Bronx Council Member Oswald Feliz has criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani's administration for its bus lane redesign plan on Fordham Road, describing the project as "crumbs" and accusing the mayor of neglecting the borough's need for greater investment in street safety.
Feliz stated that the bus lane project, intended to speed up the Bx12 bus by creating an offset lane away from the curb, presented an opportunity for transformative investments in the Bronx's busiest commercial corridor. However, he believes the administration has opted for insufficient measures instead of substantial improvements. He was also critical of Mayor Mamdani's absence from the project's groundbreaking ceremony, interpreting it as a sign of the administration's perceived lack of regard for the Bronx.
"It is disappointing that, rather than making meaningful investments, the administration has chosen to offer crumbs," Feliz said in a social media statement. He added that he protested the perceived lack of investment by skipping the ceremony. Council Member Pierina Sanchez also did not attend the event, citing unaddressed concerns she had previously raised with the administration.
Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn, who attended in Mamdani's absence, acknowledged concerns from local stakeholders and elected officials. "We have heard some concerns from some of the local stakeholders, some of the electeds," Flynn told reporters. "Right now we are moving ahead with the toolbox we can do through a bus project."
Feliz alleged that meetings with Mamdani's aides left him feeling dismissed when he requested "basic investments" for Fordham Road. He specifically mentioned a request for more trees and plantings in the median, which he was told was not possible due to Department of Environmental Protection concerns. However, Feliz claimed that upon contacting the DEP directly, officials there indicated no objection to adding greenery. He accused the administration of creating obstacles to community efforts to secure investment.
This is not the first time the administration has faced accusations of underfunding poorer neighborhoods. Bronx Council Member Althea Stevens, the sole Democrat to vote against Mamdani's budget, previously criticized the mayor in June for directing larger investments to wealthier areas while her high-poverty district was left behind. Stevens argued that "equity means directing resources where the needs are greatest."
Mayor Mamdani and the Democratic Socialists of America have also faced scrutiny regarding their connection with Black communities in the city. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards criticized the DSA, describing it as a "new face of white supremacy" and accusing the group of overlooking Black and Latino communities in its pursuit of power.