This bill, known as the Commuter Rail Employee Rights Protection Act, requires Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road to waive their legal immunity in lawsuits brought by employees or others. It mandates that these railroads comply with all existing federal laws covering employee safety, labor relations, retirement benefits, and discrimination. The changes apply to all current and future operations within New York state and are effective immediately.
Authorizes the Long Island rail road commuter's council to study technologies which would allow seamless communication between fire departments and the Long Island rail road to improve passenger safety and emergency response efficiency.
This bill, known as the New York State Parking Modernization and Housing Affordability Act, restricts local governments from mandating minimum off-street parking for new residential and commercial developments located near transit hubs. Specifically, it prohibits cities, towns, and villages from requiring parking spaces for projects within half a mile of subway, rail, ferry stations, or frequent bus stops, with the goal of lowering housing costs and supporting climate goals. While the law generally bans these mandates, it allows municipalities to require limited parking if they prove a shortage through a study, hold public hearings, and ensure the rules do not apply to affordable housing or small buildings. The state Department of Transportation will create maps to identify these transit-accessible areas, and the legislation includes protections for accessible parking and existing safety regulations.
Directs the department of transportation to construct and install safety gates at a certain railroad crossing in the village of Castleton-on-Hudson, county of Rensselaer within 2 years of the effective date.
Directs the department of transportation to construct and install safety gates at a certain railroad crossing in the village of Castleton-on-Hudson, county of Rensselaer within 2 years of the effective date.
Requires whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing where there is on-track equipment, the driver of such vehicle shall stop not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad, and shall not proceed until they can do so safely.
Directs the metropolitan transportation authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road, to establish a no fare program for transportation on the Long Island Rail Road for individuals in active military service of the United States and active duty members of the New York national guard, upon showing a military or national guard identification card.
Directs the metropolitan transportation authority, in consultation with the Long Island Rail Road, the New York city transit authority, and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company, to establish a no fare program for transportation on the Long Island Rail Road, the New York city transit authority, and the Metro-North Commuter Railroad Company for certain active duty, reserves, retired armed forces members, firefighters, and police officers.
Requires whenever any person driving a vehicle approaches a railroad grade crossing where there is on-track equipment, the driver of such vehicle shall stop not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad, and shall not proceed until they can do so safely.
Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in cities with a population of over one million; establishes a pilot program requiring the replacement of lighting in at least three high-density rail corridors; creates the infrastructure grant program for lighting urban rail stations and underpasses to provide matching grants to municipalities and transportation authorities that improve lighting in certain rail stations and underpasses; relates to the handling of complaints about lighting at urban rail stations and underpasses by the 311 customer service center; provides for the repeal of the pilot program upon the expiration thereof.
