Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez was announced the newest chair of the
City Council Committee on Transportation. This important committee is
vital to oversight over the MTA, DOT, NYCTA & TLC and is set to be a
major forum in discussing Mayor deBlasio's VisionZero initiative.
Transportation is something that affects the lives of almost every New
Yorker, as well as the many millions more who travel here from out of
state and country. The focus of this committee will be to ensure
efficiency, affordability and equality for all major forms of
transportation.
Over
the past four years, Council Member Rodriguez has been a fierce
advocate for street safety in his community and across the city. An
active member of the Transportation Committee prior to this appointment,
he will continue to advocate for safe and efficient public
transportation, while looking to expand service to under-severed
communities. Upon his appointment, Council Member Rodriguez had this to
say:
"I
am grateful to our Speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, for this great
opportunity to make our city's expansive transportation system more
efficient, affordable and equitable for all New Yorkers. We will seek to
focus this committee on accomplishing Mayor deBlasio's Vision Zero
initiative, placing a premium on pedestrian safety to avoid any further
avoidable loss of life. Additionally, we will look for ways to expand
our great public transportation system with the help of the MTA and
transportation advocates; we will seek to cut travel times for New
Yorkers to increase the efficiency of our city as a whole; and strike a
suitable balance between the thousands of bicyclists and motorists who
use our streets."
The previous chair of the City Council Transportation Committee was Bronx Councilman Jimmy Vacca.
