Q: What do you do when The Department of Buildings council member Spring 2011

James Oddo
a traffic light is out? Goes High Tech

A:
According to Section 1117 of The NYC Department of Buildings announced
the Vehicle and Traffic Law, that it will begin using Quick Response (QR) codes on
whenever you approach an all permits. This will allow New Yorkers to scan codes on
intersection with malfunctioning or unlit permits outside of building and construction sites with their 50th council district, staten island / Brooklyn
traffic signals, you are supposed to stop smart phones and get instant access to information related

How DOT
and treat the intersection as if it is being to that site. Smart Phone users can download a free “QR”
governed by an “All-Way” Stop Sign. Reader by going to the “App Store” on their
device and searching for “QR Readers.” Resurfacing New York City’s Streets
This law went into effect in November 2004.
The need for such a law became crystal clear during the blackout of 2003
Once installed, smart phone users will be
able to scan bar codes on construction sites. Source: NYC DOT
Rates Streets
when many motorists decided to not even slow down as they came upon In order to effectively, efficiently and
Example of a QR Code.  After a street is selected
intersections with unlit traffic signals. systematically maintain New York City’s
for resurfacing, DOT streets, each year the Department of Transpor-
Since this is a an issue for the State Legislature, Councilman Oddo turned to schedules the work in
the late John Lavelle, the former North Shore Assemblyman, to introduce
legislation to fix the problem. Lavelle was able to work in a bipartisan fashion
Fight Parking PLACE
STAMP coordination with other
tation evaluates the condition of a minimum
of 50% of streets citywide. NYC DOT’s Street
Tickets Online
HERE
to get the common sense legislation passed into law. streets in the vicinity Assessment Unit uses a GIS based system;
You may now fight parking tickets and some ECB summonses online instead of to maximize efficiency. this helps ensure that a portion of every
Councilman Oddo said, “I want to once again remind New Yorkers that community district’s streets are rated each year.
this law is on the books and that they are required to treat any intersection having to make a time-consuming trip to an in-person hearing. Online hearings This schedule is shared
with an unlit traffic light as an All-Way Stop Sign. This helps to keep all will allow you to enter a written defense and submit supporting materials, such as with utility companies Although the City Charter only requires 50%
photos, directly from your computer. Once submitted, the judge will send you the
motorists and pedestrians safer on our roads.”
decision via email for parking tickets or by regular mail for ECB tickets.
to allow them to con- of the city’s streets to be assessed annually, most
§ 1117. Traffic-control signals; malfunction. Except when directed to proceed You may go to the following sites to contest tickets: duct their planned work years over 90% of NYC’s streets are assessed.
by a police officer, every operator of a motor vehicle approaching an intersec- http://nycserv.nyc.gov/NYCServWeb/NYCSERVMain (parking tickets) in the area before DOT Street Assessment inspectors assess the level
tion governed by a traffic-control signal which is out of service or otherwise http://www.nyc.gov/html/ecb/html/respond/one-click.shtml (ECB violations) repairs the roadway.
malfunctioning shall stop in the manner required for stop signs set forth in of distress on individual city streets or blocks
DOT is then able to mill
section eleven hundred seventy-two of this title, and proceed according to the # and pave the street.
and assign a corresponding rating on a scale of
1-10 (1 being the worst and 10 being the best).
rules of right of way for vehicles set forth in article twenty-six of this title.
Do you want to stay updated on local issues? Street distress includes cracking, patching,
Milling is the process of surface peeling, raveling (wearing away) or rut-
Join Councilman Oddo’s E-mail List! grinding existing asphalt from ting. This rating scale was developed by staff at
Simply email Councilman Oddo at joddo@council.nyc.gov or clip a roadway. This process al- DOT working with a panel of 13 City and State
and mail this form to: Councilman Jim Oddo, 900 South Avenue, lows the street to maintain its current Once a street has been resurfaced, experts. The Street Assessment process survey
Suite 403, Staten Island, NY 10314 grade. In order to reduce waste and restrictions are put in place, limiting the includes an audit and cross-checking process
keep New York City’s streets sustainable, ability of utilities to cut into the resurfaced to ensure the integrity of the ratings.
Name: the ground existing asphalt, known as street, requiring more stringent restora-
Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is tion requirements and guaranteeing the The rating of the street is used in determining
used to make new asphalt; this reduces work for a longer period of time (five years what streets will be repaved in a given year.
Councilman Oddo stands with Assemblyman Michael Cusick and Email Address: DOT also takes into account other work sched-
the late Assemblyman John Lavelle in Albany. the need for new material and reduces the instead of 18 months).
amount of waste entering landfills. All uled in the area and requests from community
milled streets are reopened to traffic the boards, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
same day work is completed. RESURFACING FACTS Source: NYC DOT
AND FIGURES:
Paving the milled roadway is the next
joddo@council.nyc.gov
Fax: (718) 980-1051 step in the process. Usually streets are  1,006.78 lane miles of road was
resurfaced citywide in Fiscal Year
Phone: (718) 980-1017 paved approximately two weeks after (FY) 2009, 828.87 in FY2010, and
Staten Island, NY 10314 they are milled; this enables DOT to 1,000 lane miles are budgeted to
utilize its resources effectively—sometimes be resurfaced citywide in FY2011.
(One lane mile is one linear mile
900 South Avenue, Suite 403
allowing utility work to be done on the
50th Council District, Staten Island / Brooklyn multiplied by 12 feet)
street prior to paving. Before street paving,
James Oddo notification of work is posted; vehicles
are relocated when necessary. Paved
 120.89 lane miles of road was
paved on Staten Island for
streets are also reopened to traffic the FY2009 and 119.16 in FY2010.
same day.
Council Spring 2011 council member  $2.4 million was received in
funding for resurfacing from Staten
New York City Following resurfacing, temporary Island’s City Council Members,
PAID markings are placed on the street for (used for contract milling and
U.S. Postage traffic flow and pedestrian safety before supervision on Staten Island)
Standard permanent markings are installed. in FY2010.
Presorted NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL • 250 BROADWAY • 30TH FLOOR • NY, NY 10007
See "Street Assessment Scale" on page 2 
Council member james s. oddo, 50th council district
 Continued from page 1
Street Assessment Scale
Street
Rating
Street Conditions
1
A street that is in the worst possible
condition: extreme deterioration of
pavement with extensive cracking,
poor patching, and potholes cover-
ing more than 75% of the pavement.
Streets with a “1” rating generally
need to be fully “reconstructed” rather
than repaved.
2 Street characterized by severe
distress including cracking, poor
patching, and potholes covering
more than 75% of the pavement.
The cracks may not be as wide open
or the patches as consistently poor
as for a street with a “1” rating.
3 A street with between 50% and 75%
of its area covered with defects.
Typical defects are patching, cracking,
raveling and surface peeling.
4
A street with 25% to 50% of its
area covered with defects such as
patching (often medium to poor
quality), cracking, raveling, and rutting.
5 A street with less severe distress
covering 25% to 50% of the street.
Typical distress includes patching,
cracking, and raveling.
6 A street characterized by moder-
ate distress over 10% to 25% of its
service area. Typical distress includes
patching, cracking (hairline to wide),
raveling, and rutting.
7
A street in good condition, with
minor distress covering 5% to 10%
of its area.
8 A street in good condition with
minor distress such as raveling,
cracking, or patching covering 5%
or less of its area.
9 A street in very good condition with
no observable distress. Usually such a
street is newly resurfaced.
10 A street in very good condition with
no observable distress and with curbs
in perfect repair. Usually such a street
is newly reconstructed.
Source: NYC DOT
The Following Programs
Is are Available
to Help Lower Individual
Coming To Town? Property Taxes
For more information on or applications
for these programs, please call Councilman
Oddo’s office at (718) 980-1017 or email
Councilman Oddo directly at joddo@
council.nyc.gov.
STAR - The New York State School Tax
Relief Program. There are two types of
STAR benefits: Basic and Enhanced. In both
cases, the property must serve as the owner's
primary residence. This means you must live
in the house, condominium, or cooperative
One major American retailer that has been conspicuously absent from apartment more than six months a year.
New York City has been Walmart. Worldwide, Walmart has more than 8,400
Basic STAR is available to owner-
retail stores in 15 countries, had FY 2010 sales of $405 billion, and employees
occupied properties. There is no age limit.
approximately 1.4 million employees in the US.
Annual adjusted gross income must be
Opponents have vowed to fight to prevent them from opening stores in New $500,000 or less. (Previously there was no
York. Critics argue that the salaries and benefits for Walmart employees are income limit.) Most homeowners who have
too low and that they lead to the closing of small businesses. Basic STAR save about $200 a year on their
NYC property taxes.
Supporters of Walmart argue that New York City consumers are hurt because
Enhanced STAR Seniors, age 65 or
they do not get to enjoy the same low prices as residents of other communities.
over as of December 31 of the exemption
# year who have an annual adjusted gross
How do you feel about Walmart?
income of $79,050 or less, may be entitled
to another tax reduction through Enhanced
STAR. This program offers a savings of
Are you in favor of Walmart opening stores in New York City? about $400 per year.
Veteran Exemption
Yes_____, No_____, Not Sure_____
A qualified veteran is one who served in
Within the past year, have you shopped at a Walmart store the armed forces during one of the follow-
outside of New York City? ing periods of conflict:
Yes_____ or No_____ • Persian Gulf Conflict
(beginning August 2, 1990)
If yes, which location? _________________________________ • Vietnam War
____________________________________________________ (February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975)
If you oppose Walmart, what is the main reason(s) for your • Korean War
(June 27, 1950 to January 31, 1955)
opposition? __________________________________________
____________________________________________________ • World War II
____________________________________________________ (December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946)
Name _______________________________________________ The property must be the primary resi-
dence of the applicant(s). This means
Address _____________________________________________
you must live in the house, condominium,
Email _______________________________________________ or cooperative apartment more than six
months a year.
Clip and mail back to Councilman Jim Oddo, 900 South Avenue, Suite 403,
Staten Island, NY 10314 or email joddo@council.nyc.gov. For more information on services
for veterans please go to:
 For different perspectives on this issue, see:
http://www.walmartnyc.com (pro-Walmart)
www.nyc.gov/veterans.
http://www.walmartfreenyc.com (anti-Walmart) Source: www.nyc.gov/dof
Spring 2011
Attention!
You are
entitled
Senior Citizens: to a free
copy of
You Might be Eligible for your credit
a Reduced Fare MetroCard report once
If you are 65 years of age or a year
older or have a qualifying
disability, you may be eligible The Fair Credit Reporting Act
(FCRA) requires each of the
for a reduced fare Metrocard.
nationwide consumer reporting
companies — Equifax, Experian,
Reduced-fare benefits are
and TransUnion — to provide you
available on: with a free copy of your credit report.
 MTA New York City Transit subways
and local buses
Q: How do I order my free report?
A: The three nationwide consumer
 MTA Bus
reporting companies have set up a
 NYC Transit and MTA Bus express
buses offer reduced fares during
central website and a toll-free telephone
number through which you can order
non-rush hours only your free annual report. To order, visit
www.annualcreditreport.com,
 MTA Long Island Bus or call 1(877) 322-8228
 MTA Long Island Rail Road and the
MTA Metro-North Railroad anytime
except weekday rush hours to New York *** Please note, it is free to gain
access to your credit report on
City terminals
www.annualcreditreport.com once
 For an application, please call:
Councilman Oddo’s office at
every twelve months. If you want
your credit score, you will have
(718) 980-1017, email him directly an opportunity to purchase it after
you receive your free credit report.
at joddo@council.nyc.gov, or go to
http://www.mta.info/nyct/fare/rfabout.htm.
Getting Busy on the “BIS” System
BIS stands for the “Buildings Information System,”
the New York City Department of Buildings’ database that
provides real-time information to anyone with internet access.
The system provides profiles of all properties within New
York City, including the zoning rules, permits issued and in
the process of being issued, complaints made, construction
application information, DOB inspection information,
and other important and useful information.
It is a useful starting point for those who wish to
research a particular property to determine compli-
ance with all rules and regulations and it is also helpful for
homeowners who wish to locate information about their own property.
Log on at http: //www.nyc.gov/html/dob/ and start getting busy on BIS.