Just hours after Mayor Eric Adams appointed Jessica Tisch as the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner, the two announced an $11 million investment in cleaner streets and improved mobility for the agency. As part of an effort to make streets cleaner across the five boroughs, alternate street parking will be fully restored beginning July 5, and in an effort to reduce the city’s carbon footprint, funding for year-round protected bike lane cleaning will make cycling an even more reliable mode of transportation for New Yorkers.
“We’re no longer just going to talk about cleaning up our streets or taking steps to fight climate change, but we’re going to actually put real money behind these initiatives and lead by example here in New York City,” Adams said. “To begin Earth Week, we’re committing $11 million to cleanliness and expanded mobility so that our city can come back stronger than ever. This announcement includes items that have been talked about for years, but we’re finally ‘Getting Stuff Done’ for our neighborhoods.”
This $11 million commitment will appear in the Fiscal Year 2023 executive budget to be released later this month. Tisch took over as DSNY commissioner following Ed Grayson’s retirement last week.
“Environmental justice begins at the street level, and clean streets are vital to vibrant neighborhoods and our city’s economic recovery,” Tisch said. “The nearly 10,000 DSNY employees, and I’m proud to count myself as one of them, are excited to be getting more of the tools we need to do our job of keeping the city healthy, safe, and clean.”
The full restoration of alternate side parking will allow DSNY’s mechanical brooms to do their jobs as the city’s most effective tools for street cleaning, sweeping litter from along the curb on thousands of miles of city streets. ASP had been partially suspended as a COVID-19 pandemic measure, and its restoration is not only part of a return to normal, but to a high level of street cleanliness, according to City Hall.
“Today’s very exciting announcements represent a set of critical steps in our city’s recovery and our city’s commitment to investing in innovative ways to ensure clean streets for all neighborhoods,” said Councilwoman Sandy Nurse, chair, Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management. “More importantly, the restoration of ASP is a welcome relief to communities that have faced an unprecedented increase in litter during the pandemic.”
The $11 million investment includes funding for both equipment and personnel to perform the year-round street cleaning on protected bike lanes and other narrow infrastructure.
“The investment in smaller bike-lane sized street sweepers is a win for cyclists, and I commend the mayor and the Department of Sanitation for this commitment,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said. “These smaller sweepers will allow the city to harden our bike lanes, making them less susceptible to car intrusion while also ensuring they are clean and clear of debris. This is an important step towards making our city more resilient and sustainable as we continue to encourage New Yorkers to ditch their private cars and take bikes, buses, and trains to work.”
DSNY will begin piloting sweeping operations this summer using a fleet of 10 Micromobility Operations Machines (MOMs), similar to the ones used to plow bike lanes effectively during the winter. DSNY will have several dozen of these units in two different sizes by the end of next year.
“Today’s announcement is a great way to kick off Earth Week by delivering cleaner and more efficient streets to New Yorkers,” DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. “I thank Mayor Adams for his leadership on climate and sustainability matters and look forward to New Yorkers enjoying clear bike lanes and cleaner streets. And I welcome new Sanitation Commissioner Jessica Tisch as DOT continues our partnership with DSNY.”
