NYC Proposes 14 Miles of New Truck Routes for Staten Island
Report Cites Growing Demand for Freight Movement, E-Commerce Delivery
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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.— A proposed redesign of New York City’s freight transportation network would add miles of new truck routes toStaten Island.
In late November, theNew York City Department of Transportationreleased a proposed truck route network redesign, which would add several miles of new truck routes to the borough.
The proposed redesign, according to the DOT report, “balances freight movement with community well-being” by adjusting the city’s truck routes, which have remained largely unchanged since the 1970s.
However, some say that the additional truck route miles would bring with them a host of issues, including increased congestion and air quality concerns in nearby areas.
“We were hoping for a consolidation of truck routes to ultimately see fewer trucks in local streets and away from residential areas,” saidKevin Garcia, senior transportation planner for the nonprofit groupNew York City Environmental Justice Alliance.
“We are worried that by permitting trucks onto more roads, we’re going to see increases in truck traffic and air pollution,” Garcia continued, also pointing out thatStaten Islandwas the only borough that didn’t have any truck route miles removed in the proposed plan.
In total, the new network would add approximately 14 miles of both through truck routes and local truck routes in the borough.
These additions, according to the DOT proposal, focus on “improving regional connectivity and reducing truck impacts on residential streets,” while trying to provide direct routes to support industrial development.
Details of the Proposal
The bulk of the mileage for Staten Island’s truck network would be on theKorean War Veterans Parkway, from theOuterbridge CrossingtoRichmond Avenue, which would be designated a truck route under the proposal.
According to the DOT report, this represents just under 75% of the additional truck miles onStaten Island, “allowing trucks to avoid using local residential streets.”
Truck-related street signs. (NYC DOT)
To add a parkway — which restricts truck traffic — to the city’s truck route network, legislation needs to be passed inAlbanyto make the change, the DOT report stated.
Beyond theKorean War Veterans Parkway, a portion ofVeterans Road Westnear theBricktown Shopping CenterinCharlestonandWest Service Roadin Travis would also get truck route designation.
These routes, according to the DOT, would extend existing truck routes to on- and off-ramps of theWest Shore Expressway.
The final — and smallest — addition would be theHannah Street Bridgeover theStaten Island Railway, which would connect truck routes onBay StreetandFront Street.
Aside from theHannah Streetaddition in Tompkinsville, the majority of new truck route miles would be found on the borough’s West and South shores, which would serve the growing concentration of commercial space and industrial use in those areas.
The proposed truck network changes will follow the DOT rulemaking process and timeline before being implemented, as reported by Streetsblog NYC.
Increase in Freight Activity Predicted
The report acknowledged that there is a growing demand for freight movement and e-commerce deliveries inNew York Cityand named twoStaten Islandprojects —One Nassau PlaceinRichmond Valleyand2807 Arthur Kill Roadin Rossville — as some of the newest major warehouse properties in the five boroughs.
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According to the truck network report, the DOT projected that freight activity on Staten Island’sWest Shorewill increase by up to 50%, primarily driven by these and other commercial developments in the area.
The handful of projects along the same 2.7-mile stretch ofArthur Kill Road, which already sees heavy industrial traffic, will add an additional 1.4 million square feet of warehouses and vehicle storage.
One of the projects in particular would bring a 16-acre trucking terminal with space for 184 tractor trailers toCharleston. And the One Nassau project would add 331,700 square feet of warehouse space and 60 loading docks to the Island’s South Shore.
A Plea for Road Widening
These additions will likely bring a surge of traffic to surrounding communities, prompting some South Shore elected officials to ask the incoming mayoral administration to prioritize a road widening project onArthur Kill Road.
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With these industrial projects already approved, and with some being built, the elected officials said they are worried about the effect that trucks and other traffic will have on the surrounding area.
By prioritizing a widening on the South Shore, the elected officials said they believe the surrounding area will be able to handle the increased congestion.
“Don’t build the traffic first and fix the road later,” Councilmember Frank Morano said while requesting the project.
“Don’t turn the South Shore into a truck corridor without the infrastructure necessary to support it,” he continued.
