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Cutting down on traffic congestion
New York City Council members have approved a slew of new measures designed to cut back on traffic caused by trucks making online deliveries.
NEW YORK - Bumper-to-bumper traffic and double-parked cars. This is part of living in New York City.
But city council members overwhelmingly passed a measure they say will help cut down on some of this congestion.
"It is a free for all on the Upper East Side with all these giant flatbed trucks that are loading and unloading thousands of packages every day," New York City Council Member Ben Kallos explained. "Neighbors complain every day and it's a complete free for all. So this legislation is doing something about it."
This bill will require the Department of Transportation to create "loading-only" parking spots in each neighborhood for trucks like Amazon and USPS to load and unload packages.
The Department of Transportation will have to first determine where loading zones are most needed and then publicize the methodology they used to decide where these zones should be located.
According to the bill, at least 500 total new loading zones must be created citywide annually for the first three years.
"Residents are coming to me every day because they can't even get down the sidewalk, let alone down the streets," Kallos explained. "Because Amazon and FreshDirect have taken over our streets and our sidewalks."
By January 1, 2023, the Department of Transportation will also be required to post the locations of all the loading zones throughout the city so people can easily access this list, according to this legislation.
While many New Yorkers praised this move, pointing at a line of double-parked cars, they also said it will all come down to enforcement.
"Are people going to put their cars in these spots and then trucks won’t leading them to just double park again" one woman traveling on Second Avenue questioned. "I think there are other ways to resolve it. I think it’s a great start, but they have to do something."
There is a package of transportation bills city council members hope to get through before the end of the year in order to help New Yorkers navigate the city a little easier.
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