N.Y. Railroad Law § 178

§ 178. Repair of streets; rate of speed; removal of ice and snow.\nEvery street surface railroad corporation, so long as it shall continue\nto use or maintain any of its tracks in any street, avenue or public\nplace in any city or village, shall have and keep in permanent repair\nthat portion of such street, avenue or public place between its tracks,\nthe rails of its tracks, and two feet in width outside of its tracks,\nunder the supervision of the proper local authorities, and whenever\nrequired by them to do so, and in such manner as they may prescribe; but\nnothing contained in this section shall require any street railroad\ncorporation to make pavements or repairs over openings made in the\nstreets by any person, municipality or corporation other than such\nstreet railroad corporation, for any purpose other than the pavement or\nrepavement of the street. In case of the neglect of any corporation to\nmake pavements or repairs after the expiration of twenty days' notice to\ndo so, the local authorities may make the same at the expense of such\ncorporation, and such authorities may make such reasonable regulations\nand ordinances as to the rate of speed, mode and use of tracks, and\nremoval of ice and snow, as the interest or convenience of the public\nmay require. A corporation whose agents or servants wilfully or\nnegligently violate such an ordinance or regulation shall be liable to\nsuch city or village for a penalty not exceeding five hundred dollars,\nto be specified in such ordinance or regulation.\n