The newly elected mayor, Mayor‑elect Zohran Mamdani, is poised to overhaul how residents move through New York City, and the changes could spell difficulty for many drivers.
Transportation Alternatives’ director, Ben Furnas—known for his outspoken opposition to cars—joins the administration’s transportation, climate and infrastructure steering committee. His group presented a comprehensive plan just weeks before the election, laying out more than 80 items that envision dramatic shifts in how streets are used.
Among the most striking proposals is the idea of inserting playgrounds directly into the middle of busy avenues, which would then be transformed into cul‑de‑sacs. The plan frames this as a way to address New York’s “playground desert problem,” yet it offers no clear strategy for rerouting the traffic that would otherwise flow through those same blocks.
The blueprint also calls for establishing “school streets” by closing up traffic near every city school. While only 72 of the roughly 3,000 schools currently use such limits, the plan envisions a citywide rollout. Transportation Alternatives is also pushing for dedicated bus lanes along every major route, echoing previous, heavily debated proposals to ban cars from 34th Street—an initiative that even some bus riders have opposed.
During a community gathering in Murray Hill earlier this year, residents expressed worry that after banning cars on 14th and 34th Streets, the next target might be 42nd Street. The agency’s detailed agenda supports this fear, advocating for bus lanes “on every high‑priority bus route, as measured by factors including highest ridership and slowest speeds.”
“I’m fed up with headlines saying New York City buses are the slowest,” complained Stacey Rauch, a Murray Hill resident who relies on buses daily. “The issue isn’t the buses themselves; it’s the fact that they’re stuck behind cars. Senior citizens and people with limited mobility would be the real victims if these plans go forward.”
Furnas’s proposal also seeks to reduce parking across all five boroughs, converting those spaces into “amenities” such as wider sidewalks, larger shelters, bike racks, benches, small parks—sometimes dubbed “micro forests”—and public restrooms close to subway stations.
City Council member Robert Holden of Queens criticized the agenda, saying Transportation Alternatives has historically ignored the concerns of families, older adults, tradespeople, and small business owners.
He warned that if the new administration lets its team turn neighborhoods into street plazas and confront drivers head‑on, the city could suffer a significant blow to public safety, quality of life, and common sense. Holden also noted that the most unpopular transportation commissioner in recent memory, Ydanis Rodriguez, appears poised for a role under the new mayor, further signifying how dire the situation could become.
The group also proposes reinstating street‑dining “shack” zones for a year‑round program that would simplify permits and reduce regulatory burdens for small vendors.
The anti‑car movement, which has long influenced liberal city officials and supported companies like Uber and Lyft indirectly, now wields even greater influence through the administration’s staffing choices. The appointment of Furnas gives the agency a chance to overhaul the Department of Transportation with like‑minded advocates.
“I’m outraged,” said Rauch. “I supported Mamdani because he refused to accept PAC money. Why is he supporting special interest groups now?”
Additionally, Furnas brought in allies from Open Plans and the Riders Alliance—Sara Lind and Betsy Plum—to join the transition team.
Despite objections, Furnas pitched his plan as beneficial to drivers. “When it’s easier and less expensive for more New Yorkers to use bus or bike options, the resulting traffic reduction will speed up journeys for everyone who still drives,” he told reporters. “Consider how traffic‑pricing has already started to smooth traffic in Manhattan. Imagine how much time that could save each commuter.”
As of today, Mamdani’s team has not responded to the News Post’s request for comments.
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