Through new legislation, Councilmember Alan Gerson is addressing issues affecting a couple of modes of transportation and street conditions, ranging from S.U.V.s and carriage horses to noisy metal street plates.
On the first point, earlier this week Councilmembers Gerson and Bill de Blasio released the results of a study showing the city could save more than $3 million a year by phasing out its fleet of sports utility vehicles and replacing them with more fuel-efficient cars. Gerson and de Blasio announced they are introducing legislation in the Council requiring the city to replace most of the S.U.V.s in its fleet.
Gerson is also drafting a bill to regulate the carriage horse industry. The horses used to be restricted to only going in or around Central Park, but now they are authorized to go all over Manhattan, putting them in harm’s way from car traffic.
Gerson also wants to insure the horses are treated humanely.
Also, a hearing will be held on Gerson’s bill on street plating, which would insure that metal plates put on the street over construction holes are properly baffled so that they don’t disturb residents’ sleep.
