Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has stirred alarm among New York City drivers by appointing car-hating Transportation Alternatives boss Ben Furnas to his transition team for transportation, climate, and infrastructure.
Furnas, known for his radical anti-car agenda, now has a direct line to shape city streets, sparking fears that driving in Gotham will become increasingly difficult.
Furnas’ group, which released its “full transportation agenda” earlier this month, calls for more than 80 sweeping changes.
Among the most controversial proposals are playgrounds built directly in the middle of city streets and converting those streets into cul-de-sacs to address a so-called “playground desert problem.”
The plan does not address how traffic would be rerouted, leaving drivers concerned about gridlock.
Transportation Alternatives also wants to implement “school streets” near every NYC school by restricting car access. Currently, only 72 of nearly 3,000 schools participate in such programs.
The group is pushing to expand busways to “every high-priority route,” a move residents fear will mirror the contentious bans on 14th Street and 34th Street.
Murray Hill resident Stacey Rauch, a daily bus rider, said the plan misses the point: “It’s like a cult — ‘cars are bad.’ Be reasonable and understand that sometimes people can’t live your puritanical, cultish indulgence of either always walking or biking.”
Furnas’ team also seeks to slash parking spots across the five boroughs, according to the New York Post.
Plans call to repurpose spaces near subway stations with amenities like larger sidewalks, bus shelters, bike parking, benches, “micro forests,” and public restrooms. Critics say the initiative will punish seniors, people with reduced mobility, and everyday drivers.
City Council Member Robert Holden of Queens warned the plans would endanger public safety and quality of life.
“If the Mamdani administration lets them continue to turn our neighborhoods into playgrounds in the middle of streets and wage war on drivers, it will be a disaster,” he said. He also criticized the rumored appointment of Ydanis Rodriguez, calling him “the worst DOT commissioner of all time.”
Furnas’ group also supports the return of pandemic-era outdoor dining shacks, expanded year-round with less restrictive rules for small businesses. Critics have pointed out the group’s ties to ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft, suggesting an agenda that prioritizes alternative transit at the expense of drivers.
Furnas tried to defend his proposals, claiming they would benefit drivers indirectly.
“When it’s easier and cheaper for more New Yorkers to get around by bus or bike, the reduction in traffic will make it quicker and safer for everyone who still has to drive,” he said. “Look at how successful congestion pricing has been for drivers: traffic is reliably flowing smoothly in Manhattan for the first time in our lifetimes. New Yorkers are saving valuable minutes every day on their commutes. Don’t you want some more time back?”
Despite these assurances, residents and critics remain skeptical. Many believe the new policies will create more gridlock, complicate commutes, and prioritize a niche activist agenda over the practical needs of everyday New Yorkers.
Furnas’ appointment signals a shift toward an aggressively anti-car city government, leaving drivers bracing for what could be a dramatic transformation of their streets under Mamdani’s administration.
