By Y.M. Lowy

After two major snowstorms left hundreds of bus stops and shelters buried in snow for days this winter, the New York City Council has approved a new plan aimed at keeping those spaces clear.

The legislation creates a two-year pilot program to improve street cleanliness and make sure snow and ice are removed faster from bus shelters, bike-share stations, and other public structures across the city.

Under the plan, sanitation crews from the New York City Department of Sanitation who notice snow, ice, or trash at these locations will report it to either the DOT or the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications. Those agencies will then notify the companies responsible for maintaining the shelters or structures and require them to clean them up. If they fail to do so, the city can take enforcement action.

Companies that operate these structures should be responsible for keeping the areas around them clean instead of leaving the job to sanitation crews.

The program is expected to begin by May 1, 2026 and will run for two years, with a report on how well it worked scheduled for late 2028.