DOT Begins Enforcement for Overweight Trucks on BQE

On November 9, 2023, Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced that the City will start to issue violations for its weigh-in-motion enforcement program that targets overweight trucks on the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE). In August, a 90-day warning period about the violations was launched. The program’s goal is largely to limit the wear and tear on the Expressway’s cantilever.



City Council Votes to Approve Additions to DOT Master Street Plan

On October 19, 2023, the City Council voted to approve Int. 1164A-2023. The bill was sponsored by Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers. This bill seeks to make additions to the Department of Transportation’s Master Street Plan by, in the words of Council Member Brooks-Powers, adding equity through “an investment roadmap to the streets plan law.”


DOT Announces Declines in Speeding, Injuries and Fatalities in Areas with Speed Cameras During First Year of 24/7 Enforcement

On August 28, 2023, the Department of Transportation announced the results following the end of the first year of 24/7 enforcement of speed cameras. Previously, speed cameras were only allowed to operate weekdays from 6 AM to 10 PM. Around-the-clock enforcement started August 1, 2022 after Governor Kathy Hochul signed the change into state law. The legislation was sponsored by State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblymember Deborah J. Glick. 



City Council Votes to Approve Outdoor Dining Plan

After a year and a half since the bill was introduced, the Council finally votes to create a permanent outdoor dining program. On August 3, 2023, the City Council voted to approve Int 31-C, which establishes a permanent outdoor dining program. The program will allow sidewalk cafes to operate annually and roadway cafes to operate seasonally, with removable furniture and decor replacing solid dining shed structures. The program follows the temporary outdoor dining program that <Read More>