PlaNYC 2.0 Reactions: Kate Slevin, Tri-State Transportation Campaign

Streetsblog has been gathering responses to yesterday’s release of PlaNYC 2.0. This is the third installment. Read the first and second parts.

In a phone interview yesterday afternoon, Kate Slevin, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, shared her first impressions of the city’s revised sustainability plan…

On the diminished prominence of transportation compared to the first version of PlaNYC:

So much has been accomplished on the transportation front already, it’s not entirely surprising that transportation wouldn’t be front and center.

On what’s better in the revised plan:

We’re encouraged that they addressed freight, and the way it was addressed. That was a weak point in the original. They’ll be working with the Port Authority to shift more goods onto rail, especially by the 65th Street transfer station (in Brooklyn). Obviously bike-share is a huge project and would benefit the city in a big way if they do it properly.

On the details that are lacking:

The parking section was less specific than I’d hoped.

The shortfall in the MTA capital program is going to require contributions from the city and the state and will probably involve some sort of revenue stream.

On the big picture:

Overall, take a step back from this edition of the plan and think about how far the city has come. If you think back six years ago to where we are now, it’s just remarkable. The streets are much safer. The fact that there are now bus lanes with pre-paid fares is a major step forward. These are improvements that were delayed for years.

We’re not too far away from a discussion of the next mayoral campaign. Advocates are going to be watching closely whether the candidates commit to policies that advance sustainability. Announcing this version of PlaNYC helps move that discussion forward and serves as a guidepost for whoever’s running for mayor.