BILL NUMBER: S9749
SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to requiring the consider-
ation of complete street design for certain transportation projects
which receive federal or state funding
 
PURPOSE:;
This bill would expand the state's current complete street design prin-
ciples policy to include all state, county and local transportation
projects that are undertaken by the New York State Department of Trans-
portation (DOT) or receive federal, state or both federal and state
funding. DOT would be directed to compile and make publicly available
design guidance and reference materials related to consideration of
complete street design.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one: amends Subdivision (a) of section 331 of the highway law.
Section two: sets the effective date
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Chapter 398 of the Laws of 2011 established in New York State Law a
complete street design policy that was intended to provide a safe and
cost-effective way to facilitate access and improve mobility for pedes-
trians, cyclists, mass transportation riders and motorists. Ultimately,
the law established a policy that would consider the needs of all users
of our roads, encourage planning, design, construction, reconstruction
and rehabilitation to benefit a variety of citizens, encourage sustaina-
ble communities and thus would improve air quality, decrease traffic
congestion and preserve our natural assets.
The current law, however, hampers its own application due to language
that only requires the complete street design principles on transporta-
tion projects undertaken by the DOT or that receive both federal and
state funding. Instead of being an all-encompassing policy that would
provide for widespread application at all levels of transportation
projects, truly impacting pedestrians, cyclists, mass transportation
riders and furthering the state's commitment to climate leadership
actions, its limited scope has allowed for transportation projects not
receiving both federal and state funding to go forward and be completed
without this holistic planning and construction approach. This has
caused many communities who would have likely included non-motorized
transportation options, such as walking or bicycling, out of the plan-
ning and construction of their transportation projects.
This legislation will expand the state's current complete street design
principles policy to include all state, county and local transportation
projects that are undertaken by the DOT or receive federal, state or
both, federal and state funding.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
S.131: 2025-2026 (S. Ryan)
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it
shall have become a law

Statutes affected:
S9749: 331 highway law