Initiative Table

Evaluate left turn safety treatments

Left turns are a key factor in nearly 30 percent of pedestrian crashes involving a fatality or serious injury. DOT is evaluating an array of design treatments at 100 locations to determine if they encourage motorists to better yield to pedestrians and to slow vehicle turns. If successful, these designs will be expanded to additional intersections across the City.

Implement recommendations of Bicycle Safety Study and Action Plan

DOT, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and NYPD are developing recommendations based on a review of crashes in which a bicyclist was fatally or severely injured.

Expand speed camera enforcement

DOT will seek to pass state legislation to expand the City’s authority to use speed cameras at high-crash locations and during the most dangerous times near schools.

Mandate rear seat seatbelt use  

Unbelted back seat passengers involved in severe crashes are four times more likely to be killed as belted back seat passengers. DOT will advocate for a requirement that adult passengers riding in the back seat of private cars use seat belts.

Advocate for drugged driving reform for New York State 

A motorist can only be charged with driving while impaired by a drug if that drug is listed in New York State’s Public Health Law Some drugs, like synthetic marijuana, have not been added to that list, limiting prosecutions. DOT will advocate to make it illegal in New York State to drive after intentionally consuming any substance that causes impairment.

Expand partnerships with NYPD to improve crash data and analytics

Data on serious injuries from crashes is produced through a cumbersome process involving DOT, NYPD, and the State so that injury data is often not available until 12 months after a crash occurs. NYPD is transitioning to electronic crash reporting, which will enable DOT to analyze data earlier and more quickly respond to trends.

Pilot new technology to obtain data that can prevent crashes

DOT will expand the use of cameras and sensors, video analysis software, and vehicle monitoring data to expand our understanding of why crashes occur and where they are likely to occur in the future. For example, DOT may be able to highlight locations where vehicles have frequent hard braking events or use video analytics to determine where drivers are less likely to yield to pedestrians. 

Improve the pedestrian and bike promenade on the Brooklyn Bridge

Demand for the shared cyclist and pedestrian path on the Brooklyn Bridge often exceeds capacity. DOT will assess the feasibility of expanding and reconfiguring this popular path to better serve both groups.

Advance the East and Harlem River waterfront greenway in Manhattan

In the near term, DOT will advance on-street bike lane projects to fill gaps in the East River and Harlem River greenways. In the medium term, DOT will work with the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) and EDC to develop a funding strategy for the full build out of the greenway.

Launch secure bike parking pilot program near transit

Building on best practices from other cities, DOT will plan and develop secure, affordable, and attractive bike parking at major transit hubs and activity centers across the five boroughs, including ferry terminals, key subway and commuter rail stations, and local commercial districts.

Improve and expand bike access in commercial and residential buildings

Expanding on the success of the City’s Bikes in Buildings law, DOT will work to pass City Council legislation to further broaden bike access in commercial buildings, extend bike access provisions to residential buildings, and allow folding bikes in all passenger elevators.

Improve maintenance and availability of public bike parking

To free up space for operable bikes, DOT has worked with the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) to finalize revised DSNY rules to streamline removal of derelict bikes from DOT bike racks. DOT will being inspecting all racks twice a year and work with DSNY and community and merchant groups to proactively remove derelict bikes.

Appropriately regulate low-speed electric bikes

DOT will work with its agency partners to advocate a sensible legal framework to regulate growing e-bike use and improve safety. 

Develop new citywide measure of cycling to measure progress

DOT will adopt new measures of citywide cycling, which will be used to track the growth of bicycling over time. These indicators will capture the number of New Yorkers who bike regularly and the average volume of daily biking trips across the five boroughs. DOT will continue to conduct bike counts at strategic locations.

Complete a citywide transit study

Working with our partners at the MTA, DOT will conduct a study of unmet transit needs in communities across the five boroughs and develop a set of recommendations to meet these needs. Possible recommendations include SBS, rail system, and streetcar expansion.

Develop and Implement an L Train Mitigation Plan with the MTA

In collaboration with the MTA, DOT will develop a plan to mitigate the impact of the closure of the L train tunnels under the East River, which carry the same number of passengers into and out of Manhattan each day as the Long Island Rail Road. DOT will consider transformative traffic management and bus priority treatments on 14th Street and the East River Bridges, as well as expanded bike routes and bike parking facilities on both sides of the river.

Pilot multi-purpose sensor and camera technology

DOT will pilot the installation of sensor and camera technology that can be used for multiple purposes, including better understanding how streets are used and better managing traffic flow. DOT will also explore enforcement strategies with the NYPD and the Department of Finance, including targeted deployment of traffic enforcement agents, use of cameras and sensors for parking and loading regulation enforcement, and the replacement of the City’s paper parking placards with an electronic system.

Develop an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Strategic Plan

Building off goals in this plan, DOT will develop an ITS Strategic Plan that describes our ITS vision and goals within the following six areas: enhancing operational capabilities, advancing operational planning, emerging technology readiness, lifecycle management, professional capacity building, and outreach and communication.

Explore the potential for shared-use mobility services to expand travel options, increase mobility, and improve the efficiency of the transportation system

• DOT will develop a shared-use mobility plan to identify the opportunities and challenges posed by new transportation services and models.

• DOT, with the TLC, will explore the potential of ridesharing services to meet travel needs in areas underserved by the subway and to reduce traffic volumes. 

• DOT will explore the potential for carshare to reduce car ownership and improve parking availability, and develop a set of pilot projects to expand carsharing outside of Manhattan. This will include consideration of opportunities for electric vehicles and charging stations.

• DOT, with the TLC, will examine the potential safety, congestion, social, environmental, and economic impacts of autonomous vehicles and develop a set of policies for federal and state advocacy and to guide future pilot projects.

• DOT, with input from the TLC, will conduct a comprehensive study of the commuter van industry to better understand the role of commuter vans in the City’s transportation system and to explore potential policy changes to improve safety and travel choices.   

Pilot new wayfinding technology for visually impaired pedestrians

DOT will conduct a pilot test of electronic beacons, which can assist visually impaired pedestrians in navigating the City, at indoor and outdoor transportation facilities. DOT will also test tactile guide-ways for visually impaired pedestrians on sidewalks and at outdoor public spaces.

Develop a 21st century parking management strategy for New York City

DOT will complete a comprehensive analysis of the availability, regulation, and use of metered parking spaces and develop a pricing strategy to increase curb availability for deliveries and customer parking, focusing especially on congested commercial districts.

Modernize the regulation of sight-seeing buses

DOT will work to pass City Council legislation to tighten the approval requirements for sight-seeing buses to better manage their stops.

Create asset management task force to coordinate efforts between divisions

DOT will create an asset management task force, with representatives across the agency, to institutionalize best practices. Where practical, DOT will seek to create asset management systems that group asset classes, such as street pavement and pedestrian ramps.

Develop decision-making tools to guide the allocation of maintenance and capital resources across divisions

DOT will create tools and a process to help agency leadership cost-effectively allocate limited capital resources across a diverse range of asset classes.

Integrate social, environmental, and economic costs into these decision making tools

When making these decisions, the agency will seek to take into account not only cost savings over the long term, but also seek to mitigate or avoid adverse social and environmental costs, such as impacts on low-income communities, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Analyze the risk from climate change in non-Sandy-impacted areas

In conjunction with the City’s Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, DOT will assess the vulnerability of its infrastructure to climate shocks, especially in areas that were not affected by Super Storm Sandy, and evaluate the costs and benefits of potential mitigation actions. This plan will inform DOT’s capital plan going forward.

Develop resilient street design standards for incorporation into the Street Design Manual

DOT will update its Street Design Manual to include a greater focus on resilient and sustainable street design features, including permeable pavement, green infrastructure and natural features, and other climate-adaptation elements.

Develop detailed transportation contingency plans

In collaboration with the MTA, PANYNJ, NYPD, Emergency Management, and others, create detailed contingency plans to address transportation needs in the aftermath of disruptive climate events

Secure State authorization to use design-build procurements for major capital projects

Working with the State Legislature, DOT will seek passage of state legislation authorizing DOT to use design-build procurements, in which design and construction services are procured under a single contract. 

Require the use of one agency-wide project management system for all DOT capital projects

By using one system, DOT will be able to better manage our capital projects, resulting in shorter project timelines. Over the medium term, DOT will seek to develop a centralized project management system with DDC and DEP.

Create standard approval processes for routine capital work

DOT will create standard project and contract documents for typical capital projects, such as sidewalk extensions and bus bulbs. These boilerplate forms will streamline internal and intra-agency approvals for routine capital projects, thereby freeing agency staff to process complex major projects.

Expand off-hour deliveries in conjunction with noise monitoring

DOT will encourage off-hour deliveries, with a focus on large buildings in areas with high pedestrian and bicycle activity. Shifting deliveries to overnight hours decreases congestion and truck emissions. DOT will also work with the trucking industry to pilot low-noise truck technologies, as well as deploy a network of noise monitors and cameras to monitor off-hour delivery activity.

Pilot test micro freight and waste collection centers

DOT will explore opportunities for micro freight distribution centers in highly congested commercial areas. These centers might be sited in curb space now dedicated to commercial loading, encouraging off-hour delivery and more efficient collection of recycled materials and waste.

Develop a comprehensive five-borough freight strategy

DOT will develop truck route profiles for each borough to better understand truck route use and compliance. This analysis will enable the agency to better understand the movement of goods, the needs of shippers and receivers, and community concerns. The agency will then recommend a series of actions to reduce the environmental and social impacts of trucking, while enabling our economy to grow.

Expand DOT’s Office of Freight Mobility

DOT will significantly increase the staff of the Office of Freight Mobility in support of the citywide freight plan and the agency’s efforts to increase the use of  sensor and camera technology to monitor compliance with truck regulations and traffic laws.

Issue Notices of Observation to off-route and overweight trucks

DOT will explore issuing notices of observation to off-route trucks and overweight trucks that repeatedly violate rules, with opportunities for adjudication. DOT will explore linking these to denial of permits and City contracts, or other sanctions.

Transform areas under elevated transportation infrastructure into attractive public spaces and streetscapes through the El-Space program

DOT will conduct an inventory of el-spaces, develop an El-Space toolkit of design treatments, and initiate five El-Space pilot projects, some in partnership with the Design Trust for Public Space. The project will include a consideration of opportunities for secure bike parking.

Update news rack regulations to keep sidewalks clean and orderly

To accommodate pedestrian flow on busy sidewalks and to keep sidewalks clean, DOT is working with the City Council to pass legislation to streamline the news rack registration process, encourage the use of modular racks, and hold owners more accountable for their dirty or disorderly racks.

Build upon the Lower Manhattan Shared Streets pilot project

Shared streets give priority to pedestrians with accommodation for vehicles needing local access. Having pedestrians, cyclists, cars, and trucks all traveling slowly through a common street space discourages traffic and has been shown to improve traffic safety. In conjunction with this year’s Summer Streets, DOT held a Shared Streets event covering 60 blocks of historic Lower Manhattan. Based on this successful test, DOT will explore expanding Shared Streets and holding additional pilot events in 2017..     

Conduct a seasonal pedestrian street pilot project

In collaboration with a supportive community, DOT will create a seasonal pedestrian- and cyclist-only street in the summer of 2017. Car and truck access will be accommodated through special regulations, potentially during off-hours. The pilot project will last several months and will be evaluated by DOT. 

Reduce emissions from private truck fleets in priority communities

The City and DOT are working to secure federal funding to replace another 100 trucks as part of the Hunts Point Clean Truck initiative (see the box above). DOT is also seeking to expand the program to other priority communities with high levels of truck activity.  

Test permeable pavement and concrete

In accordance with legislation passed by the City Council as part of Local Law 80 of 2013, DOT will test the effectiveness of permeable asphalt pavement and permeable concrete sidewalks. These surfaces allow the ground below the pavement or sidewalk to absorb a portion of storm water, reducing runoff into the sewer system. DOT will monitor the impact of these surfaces, determine maintenance needs, and consider a broader application of these materials.          

Develop intra-agency green infrastructure projects

DOT will develop green infrastructure elements within agency projects that will reduce the quantity of storm water runoff and help the City meet state and federal requirements for Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) areas, which have separate storm sewer and sanitary sewers.

Reduce emissions from the DOT vehicle fleet

As part of its NYC Clean Fleet initiative, the City is creating the largest municipal electrical vehicle fleet in the United States. DOT current operates 639 sedans, of which 53 are plug-in hybrids or fully electric vehicles. The agency plans to replace 50 percent of the sedans retired each year with plug-in hybrids or fully electric vehicles. The City is also exploring strategies to green the agency’s light and heavy-duty truck fleets.    

Shrink the environmental footprint and maximize energy efficiency of DOT’s 68 facilities

As part of its comprehensive facilities assessment (see Chapter 8: Organizational Excellence), DOT will conduct an energy audit, which will identify energy conservation measures for its facilities. This effort is part of the City’s 80 x 50 initiative. Conservation measures may include LED lighting, HVAC system upgrades, and solar panels, and will be implemented as energy efficiencies are identified.    

Enhance safety communication and training

DOT will publish a quarterly safety newsletter that shares best practices in safety among all units in DOT. We will also develop training profiles for specific roles to ensure that field staff members receive appropriate safety training throughout their careers. 

Conduct a comprehensive facilities assessment

DOT will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the conditions of its facilities. The assessment will be used to guide the agency’s preventive maintenance efforts and facility capital investments. The assessment will also include an energy audit, which will evaluate potential energy efficiency improvements.

Pilot a rotational program for DOT staff

DOT will develop and pilot a rotational management development program in which selected DOT employees can do work exchanges with other DOT units and divisions, gaining experience in planning, outreach, design, data analysis, and other fields.

Expand outreach to attract diverse employees

DOT will expand its outreach efforts regarding agency job openings and the civil service   exam process to groups under-represented at the agency. A closer relationship between Human Resources and the agency’s EEO/Diversity Office will allow us to identify appropriate publications and affinity groups to target.

Create an ambassador program for outreach and recruitment to schools, colleges, and universities

DOT's Recruitment Coordinator will work closely with the operating divisions to identify current employees who are recent graduates to expand the pool of individuals who can represent the agency at career fairs and other on-campus recruitment opportunities.

Learn from our peer cities across the globe

DOT will seek to learn from global best practices in peer cities worldwide as it advances its sustainable transportation agenda.

Streamline the procurement process

DOT is participating in a citywide effort to review and reform the current procurement processes. DOT will participate in ongoing pilots to compress the procurement timeline and add more predictability to the process, so that, among other improvements, the vendor pool is expanded and smaller vendors are better able to compete.

Re-launch the DOT website

The agency is in the process of conducting a comprehensive redesign of its website to make it more user friendly and to meet universal accessibility standards. The new site will include a web content management system that will allow for more timely updates.

Engage with the public in new venues

DOT will seek to engage the public outside of the project-specific review process to raise awareness of what we do and build relationships. These venues could include community events and non-transportation focused forums.

Employ surveys and other tools to measure user satisfaction and attitudes

DOT will explore opportunities to use surveys and other tools to measure changes in satisfaction of travelers over time and to better understand the needs and attitudes of the public towards potential changes or real world experience with the transportation system.

Develop public engagement resource guide for agency staff

Leveraging the agency’s deep institutional knowledge, DOT will develop an outreach resource guide documenting best practices from across the agency. The agency will also create a searchable in-house digital warehouse of public outreach materials, including presentations, talking points, and letters.

Better communicate project benefits and outcomes

Using new data sources and analytics tools, the agency will develop ways to better quantify the economic, health, and safety benefits of our projects and to communicate these benefits to the public.

Create an online map of agency projects

DOT is developing a public facing online map of agency projects and pending work already in our queue to let the public more easily review upcoming projects that might affect their lives. These maps will also link to new online forms for the public to submit inquiries directly to the agency.

Improve customer service for the disability parking permit program 

Beginning this summer, parking permit holders with permanent disabilities will be issued two-year rather than one-year permits. In addition, the hours for DOT’s parking permit customer service center have been extended, and the agency is working to simplify its application process.  

Streamline the contract payment process

As part of efforts to improve the agency’s procurement process, DOT has established a working group composed of the agency’s fiscal affairs, engineering audit, legal, IT, and operational units. To speed up contract payments by at least 20 percent, DOT will require concurrent reviews by different units, allow invoice adjustments to follow initial payments to contractors, transition more of the payment process to computer-based systems, and develop a new contract payment management system.

Streamline the change order approval process

Change orders can sometimes take a year to be approved, far longer than in the private sector. Moving forward, DOT will hold itself and its contractors accountable for meeting aggressive timelines in the change order process. The agency will improve change order tracking, better integrate our change order process with the new citywide procurement system, and continue efforts to expedite approvals from oversight agencies.