Mayor-Elect Zohran Mamdani’s New Hire Could Turn Driving in NYC Into a Nightmare
Drivers in New York City might want to buckle up — things are about to get bumpy. Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has tapped outspoken anti-car advocate Ben Furnas, head of Transportation Alternatives, to help shape his incoming administration’s transportation, climate, and infrastructure agenda. And critics say his plans could make life behind the wheel in the Big Apple downright miserable.
Furnas’ appointment was announced this week, but his group was already way ahead: earlier this month, Transportation Alternatives dropped an 80-plus-item wish list for Mamdani’s team. And some of the proposals are raising eyebrows — hard.
Among the most controversial: turning parts of city streets into playgrounds, then redesigning them into cul-de-sacs to fix what the group calls a “playground desert problem.” Missing from the plan? Any explanation of how traffic would actually be rerouted.
The group also wants “school streets” — car-free zones outside every NYC school. Right now only 72 of nearly 3,000 schools have them. And they’re pushing for busways on every major route, echoing the hotly debated 34th Street plan that even bus riders have protested.
Residents in Murray Hill already fear their neighborhood could be next. After 14th Street and now 34th Street, locals worry 42nd Street may soon be targeted — and Transportation Alternatives’ new blueprint doesn’t exactly calm those nerves. It explicitly calls for busways on routes with the slowest speeds and highest ridership.
“I’m sick of hearing that buses are slow,” said Murray Hill resident Stacey Rauch. “The problem is that we don’t have enough buses — not that cars exist.” She blasted the anti-car agenda as “cultish,” arguing it will hurt seniors and New Yorkers with limited mobility. “He might think he’s doing good, but his own grandma probably wouldn’t be thrilled.”
Transportation Alternatives also wants to slash parking spots across all five boroughs and “repurpose” the space near subway stations with wider sidewalks, bike racks, bus shelters, benches, “micro-forests,” and even public restrooms.
Queens Council Member Robert Holden didn’t mince words. He accused the DOT and Transportation Alternatives of ignoring the needs of families, seniors, workers, and small businesses.
“If Mamdani lets them turn neighborhoods into street playgrounds and wage war on drivers, it’ll be a disaster for safety, quality of life, and basic common sense,” Holden warned, pointing to reports that former DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez — long criticized as the worst the city ever had — may land a role in Mamdani’s administration.
And yes, the infamous rat-infested outdoor dining sheds could return as well. Transportation Alternatives wants the city’s dining shed program to be fully year-round again, permit enclosed structures, and lighten rules for businesses.
The group, which critics say has deep, shadowy ties to Uber and Lyft, has long held major influence over progressive city leaders. But giving Furnas a formal seat on Mamdani’s team, critics argue, could supercharge their power inside city government.
“I’m furious,” said Rauch. “I voted for Mamdani because he didn’t take PAC money. Why is he siding with special interest groups?”
Furnas’ allies on the transition team include Sara Lind of Open Plans and Betsy Plum of the Riders Alliance — both well-known for pushing aggressive street redesigns.
But Furnas insists his agenda will ultimately help drivers too.
“Once more New Yorkers can get around easily by bus or bike, traffic will drop — making it faster and safer for those who still need to drive,” he told The Post. He pointed to congestion pricing as an example, claiming traffic is now “flowing smoothly in Manhattan for the first time in our lifetimes.”
“New Yorkers are saving valuable minutes every day. Don’t you want more time back?” he added.
Mamdani’s team did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
