July 2007 Full Board Minutes [ link ]

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Transportation Committee

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2. Report from Transportation Bus/Van Subcommittee

RECOMMENDATION 1: Resolution to Approve Relocating Casino Bus Zones for a 1-Month Trial

WHEREAS, Casino bus services currently load/unload on Division St between Market St & the Bowery (the corner of Chatham Sq). This location is adjacent to a large residential complex and 3 schools: Confucius Plaza, PS 124, Transfiguration Kindergarten School, and the Chinatown Day Care Center; and

WHEREAS, operating a large number of diesel buses on Division St creates significant health and safety issues for residents and children. NYC has one of the highest rates of asthma in the country, and the Lower East Side has many of its residents, especially children and seniors, suffering from asthma. The zip code where the casino buses operate (10002) had a higher asthma hospitalization rate than 73% of the zip codes in Manhattan (according to the Asthma Hospital Discharge Data published by the NY State DOH for the years 2003-2005). Pollution from diesel engines triggers asthma attacks, causes lung disease and coronary illness, and causes premature death. Children going to and from school and loading/unloading from school buses must walk between and around the large number of other buses; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Community Board 3-Manhattan approves of the proposal to relocate casino bus services to Chatham Sq between East Broadway & Catherine St; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these relocations would be for a 1 month trial period, after which the local precinct would help CB3 evaluate whether bus operations improved at the new location and the effects the relocation have had on traffic and safety in the immediate vicinity.

(Item #2/Recommendation 1)
21 YES 8 NO 1 Abstention 0 PNV - PASSED

RECOMMENDATION 2: Resolution to Approve Relocating Interstate Tour Bus Zones for a 1-Month Trial

WHEREAS, Interstate tour bus services currently load/unload on Forsyth St between Canal St and East Broadway. This location is adjacent to the Manhattan Bridge ramp. There are also bus operations at other locations within the 5th precinct, such as on Madison St, East Broadway and Rutgers St; and

WHEREAS, Security has been a problem at the various locations where interstate tour buses presently operate. There have been fights between employees of different bus companies. Having the buses in one area will allow for the companies to hire and manage security as well as allow for NYPD inspections and enforcement; and

WHEREAS, Operating a large number of diesel buses on the stretch of Forsyth St between Canal St and Division St creates significant health and safety issues – this location is not designated as a truck route. The FDNY believes that Forsyth St between Division St and East Broadway should be kept clear for fire operations, in case of an emergency on the Manhattan Bridge; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Community Board 3-Manhattan approves of the proposal by agencies including the Mayor's office, all levels of DOT,, and the Police Department to relocate the interstate tour bus operations from throughout the 5th precinct onto the east side of Pike St between South and Cherry St and the west side of Pike St between Monroe St and Cherry St, with a layover zone on the west side of Pike Slip between Cherry St and South St. The 5th and 7th precinct has agreed to provide enforcement to prevent buses from illegal diesel parking and illegally using Cherry St and Monroe St as through routes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that these relocations would be for a 1 month trial period, after which the local precinct would help CB3 evaluate whether bus operations improved at the new location and the effects the relocation have had on traffic and safety in the immediate vicinity. The one-month trial would begin not before August 4. The intervening weeks would be used by the Mayor’s Community Assistance Unit to convene weekly meetings with the community and agencies in order to address remaining community concerns. These weekly meetings would continue throughout the month of the pilot; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that CB3 encourage the Dept of Small Business Services to work with impacted merchants to assess the potential effect of this relocation on their businesses. Also, CB3 encourages the Community Affairs Officers in the 5th and 7th precincts to establish open communications with local residents to discuss issues as they arise.

MOTION DID NOT PASS
Harvey Epstein made a motion to send the 2nd Recommendation back to the Transportation Committee to discuss the issues raised at the CB3 meeting.

The motion is:
Postpone to September meeting on subcommittee on buses to review including but not limited to location, air quality, police staffing, and frequency of air quality testing, hours of operation in addition to other community concerns raised at the July 2007 full board meeting.

(Item 2/Recommendation 2)
4 YES 23 NO 3 Abstention 0 PNV - DID NOT PASS

May 2007 Full Board Minutes [ link ]

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Transportation Committee

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5. Report from Mayor's meeting regarding compiling policies & regulations for vans & buses

VOTE: Resolution to Form a Subcommittee of Transportation to Recommend Policies That Would Mitigate the Impact of Coach Bus and Van Services Throughout the CB3 District

WHEREAS, there has been a significant increase in the number of buses and vans operating in the CB3 district in recent years. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of companies providing transportation services with coach buses and vans using the streets to layover and to load and unload passengers; and

WHEREAS, although these transportation services are used by many in the community, there are also many negative impacts to general health and safety. Because on-street layover and pickup zones are not being managed, they are causing traffic and parking congestion as well as pedestrian safety problems. There is a significant health impact from diesel emissions, because they cause cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, but the diesel idling laws are difficult to enforce. Both sides of South Street from Clinton Street to the Brooklyn Bridge are being used as a bus layover zone, which deprives the community of recreational access to the waterfront. These are some of the fair share issues related to the manner in which coach buses and vans are being allowed to operate in the CB3 district; and

WHEREAS, in order to take a position on traffic/transportation needs for the district, CB3 must first understand the facts about specific areas for layover and pickup zones; categories of buses, vans and licenses; applicable laws, regulations and policies; agencies with jurisdiction; types of impacts and complaints; etc. There are various efforts underway, including a Lower Manhattan Bus Study by the NYC DOT, inter-agency meetings sponsored by the Mayor's office, and a regular Chinatown Advisory Group meeting facilitated by the Chinatown Partnership. CB3 intends to participate fully in all meetings to study and resolve the transportation issues within our district; now

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Transportation Committee of Community Board 3-Manhattan shall form a subcommittee to determine what can and cannot be done to mitigate the problems caused by the coach bus and van services operating in the CB3 district. This subcommittee would recommend general policies that the Transportation Committee could support. It would also attempt to foster a community-inclusive initiative to study, identify and build consensus around comprehensive strategies to mitigate the impact of coach buses and vans throughout the CB3 district.