Issues: Transportation

The New York State Senate today passed the Bridge and Road Investment and Dedicated Fund Guaranteed Enforcement Reform Act, also known as the BRIDGE Reform Act. The bill (S.1071), sponsored by Senator Tom Libous, will ensure that the dedicated fund, originally enacted in 1991, will go towards rebuilding, replacing and reconditioning highways and bridges to improve the safety of drivers who travel them.  

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Lancaster High School students today joined State Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (59th District) and AT&T to raise awareness about the risks of texting while driving by encouraging all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can – and should – wait until after driving.

As part of AT&T’s national “Txtng & Drivng…It Can Wait” campaign, Lancaster High School students were shown a powerful 10-minute documentary, “The Last Text”, highlighting the devastating effects of texting and driving and were then given the opportunity to sign a commitment pledging to not text while driving.

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick), Chairman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee announced that the Committee approved legislation to help prevent wrong-way driving crashes on New York’s roadways.

     Under the legislation (S938, Senator Marcellino), the Department of Transportation would be required to create a program in consultation with the Department of Motor Vehicles to address wrong-way driving. The program would investigate the reasons for wrong-way driving crashes; examine what other states have done; set forth possible solutions; and implement measures to address wrong-way driving.

     Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) today announced that legislation he sponsors to raise penalties for drivers who intentionally avoid paying tolls on toll roads has been passed by the New York State Senate.

     Under current law, those who try to evade paying for other public transportation services, such as hopping a subway turnstile or jumping out of a taxi cab without paying, can be charged with theft of services, a class A misdemeanor. However, evading tolls on toll roads is not included under the law.

     The legislation (S4610) would give law enforcement the ability to charge toll dodgers with a class A misdemeanor under the state’s theft of services law.

Brooklyn – State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I, Brooklyn) has issued a letter to the Metropolitan Transit Authority asking that the S 93, that connects Bay Ridge to the College of Staten Island, be extended so it stops on the campus of the College of Staten Island, no longer leaving students and staff at the main gate left to walk a significant distance.

Senator Golden has received requests to ask the MTA/New York City Transit Authority to extend the S93 one additional stop, approximately ¼ of mile onto the campus, so to improve travel time and quality of service for those studying or working at the College.

Proposed Law Would Establish Teen Driver Safety Commission to Examine and Review Teen Driver Training Requirements & Causes of Crashes

     New York State Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick) announced that the New York State Senate recently passed legislation he supports to help prevent teen driving deaths and crashes.

     The legislation (S3546) would create a Teen Driver Safety Commission to examine ways to improve driver education and training programs so that teens are better prepared to handle the challenges they will face on the road.