Q&A: Will The Bronx's New Council Member Take On Car Culture? - Streetsblog New York City

"With much of the district out of reach of the city's subway system, residents rely mostly on buses and personal cars to get around. A plurality of district residents, 46 percent, use personal cars to get to work, according to census data. Safe bike infrastructure is scarce, with just two protected bike lanes on the district's western edge, on the Bronx River Greenway and White Plains Road."

"Fortunately, since 2021 residents have been able to rent small electric stand-up scooters as part of the Department of Transportation's shared e-scooter program. Marmorato staunchly opposed the scooters - even as ridership numbers demonstrate their popularity among many of her constituents. She also used her role on the Council to keep costly parking mandates for housing developments at new Metro-North stations coming to the district, in the face of research that such mandates limit the amount of housing developers build and contribute to pollution and traffic congestion."

"Aldebol, who bested Republican Kristy Marmorato with 51.59 percent in their northwest Bronx district, is a far cry from her car-first predecessor. Speaking to Streetsblog on Thursday from the Somos political conference in Puerto Rico, Aldebol, the executive vice president of the 32BJ SIEU union, affirmed her support for year-round outdoor dining, protected bike lanes and improved bus service. "She wanted to get rid of those scooters," Aldebol told us. "I said, we can't get rid of the scooters! But we can do something about them being thrown around. People are really using them so we have to figure out a way.""

Shirley Aldebol won the northwest Bronx City Council seat with 51.59 percent, unseating Republican Kristy Marmorato. Much of the district lies beyond subway reach, so 46 percent of residents drive to work and buses and cars are primary modes. Protected bike infrastructure is limited to two protected lanes on the Bronx River Greenway and White Plains Road. Since 2021 residents have been able to rent small electric stand-up scooters through the Department of Transportation's shared program. Marmorato opposed the scooters and maintained costly parking mandates at new Metro-North stations, while Aldebol supports year-round outdoor dining, protected bike lanes, and improved bus service.

Read at Streetsblog