverboard activist.

“The joint support of both Senator Peralta and Councilman King regarding the legalization of these balance boards aka hoverboards is proof positive that the current policy, making them illegal, is far overreaching and a definite target on the backs of minority youth who are the largest consumers of these modern skateboards,” said Tony Herbert, hoverboard activist.

Councilman Andy King holds one of the Hoverboards currently being sold. It looks and acts quite different from the Hoverboard in the movie 'Back to The Future'. The Hoverboard in the movie floated above the ground, and did not ride on the sidewalk or street surface as the one in the photo does.