NYC Council Introduction 619

intro.nyc/0619-2024 2024-2025 Legislative Session
Requiring the department of transportation to install bilingual street name signs
Status: Committee Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsored by Christopher Marte
Introduced: March 7, 2024

This bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a program to ensure each sign in Chinatown has the street name in Chinese and English. As part of such program, DOT would conduct a study to determine the Chinatown borders and then add the Chinese name of the street to each English only sign within the borders, and repeat such study every 50 years to reassess the borders and signs. This bill would also require DOT to replace any damaged bilingual street name sign in the City with a new bilingual sign, and enable a Council Member or the Public Advocate to request DOT add a street name in English and another language. In addition, this bill would require DOT to create and maintain a page on its website regarding bilingual street name signs, which would provide an online portal for Council Members and the Public Advocate to enter sign requests, a searchable map and a searchable database.