Christine Berthet

Christine Berthet, a former Chair of Manhattan Community Board 4, serves as Co-chair of its Transportation Committee. She chairs the Planning Committee of the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance Business Improvement District.

Fifteen years ago, Ms. Berthet co-founded CHEKPEDS, a non-profit organization to improve safety and reduce traffic congestion on the West Side of Manhattan. CHEKPEDS worked with NYC DOT, Port Authority, NYPD and elected officials to redesign traffic flows on the West Side and obtain crucial safety improvements.

Ms. Berthet has contributed to various Citywide efforts to improve transportation; in 2010, she gathered a coalition that produced a report on the intercity bus industry, the passage of an intercity bus State law, and creation of numerous parking spaces for this critical industry.

Ms. Berthet campaigned for an idle-free New York to reduce idling and improve air quality, which resulted in legislation limiting idling time around schools. She led teams of residents to measure air quality on the West Side. She also contributed to the 2019 NYC Master Plan legislation to dedicate more street space to pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders. She is part of the Penn Station complex Community Advisory Committee – Working Group, and the Port Authority Bus Terminal replacement working group. CHEKPEDS is currently a partner of the New York City Department of Sanitation to address the piles of garbage located on the sidewalk and move them to the curb.

Ms. Berthet lectures at the Earth Institute of Columbia University and trains community board members on transportation planning as part of the Borough President's annual training program. She serves on the boards of Transportation Alternatives and Open Plans Streetsblog.

Born in Oran, Algeria, Ms. Berthet experienced civil war before immigrating to France as a refugee. She started as a Systems Engineer at IBM after getting an MBA from HEC France, and moved to New York City in 1980. She has held executive positions in technology and financial industries, running start-ups, and has worked with global companies.

Presently, Ms. Berthet works part time at Sunnyside Records, her family-owned, independent jazz label.