Establishes the urban rail station and underpass lighting act to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in cities with a population of over one million; establishes a pilot program requiring the replacement of lighting in at least three high-density rail corridors; creates the infrastructure grant program for lighting urban rail stations and underpasses to provide matching grants to municipalities and transportation authorities that improve lighting in certain rail stations and underpasses; relates to the handling of complaints about lighting at urban rail stations and underpasses by the 311 customer service center; provides for the repeal of the pilot program upon the expiration thereof.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9619
IN ASSEMBLY
January 21, 2026
___________
Introduced by M. of A. HOOKS -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Transportation
AN ACT to establish an urban rail station and underpass lighting pilot
program; to amend the transportation law, in relation to establishing
an infrastructure grant program for lighting urban rail stations and
underpasses; to amend the administrative code of the city of New York,
in relation to the handling of complaints about lighting at urban rail
stations and underpasses by the 311 customer service center; and
providing for the repeal of certain provisions upon the expiration
thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "urban rail
2 station and underpass lighting act (URSULA)".
3 § 2. The legislature finds that insufficient lighting under elevated
4 train stations and rail underpasses creates safety hazards, contributes
5 to higher crime rates, and impairs accessibility for pedestrians,
6 cyclists, and motorists. Modern, energy-efficient lighting can reduce
7 these risks, enhance visibility, and improve community well-being.
8 In particular, corridors such as Roosevelt Avenue beneath the 7 train
9 demonstrate the urgent need for comprehensive and uniform lighting
10 solutions. These areas are heavily trafficked, commercially vital, and
11 often cited by residents and businesses as unsafe due to inadequate
12 lighting.
13 § 3. Urban rail station and underpass lighting pilot program. 1. The
14 commissioner of transportation, in consultation with the metropolitan
15 transportation authority, shall establish and implement a pilot program
16 to improve lighting in rail stations and underpasses located in cities
17 with a population of over one million.
18 2. The pilot program shall include at least three high-density rail
19 corridors within two years of the effective date of this act, with
20 priority to be given to Roosevelt Avenue under the 7 train. Selected
21 corridors shall receive new lighting which is in compliance with
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13833-02-6
A. 9619 2
1 nationally recognized safety standards, including those of the Illumi-
2 nating Engineering Society (IES) or equivalent standards.
3 (a) Lighting provided pursuant to this pilot program shall be either:
4 (i) continuous Wabash-style lighting along the underside of elevated
5 structures; or (ii) pedestrian-scale lighting posts at intervals not to
6 exceed twenty-five feet for underpass spans and fifteen to twenty feet
7 for pedestrian pathways.
8 (b) When selecting light fixtures to be installed pursuant to such
9 pilot program, priority shall be given to LED, solar-powered, or other
10 sustainable technologies.
11 3. The department of transportation, in conjunction with the metropol-
12 itan transportation authority shall conduct regular inspections of sites
13 selected for participation in this pilot program to ensure compliance
14 with safety standards.
15 4. Within three years of the effective date of this section, the
16 department of transportation shall submit a report to the legislature
17 detailing the results of such pilot program and making recommendations
18 regarding the expansion of such program. Such report shall include
19 information on crime reduction, pedestrian safety, community feedback,
20 and cost-effectiveness.
21 § 4. The transportation law is amended by adding a new section 15-d to
22 read as follows:
23 § 15-d. Infrastructure grant program; lighting urban rail stations and
24 underpasses. 1. There is hereby established within the department an
25 infrastructure grant program to provide matching grants to munici-
26 palities and transportation authorities that improve lighting in rail
27 stations and underpasses located in cities with a population over one
28 million by installing new lighting which is in compliance with
29 nationally recognized safety standards, including those of the Illumi-
30 nating Engineering Society (IES) or equivalent standards.
31 (a) Lighting provided pursuant to this program shall be either: (i)
32 continuous Wabash-style lighting along the underside of elevated struc-
33 tures; or (ii) pedestrian-scale lighting posts at intervals not to
34 exceed twenty-five feet for underpass spans and fifteen to twenty feet
35 for pedestrian pathways.
36 (b) Priority shall be given to lighting projects that prioritize the
37 use of LED, solar-powered, or other sustainable technologies.
38 2. Participation in the grant program shall be voluntary and subject
39 to local budget appropriations.
40 3. Participating municipalities may allocate a portion of existing
41 transportation or infrastructure funds to qualify for matching grants
42 pursuant to this section.
43 4. The department of transportation, in conjunction with the metropol-
44 itan transportation authority, shall conduct regular inspections of
45 sites selected for participation in the grant program to ensure compli-
46 ance with safety standards.
47 5. Provided that partnership agreements, sponsorships, or shared cost
48 models are not prohibited by any other law, rule, or regulation to the
49 contrary, nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit private
50 entities, including but not limited to energy providers, developers, and
51 other stakeholders, from entering into partnership agreements, sponsor-
52 ships, or shared cost models with municipalities for the purpose of
53 improving lighting in rail stations and underpasses.
54 § 5. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by
55 adding a new section 23-315 to read as follows:
A. 9619 3
1 § 23-315 Urban rail station and underpass lighting complaints. a. The
2 department of information technology and telecommunications, in consul-
3 tation with the department of transportation and the metropolitan trans-
4 portation authority shall implement and maintain through its 311 custom-
5 er service center, mobile device platform, and any other platform that
6 the center routinely uses to accept complaints, the capability for the
7 public to file a complaint under the category of "urban rail station and
8 underpass lighting". Such department of information technology and tele-
9 communications shall collect the complaint details and documentation set
10 forth in subdivision b of this section and send any such complaint and
11 documentation to the department of transportation and the metropolitan
12 transportation authority.
13 b. A person submitting a complaint under the category of "urban rail
14 station and underpass lighting" shall have the ability to submit the
15 following documentation with such complaint:
16 1. Photographic evidence supporting such complaint;
17 2. Information relating to any accidents or injuries that have
18 occurred at a specific location as a result of inadequate lighting; and
19 3. The address or a description of the location which clearly identi-
20 fies the exact location of the urban rail station or underpass which is
21 inadequately lit.
22 § 6. The commissioner of transportation shall promulgate rules and
23 regulations for the implementation of this act within one year of the
24 effective date of this section.
25 § 7. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
26 law; provided, however, that section three of this act shall expire five
27 years after such effective date when upon such date the provisions of
28 such section shall be deemed repealed. Effective immediately, the addi-
29 tion, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for
30 the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to
31 be made and completed on or before such effective date.
