Action Alert: Get Your Car/Truck Out of My Bus Lane!

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Thursday, September 02, 2010

This action alert campaign is closed.

Get Your Car/Truck Out of My Bus Lane!

You can take action on this alert by reading the information below and following the directions at the bottom.

Issue

NYC Needs Bus Cameras To Help End Bus Lane Abuse

Background

Over the past 30 years, New York City bus ridership has increased by 53 percent. This has caused an increase in traffic congestion, due in part to vehicles other than buses utilizing bus-only lanes. In addition to slowing traffic, congested bus lanes cause vehicles to idle, releasing pollution into the air.

A bill in the state Legislature (S. 2709/A. 862) would create a program to improve New York City bus mobility by installing cameras to photograph vehicles using bus lanes. This will improve enforcement of bus-lane use and create more efficient bus service for residents and visitors.

New York City's initial experiments with limited Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on Fordham Road in the Bronx and 34th Street in Manhattan have been tremendously successful. The city is preparing to move forward with more BRT routes in the near future. This legislation will provide a critical component for the success of BRT by allowing the efficient ticketing of private motor vehicles that are illegally using traffic lanes dedicated for transit vehicles.

Improving the enforcement of laws meant to keep traffic flowing has multiple benefits for residents and the environment. Decreasing congestion will help ensure the safety of pedestrians and will allow drivers to reach their destinations more quickly. Improving traffic flow will also decrease the smog, global warming and acid rain that result from the release of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants from idling and slow-moving vehicles.

This legislation is restricted to 50 miles of BRT routes in New York City and specifies that the cameras can only be used between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Your message will be sent to each of the following targets:

Assemblymember Jonathan L. Bing
Assemblymember Sheldon Silver
Senator Malcolm A. Smith
Senator Martin M. Dilan
Your State Representative
Your State Senator

A sample message appears below, which you may edit before sending.

Pass A. 862/S. 2709 and Help End Bus Lane Abuse

Dear Assemblymember Bing,
Over the past 30 years, New York City bus ridership has increased by 53 percent. Unfortunately, there has also been an increase in traffic congestion, due in large part to vehicles other than buses utilizing bus-only lanes. In addition to slowing traffic, congested bus lanes cause vehicles to idle, releasing pollution into the air.

As a member of the New York League of Conservation Voters, I am urging the state Legislature to pass A. 862/S. 2709, which will create a program to improve New York City bus mobility by installing cameras to photograph vehicles using bus lanes.

Improving the enforcement of laws meant to keep traffic flowing has multiple benefits for residents and the environment. Decreasing congestion will help ensure the safety of pedestrians and will allow drivers to reach their destinations more quickly. Improving traffic flow will also decrease the smog, global warming and acid rain that result from the release of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and other pollutants from idling and slow-moving vehicles.

This law would improve enforcement of bus lane use and create a more efficient bus service and cleaner air for residents and visitors.

Thank you for your consideration.
Your name and address here

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