CITY COUNCIL

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
L Train Shutdown Candidate Forum
Sept. 6th, 2017

DISTRICT 2
Carlina Rivera:
As a pedestrian, motorist, and cyclist, I understand the challenges of sharing our roads
and sidewalks. Existing commuter options are too often inaccessible, packed to
capacity, and in need of improvement. Many of our neighborhoods are also suffering
from congestion. We need to take bold steps to address these issues while keeping in
mind residential and commercial tenants, and our most vulnerable populations. As
Council Member, I will include transportation as a priority and include:

L Train Alternatives: The City and MTA must do a better job informing the community of
how we redirect the tens of thousands of riders who use the L train everyday when it
shuts down in 2019. Dedicated mass transit lanes, bike lanes and curbside access are
measures to be explored district-wide.

Safety: I will work for better education, enforcement, clearer identification of bicycle
lanes, and mitigation efforts at busy intersections (particularly at turning lanes) to
prevent future collisions and fatalities on our streets. Citywide, multi-modal enforcement
of Vision Zero is key, as traffic calming measures and the impact of cycling should be
priorities in this initiative. Increased bike lanes and programs like CitiBike will require
better coordination efforts from agencies and advocates.

Subways and Buses: Select Bus Service, and ultimately the Second Avenue Subway,
must be expanded. The City will have to address MTA shortfalls and Albany must
recommit to its capital commitments and our overall needs. Service declines while fares
increase. The Fair Fares legislation and long-term thinking is important for equitable
solutions.

Mary Silver:
Reliable, diverse, and fully-functional transportation systems - including subways,
buses, ferries, bike lanes, pedestrian ways, and safe streets - are essential to the well
being of New York City. Unfortunately, our transportation systems have fallen victim to
political infighting and apathy. As the next City Council Member, I will work with my
colleagues in City Hall, and in Albany, to ensure that we have the funding necessary to
make major capital repairs, and expand transportation options. Investing in our
transportation systems is one of the best uses of taxpayer dollars.
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For 25 years I fought on a grassroots level for change in my community, with a record of
real results. I believe firmly in community-based solutions, and that is the approach that
I will bring to City Hall. We need to change the political landscape that allows for our
transportation systems to deteriorate. We must exact more from real estate developers
in the interest of building new schools and hospitals, improving subway stations and bus
stops, and investing in our parks. Our current representation pays lip service to these
issues, and then allows real estate developers to do as they please. New development
puts added pressure on our transportation systems, and we are not requiring
developers to invest in the neighborhoods that they significantly impact.

Local politics is more important than ever. This primary is an opportunity to elect new
leadership with a new focus. I will be a Council Member beholden only to the needs of
the people.

Jorge Vasquez:
The Lower East Side's transportation options are limited and systematically
disadvantage the residents of District 2. Those who work or reside in the LES have to
depend on unreliable bus service. If they need to add money to their MetroCards, it is
difficult to refill them conveniently since only subway stations and the occasional store
sell MetroCards.
For people with disabilities, it is imperative that we increase the number of stations with
elevators and improve the service of the elevators at the few stations which are already
equipped. Access-a-Ride service should be equally distributed throughout the city to
guarantee all those with disabilities equal access. Additionally, bus service for people
with disabilities should be enhanced by designated access-a-ride lanes.
Express lanes should also be enforced so that Select Bus Service can work as they
were designed to work.
We must be proactive in our natural disaster prevention plans to ensure that the
problems with the L train don't repeat. In dealing with the L train shutdown, as it stands,
we need to increase Select Bus Service over the Williamsburg Bridge and hold the city
to its pledge of ferry service.
As we deal with the MTAa state Authoritywe must lobby as a city to form solutions
that we know will work for our city.

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DISTRICT 4
Vanessa Aronson:
My vision for transportation in NYC is that all residents have access to safe, reliable,
and accessible transportation options. People using wheelchairs and walkers, as well as
parents with strollers, should be able to access all aspects of city life, and all New
Yorkers should be able to rely on a safe and efficient transportation system. I have
been a fierce advocate for accessible transportation in NYC. Currently, the city is falling
far behind, with less than 25% of subway stops accessible to people with ambulatory
disabilities. Access-a-ride, the CItys stopgap to the out-of-date system, is inefficient and
unreliable. Since well before the Summer of Hell transportation crisis began, I have
also been demanding that our state and local officials practice leadership and start
holding the MTA accountable for maintaining and updating its aging infrastructure.
Billions of dollars from the City to the MTA Capital Plan are being spent irresponsibly,
without oversight. When the L train closes in 481 days, I envision a dynamic 14th street
PeopleWay with a wide pedestrian promenade, ample space for bicycles, and a free,
efficient shuttle bus running across Manhattan, safely and reliably delivering commuters
to their next subway or bus connection.

Maria Castro:
Maria Castro, candidate for the New York City Council in District 4. A New Yorker since
1970, brought to the US as a child. A Single mother of 2 young adults and the proud
grandmother of 4.

She entered this this race Inspired by the current state of political affairs which
threatens our democratic values and disunites us.

Most recently watching the "Quality of Life" in our district spiral downwards; is what has
driven her to want to use her business and life experiences earned over the past 35
years, while working alongside the Koch, Dinkins, Bloomberg and deBlasio
Administrations, bringing solutions to the issues affecting us every day New Yorkers
and making government work for you!

Maria has many qualities that set her apart from the other 8 candidates in this race, as
the only woman of color, the only immigrant, the only mature female candidate, the only
one with more than 3 decades of experience in running businesses, community
projects, raising a family, and staying politically active.
Maria is not a Dreamer as the Immigration rules were much more flexible upon her
arrival 47 years ago; however if you elect her it will fulfill the American Dream for her
an all the immigrants and would reassure that all is possible and that Si se puede
and that we all should dare to lead the dream, as she will be fulfilling her very own
American Dream when elected to represent you. [Edited for brevity]

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Rachel Honig:
The City-That-Never-Sleeps does so on the backbone of its transportation system. This
system today is under great stress, especially in Dist. 4.

As we progress with the addition of bike lanes, bus lanes, and other alternatives, we
also create stress on the flow of our streets and must evaluate safe and efficient
movement throughout the city and the region.

I strongly advocate use of bicycles as a green and efficient mode of transportation in the
city. As we seek to expand bike usage, which I strongly support, we must also consider
the safety of residents and the enforcement of traffic rules. I envision a city where bikes
travel freely on protected bike lanes on all major thoroughfares, but adhere to the rules
of the road. I support a version of the Idaho Law that will make and implement stronger
traffic rules for bicyclists.

Congestion is a significant concern in my district and throughout the city and I envision
a city where cars are moving, rather than idling. I envision stricter idling laws,
implementing programs like Park Smart 2.0, and exploring creative solutions like
congestion pricing in the MoveNY project. The MTA and the TLC must improve
accessibility of subways and taxis by helping them find the funding for it and by making
real-estate developers contribute to improving public infrastructure near their projects.
Similarly, the concern of the impending L train shutdown can be addressed by creating
a new M14-SBS route, and increasing its frequency along with M23-SBS and M15-SBS
routes.

Jeffrey Mailman:
Having a reliable and accessible mass transit system is essential for the City to continue
to thrive. I will advocate for increased funding to upgrade the subway system's
infrastructure, to expand both the 2nd Avenue subway and ferry service along the East
Side and to create light rail transportation options.

With respect to District 4, pedestrian safety, the impending L-train shutdown, and the
frequency of bus service are matters of great concern. I will advocate for more traffic
agents at congested intersections to aid in enforcement of traffic violations and to
manage traffic flow. I believe we need more sheltered bus stops and have to make sure
that timely repairs are made to fix broken escalators and elevators in subway stations to
ensure that seniors and families can comfortably use the subway. To accommodate the
250,000 commuters that will be affected by the L-train tunnel repairs, I would work with
the DOT, community boards, and transportation experts to create a plan to increase bus
and subway service and to reconfigure streets as needed.

Keith Powers:
My vision for public transportation is an interconnected system that is affordable,
reliable, and accessible. Public transportation is not just buses and subways, but also
bicycles, waterways, and sidewalks. We have to commit to a long-term investment in
transportation rather than performing just basic maintenance.

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My citywide priorities: creating long-term revenue streams to help stabilize the MTA,
solving traffic congestion by passing MoveNY, working to expand the accessibility of
both our streets and public transportation systems, addressing transportation deserts
and last mile problems, and enacting the Fair Fares legislation to make riding the
subway more affordable.

In our district, my top priorities are finding innovative strategies to address the L-train
shutdown like the PeopleWay, ensuring the completion of the Second Avenue Subway,
protecting cyclists by addressing gaps in bike lanes on the Upper East Side, working
towards a solution to traffic congestion in Midtown, and bringing countdown clocks to all
of our local bus stops.

Barry Shapiro:
1. Outside of immediate area:
One L-train function is to connect people to Lex IRT, BMT, IND, 7th Ave IRT & 8th Ave
lines.
Replace this function by publicizing:
Uptown use the 7 train, G, E & M train combinations to make connections.
Downtown: More difficult. There are G, J & M train combinations that might work. May
require special MTA fixes.

2. Within area but off 14th Street:

Encourage use of M21 (Houston St), M8 and M23 buses as alternatives (M23 in
particular for ferry arrivals).

3. On 14th Street:
Allow no private cars or taxis during AM & PM rush hours
Encourage deliveries to be made during evening or pre-AM rush hours.
Establish bike lanes if room is sufficient
Shuttle buses intensively in both directions during rush hours.
Establish police presence at all intersections to ensure flow & no violations.
Establish police enforcement patrolling to ensure flow and no violations.

4. Monitor and adjust on an ongoing basis.

Marti Speranza:
The way we travel around in this district and across the city is changing rapidly: weve
had a major public transit victory with the completion of the first phase of the 2nd
Avenue Subway and with the East Midtown Rezoning moving forward, we will see
transit infrastructure in Midtown expand to handle the projected increase in ridership. In
the southern part of the district, were grappling with the questions of what to do in the
face of the looming L Train shutdown: the PeopleWay offers a compelling solution on
how to move the displaced L train straphangers across the city and we need to explore
its impact on the neighborhood.

In every part of the districtand throughout the citywe need to fight for complete
streets and increased enforcement of traffic laws, especially by bike cops, who have a
better understanding of the needs of cyclists and pedestrians. For seniors, who make
up a large population of the district and are disproportionately injured and killed in car
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crashes, wider sidewalks and narrower streets will save lives. And with the community
guided expansion of Select Bus Service, protected bike lanes on arterial streets,
dedicated bus lanes, and Fair Fares, we can incentivize more community members to
get around the without the use of cars. Finally, we need to work with Albany to
implement some form of congestion pricing that empowers us to reinvest in our
roadways and subways!

DISTRICT 1
Because of a last-minute candidate cancellation District 1 candidates were not featured
at the forum.

Aaron Foldenauer:
I am proud to be identified by the Gotham Gazette as the environmental advocate in
the race for City Council in Lower Manhattan, because over-development, traffic, noise,
and waste accumulation in our neighborhoods have made our communities increasingly
unlivable. Ever since I was a newspaper boy on a bicycle for an evening newspaper in
my hometown, Ive been an avid fan of alternate, clean transportation.
Traffic has become increasingly congested in the City in recent years, which has been
exacerbated by the rise of Uber. This affects not only those riding in private vehicles but
also our mass transit options as well. In Lower Manhattan, buses move at a snails pace
and are often bunched together, thus discouraging residents from using our buses.
I propose restricting deliveries to businesses during peak travel times in the morning
and late-afternoon rush hours. This will not only reduce traffic for everyone but it will
also save trucking companies money, because they will spend less time stuck in traffic.
Furthermore, our mass transit infrastructure is crumbling and needs a complete
overhaul. Our career politicians have failed us. If mass transit were easily accessible
and reliable in all boroughs, New Yorkers could utilize trains and buses in lieu of their
cars, thus eliminating much of the congestion on the road today.

The forum event sponsors invited all candidates for City Council Districts
1, 2, 3 & 4 and do NOT support or oppose any candidate.