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MOBILITYIntroduction44acres of paintedbus lanes since2007141acres of new bikelanes since 2007New York’s rapid population and economic growth during the1990s and 2000s presented City government with majorchallenges. Prosperity and vitality are obviously desirable,but how to improve the City’s basic systems, includingtransportation, while serving more people and activity?PlaNYC’s answer was to take much greater advantage of theCity’s historic orientation to walking and public transit.Although New York City’s renaissance was in largemeasure built upon the reconstruction of the subway systembeginning in the 1980s, there had been few City policiesput in place to reinforce and support this investment. TheBloomberg Administration changed that, taking active stepssuch as rezoning targeted areas to direct growth ratherthan respond to it after the fact. In transportation, PlaNYCemphasized improved performance and efficiency fromassets that had long gone overlooked, especially City streetsand NYC’s huge bus system.New York’s density makes it a natural walking and cyclingcity. These options are also strong complements to theCity’s public transit systems, provided people regard themas safe and convenient. NYCDOT’s work to implement thetransportation policies of PlaNYC have reinvented busservice, made bicycling a mainstream option for navigatingthe City and made pedestrians the focus of traffic planningand engineering. Delivering these results and implementing“complete streets” that safely and efficiently promote thetravel of bus riders, cyclists, pedestrians and motorists hasrequired numerous design and engineering innovations.Sustainable Streets: 2013 and Beyond61