Language Access Program

What languages are included in the program?

The United States Census identifies the size and proportion of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) populations in NYMTC’s planning area. LEP populations are comprised of persons who are unable to communicate effectively in English because their primary language is not English and they have not developed fluency in the language. Thus, people included in LEP populations may have difficulty speaking or reading English and will benefit from translation to and from their primary language.

The 2010 Census identifies an LEP population of roughly 2.2 million people in the NYMTC planning area. Just over 70% of the total LEP population speaks one of three languages ‒ Spanish, Chinese and Russian ‒ and therefore these three languages are considered as primary LEP languages in NYMTC’s planning area. An additional thirty one languages are considered secondary LEP languages. 

What services will NYMTC’s Language Access Program provide?

Translations of NYMTC’s core regional planning products and analyses -- the Regional Transportation Plan; the Transportation Improvement Program and related Annual Listing of Obligated Projects; the Unified Planning Work Program; the Congestion Management Process Status Report; the Transportation Conformity Determination and the Public Involvement Plan -- in the following manner:

  • Written executive summaries of the core regional planning products and analyses will be posted on-line in the three primary LEP Languages, including both drafts and final versions that are released publicly;
  • Drafts and final versions of the executive summaries that are released publicly will be translated into the secondary LEP languages upon written or verbal request to NYMTC.

Other publicly-available NYMTC documents will be translated upon written or verbal request for all LEP languages. 

  • These documents may include the Annual Report, informational brochures that explain NYMTC and its obligations or elements of its planning process, the Regional Household Travel Survey report, and descriptive materials and application forms for public project solicitations under federal funding programs.

Public announcements of meetings, public comment periods, and other public events and announcements will be posted on-line and distributed with translations of key points into the three primary languages. They will be fully translated into any of the LEP languages upon written or verbal request to NYMTC.

Real-time oral and American Sign Language translation services for general public meetings and workshops at NYMTC’s central office location will be available in the three primary languages upon request made verbally or in writing 72 hours prior to the meeting in question. 

  • For general public meetings and workshops at other meeting locations in NYMTC’s planning area, a separate Census analysis of the area around the location will be performed and translation into languages meeting the 5% threshold will be made available upon request made verbally or in writing 72 hours prior to the meeting in question. 

Real-time oral language assistance will be provided through an on-call translation service in person at NYMTC’s central office or by calling 212-383-7200.

For planning projects and studies funded through NYMTC’s planning process in specifically-defined study areas of the NYMTC region, the Language Access Program will provide a similar level of assistance for identified LEP populations.
A Census analysis for the specific project/study area will be undertaken to identify LEP populations to establish thresholds for language assistance, including primary and secondary languages. Notice of availability of language assistance services will then be provided in the project/study area.

Core documents will be designated for the project or study. Written executive summaries of the core documents will be posted on-line in the primary LEP languages, including both drafts and final versions that are released publicly. Drafts and final versions of the core document executive summaries that are released publicly will be translated into the secondary LEP languages upon written or verbal request to NYMTC.

Others assistance will include public announcements of meetings, public comment periods, and other public events and announcements related to the project/study, which will be posted on-line and distributed with translations of key points into the primary languages and will be translated fully into all LEP languages upon written or verbal request to NYMTC.

Real-time oral and American Sign Language translation services for public meetings and workshops at locations in the project/study area will be available for the primary LEP languages upon request made verbally or in writing 72 hours prior to the meeting in question.  Real-time oral language assistance will be provided through an on-call translation service by calling 212-383-7200.

How do I access these Language Access Program services?

If you need information in another language or have questions, please call 212-383-7200 and someone will be able to assist you.