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A8309 • 2025

Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges

Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Karen McMahon
Last action
2026-05-11
Official status
In Senate Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges

Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges Requires the New York state bridge authority, the Thousand Islands bridge authority, the Nassau county bridge authority, the Ogdensburg bridge authority, and the New York state thruway authority to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges and provide a report to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, and the public a copy of such plan.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges Requires the New York state bridge authority, the Thousand Islands bridge authority, the Nassau county bridge authority, the Ogdensburg bridge authority, and the New York state thruway authority to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges and provide a report to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, and the public a copy of such plan.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-11 Assembly

    PASSED ASSEMBLY

  2. 2026-05-11 Assembly

    DELIVERED TO SENATE

  3. 2026-05-11 Senate

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

  4. 2026-05-07 Assembly

    ADVANCED TO THIRD READING CAL.463

  5. 2026-05-05 Assembly

    REPORTED

  6. 2026-05-01 Assembly

    AMEND AND RECOMMIT TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

  7. 2026-05-01 Assembly

    PRINT NUMBER 8309A

  8. 2026-01-07 Assembly

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

  9. 2025-05-13 Assembly

    REFERRED TO CORPORATIONS, AUTHORITIES AND COMMISSIONS

Official Summary Text

Requires certain public authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges
Requires the New York state bridge authority, the Thousand Islands bridge authority, the Nassau county bridge authority, the Ogdensburg bridge authority, and the New York state thruway authority to develop a feasibility study to promote bicycle and pedestrian access on bridges and provide a report to the governor, temporary president of the senate, speaker of the assembly, and the public a copy of such plan.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          8309

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                                  I N  A S S E M B L Y

                                      May 13, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  M.  of  A. McMAHON, SEAWRIGHT, SIMON, LUNSFORD, SMULLEN,
          SHIMSKY, LUCAS, SEPTIMO, KELLES, TAPIA, OTIS, JACOBSON, BORES,  DeSTE-
          FANO,  SHRESTHA, SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the Commit-
          tee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions

        AN ACT to amend the public authorities law,  in  relation  to  requiring
          certain  public  authorities to develop a feasibility study to promote
          bicyclist and pedestrian access on bridges statewide and  to  consider
          the impact of capital projects on bicyclist and pedestrian access

          THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
        BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

     1    Section 1. The public authorities law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
     2  section 543 to read as follows:
     3    §  543.  PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY.  1. THE AUTHORITY
     4  SHALL DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY  STUDY  TO  ANALYZE
     5  WAYS  TO  IMPROVE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON ROADWAY BRIDGES UNDER
     6  ITS JURISDICTION. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
     7    (A) IDENTIFICATION OF BRIDGES WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION THAT
     8  ARE SUITABLE FOR SAFE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS;
     9    (B) POTENTIAL CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR  AND/OR  EXPAND
    10  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES; AND
    11    (C) A REVIEW OF THE AUTHORITY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS IN EFFECT ON AND
    12  AFTER  JANUARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT
    13  OF SUCH PROJECTS ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS
    14  AND MODIFICATIONS TO SUCH CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS  THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR
    15  AND/OR EXPAND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES.
    16    2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORI-
    17  TY  SHALL  SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
    18  DENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  DETAILING  THE
    19  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  ACCESS  FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS
    20  SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE  PUBLIC  ON  THE
    21  AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.

         EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD06127-01-5
        A. 8309                             2

     1    § 2. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 593
     2  to read as follows:
     3    §  593.  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  FEASIBILITY STUDY. 1. THE AUTHORITY SHALL
     4  DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY TO ANALYZE WAYS  TO
     5  IMPROVE  BICYCLE  AND  PEDESTRIAN  ACCESS  ON  ROADWAY BRIDGES UNDER ITS
     6  JURISDICTION. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
     7    (A) IDENTIFICATION OF BRIDGES WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION THAT
     8  ARE SUITABLE FOR SAFE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS;
     9    (B) POTENTIAL CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR  AND/OR  EXPAND
    10  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES; AND
    11    (C) A REVIEW OF THE AUTHORITY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS IN EFFECT ON AND
    12  AFTER  JANUARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT
    13  OF SUCH PROJECTS ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS
    14  AND MODIFICATIONS TO SUCH CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS  THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR
    15  AND/OR EXPAND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES.
    16    2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORI-
    17  TY  SHALL  SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
    18  DENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  DETAILING  THE
    19  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  ACCESS  FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS
    20  SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE  PUBLIC  ON  THE
    21  AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.
    22    § 3. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 669
    23  to read as follows:
    24    §  669.  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY. 1. THE AUTHORITY
    25  SHALL DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY  STUDY  TO  ANALYZE
    26  WAYS  TO  IMPROVE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON ROADWAY BRIDGES UNDER
    27  ITS JURISDICTION. SUCH STUDY SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    28    (A) IDENTIFICATION OF BRIDGES WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION THAT
    29  ARE SUITABLE FOR SAFE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS;
    30    (B) POTENTIAL CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR  AND/OR  EXPAND
    31  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES; AND
    32    (C) A REVIEW OF THE AUTHORITY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS IN EFFECT ON AND
    33  AFTER  JANUARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT
    34  OF SUCH PROJECTS ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS
    35  AND MODIFICATIONS TO SUCH CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS  THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR
    36  AND/OR EXPAND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES.
    37    2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORI-
    38  TY  SHALL  SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
    39  DENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  DETAILING  THE
    40  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  ACCESS  FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS
    41  SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE  PUBLIC  ON  THE
    42  AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.
    43    § 4. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 718
    44  to read as follows:
    45    §  718.  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  FEASIBILITY STUDY. 1. THE AUTHORITY SHALL
    46  DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY TO IMPROVE  BICYCLE
    47  AND  PEDESTRIAN  ACCESS  ON ROADWAY BRIDGES UNDER ITS JURISDICTION. SUCH
    48  PLAN SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    49    (A) IDENTIFICATION OF BRIDGES WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION THAT
    50  ARE SUITABLE FOR SAFE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS;
    51    (B) POTENTIAL CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR  AND/OR  EXPAND
    52  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES; AND
    53    (C) A REVIEW OF THE AUTHORITY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS IN EFFECT ON AND
    54  AFTER  JANUARY  FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT
    55  OF SUCH PROJECTS ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS
        A. 8309                             3

     1  AND MODIFICATIONS TO SUCH CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS  THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  FOR
     2  AND/OR EXPAND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES.
     3    2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORI-
     4  TY  SHALL  SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE TEMPORARY PRESI-
     5  DENT OF THE SENATE, AND THE  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY,  DETAILING  THE
     6  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE  ACCESS  FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED PURSUANT TO THIS
     7  SECTION. SUCH REPORT SHALL BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO  THE  PUBLIC  ON  THE
     8  AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.
     9    § 5. The public authorities law is amended by adding a new section 390
    10  to read as follows:
    11    §  390.  PEDESTRIAN  BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY. 1. THE AUTHORITY
    12  SHALL DEVELOP A PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY  STUDY  TO  IMPROVE
    13  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON ROADWAY BRIDGES UNDER ITS JURISDICTION.
    14  SUCH PLAN SHALL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
    15    (A) IDENTIFICATION OF BRIDGES WITHIN THE AUTHORITY'S JURISDICTION THAT
    16  ARE SUITABLE FOR SAFE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS;
    17    (B)  POTENTIAL  CAPITAL  PROJECTS  THAT  WOULD ALLOW FOR AND/OR EXPAND
    18  BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES; AND
    19    (C) A REVIEW OF THE AUTHORITY'S CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS IN EFFECT ON AND
    20  AFTER JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FOUR, TO DETERMINE  THE  IMPACT
    21  OF SUCH PROJECTS ON BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND PROPOSE AMENDMENTS
    22  AND  MODIFICATIONS  TO  SUCH  CAPITAL PROGRAM PLANS THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR
    23  AND/OR EXPAND BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ACCESS ON BRIDGES.
    24    2. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION, THE AUTHORI-
    25  TY SHALL SUBMIT A WRITTEN REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE  TEMPORARY  PRESI-
    26  DENT  OF  THE  SENATE,  AND  THE  SPEAKER OF THE ASSEMBLY, DETAILING THE
    27  PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ACCESS FEASIBILITY STUDY CONDUCTED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
    28  SECTION.  SUCH  REPORT  SHALL  BE  MADE  AVAILABLE  TO THE PUBLIC ON THE
    29  AUTHORITY'S WEBSITE.
    30    § 6.  This act shall take effect immediately.