Motorists in New York City are prohibited from using dedicated bus lanes unless they are making right turns or picking up or dropping off passengers. The City operates cameras from 7:00am to 7:00pm on weekdays to monitor proper use of such lanes and impose monetary liability on those who fail to comply with bus lane restrictions. The bill would provide a “grace period” during the first and last five-minute period of such restrictions wherein motorists would not be subject to penalties resulting from images captured by a camera for utilizing bus lanes.
- Chaim M. Deutsch
- Jumaane D. Williams
- Fernando Cabrera
- Laurie A. Cumbo
- Rafael L. Espinal, Jr.
- Corey D. Johnson
- Peter A. Koo
- Karen Koslowitz
- Rory I. Lancman
- Antonio Reynoso
- Paul A. Vallone
- I. Daneek Miller
- Alan N. Maisel
- Mathieu Eugene
- Donovan J. Richards
- Rosie Mendez
- Deborah L. Rose
- Vincent J. Gentile
- Andy L. King
- Steven Matteo
- Eric A. Ulrich
- Filed (End of Session)
History
Int. No. 645
By Council Members Deutsch, Williams, Cabrera, Cumbo, Espinal, Johnson, Koo, Koslowitz, Lancman, Reynoso, Vallone, Miller, Maisel, Richards, Mendez, Rose, Gentile, King, Matteo and Ulrich
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to bus lane violations.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter one of title 19 of the administrative code of the city of New York section is amended by adding a new section 19-175.5 to read as follows:
§ 19-175.5 Bus lane violations. a. For the purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
1. "Bus lane restrictions" means restrictions on the use of designated traffic lanes by vehicles other than buses imposed on routes within a bus rapid transit demonstration program by local law and signs erected by the department pursuant to section 1111-c of the vehicle and traffic law.
2. "Designated bus lane" means a lane dedicated for the exclusive use of buses with the exceptions allowed under 4-08(a)(3) and 4-12(m) of title 34 of the rules of the city of New York.
3. “Photo device” means a device that is capable of operating independently of an enforcement officer and produces one or more images of each vehicle at the time it is in violation of bus lane restrictions.
b. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation, when bus lane restrictions are in effect on a street, it shall be an affirmative defense to a violation of such restrictions that such summons or notice of violation was issued pursuant to an image captured by a photo device up to five minutes after such photo device began operating for the day or up to five minutes before such photo device ceased operating for the day at the time such summons or notice of violation was issued.
§ 2. This local law shall take effect 90 days after enactment into law.
KET 1/26/15 11:30AM
LS 3532/2014