Mayoral candidate Eric Adams rode into Chelsea Tuesday morning on a Citi Bike to meet with his friends at Streets PAC and announce a key endorsement just days before early voting begins.
The alternative transportation organization has endorsed the likes of NYC Councilmembers Antonio Reynoso, Carlina Rivera and Ydanis Rodriguez, who were all present to promote the candidate’s Moving Forward Together Transportation Plan.
“Don’t be distracted by all the noise. Just stay focused on the pathway to City Hall. And that pathway is going to be lined with safe protected bike lanes,” Adams said in his remarks.
His plan includes safe and secure bike parking, faster implementation of the electric bus fleet, and expansion of fair fares. He also supports congestion pricing on public transit and wants to add 152 miles of bus lanes and 300 miles of protected bike lanes. His plan is focused on increasing access to alternative transportation for communities that are transit starved, and reducing the amount of traffic violence.
“Since 2014, 1,800 people have lost their lives on New York City streets, due to traffic blindness and crashes. That’s unbelievable,” Adams said.
The real tragedy, he added, is that a disproportionate number of these deaths come from Black and brown communities.
In New York City and across the country, Black people and residents in low-income areas are more likely to die in traffic accidents.
“I have close friends that won’t even ride their bikes because they’re so afraid. They’re so intimidated,” Adams said.
Streets PAC has a history of endorsing winning candidates and is dedicated to electing officials who support safe, liveable, and complete streets— “Complete” meaning that they provide accommodations for multiple types of transit, not just cars. Streets PAC Executive Director Eric McClure told PoliticsNY that candidates go through an extensive process including a questionnaire and interview.
“Sometimes they have to consider who can win and who can’t win, but it’s really a matter of somebody being really dedicated to safe space and better transit,” McClure said.
The other elected officials there, who were previously endorsed by Streets PAC, committed to working together to achieve these goals if Adams is elected as mayor.
Reynoso, the Democratic candidate to take Adam’s current seat as Brooklyn borough president, said, “Eric Adams is going to be able to rely on me to be at the forefront of installing and working on infrastructure that’s going to make this city safe for everyone.”
Though Adams is usually considered a moderate compared to Reynoso’s more liberal promises, they seem to be in line with each other on this issue and have much of Brooklyn’s support already.
Adams was also recognized for supporting an advocate’s initiative to build safe bike parking at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He helped Onnee founder Shabazz Stuart with his Navy Yard Beta.
“I can tell you that no one of us has a stronger friend and ally in the next mayor of New York City Eric Adams,” Stuart said.
