Comptroller’s Audit Reveals DOT Inadequate Maintenance of Street Name Signs

Image Credit: Office of the Comptroller

The DOT still does not have a complete inventory of the City’s 250,000 street name signs. On August 14, 2020, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released a follow-up audit of the Department of Transportation, three years after the original audit of their street name sign maintenance. The 2017 audit of the Department of Transportation revealed significant inadequacies in the Department’s ability to install and maintain street signs, and the 2020 audit revealed that the Department still lacks a standard procedure to address street name sign complaints in a timely manner.

Comptroller Stringer’s 2017 audit revealed that the Department did not have a streamlined system for tracking street sign complaints made through 311 or a complete inventory of the City’s street name signs. Comptroller Stringer made six recommendations for the Department of Transportation to address these inadequacies; two of which the Department implemented. The Department began approving work orders before sending the work orders to contractor, and partially developed a method for tracking and documenting intersections where street name sign surveys have been conducted.

However, the Department did not implement the four remaining recommendations, which were to document the full inventory of street name signs throughout the City, determine which street signs are in need of repair, establish protocols to ensure 311 complaints are addressed in a reasonable time frame, establish time standards for addressing street name sign repairs.

Comptroller Stringer’s 2020 audit revealed that the Department still does not have a complete inventory of the City’s 250,000 street name signs, or a plan to identify the signs that need repair. Additionally, the Department still lacks a procedure to investigate and address the thousands of complaints New Yorkers submit through 311 in a reasonable amount of time. The 2020 audit revealed that the majority of street sign complaints come from the 311 service: from July 2017 to February 2019, 5,187 of the 5,574 street name sign complaints came through the 311 service.

Comptroller Stringer’s recommendations for the Department based on the 2020 audit include creating a complete inventory of street name signs, developing a protocol to update its records, developing a plan to conduct surveys of street name signs, and establishing a procedure to ensure 311 complaints are investigated in a timely manner. Additionally, Comptroller Stringer recommends that the Department should establish standard lengths of time for addressing street name sign repairs and ensuring service request numbers are properly attached to complaints.

Comptroller Stringer stated, “Our streets form the physical foundation and framework of our city, and move millions of people and goods throughout the five boroughs every day. If we want New Yorkers to get around efficiently, we need reliable corridors that are clearly marked. Structurally sound street signs are imperative for maximizing safety and efficiency in our streets, and keeping New York City functioning and running smoothly. The DOT is dragging its feet on making necessary upgrades to its system for installing and maintaining street name signs. Consequently, its program remains riddled with deficiencies, as progress on recommendations I made three years ago lags far behind. What New York City needs and all New Yorkers deserve is accountability and a streamlined, thoughtfully planned system to identify, track, and fix defective street name signs and address all complaints in a timely manner.”

By: Victoria Agosta (Victoria is the CityLaw intern and a New York Law School student, Class of 2022.)