Chapter 3 The Transportation System - New York Metropolitan ...

Chapter 3Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in Downtown Brooklyn9. TruckingTrucks carry the vast majority of freightin the NYMTC planning area, transportingup to 80 percent of all freighttonnage (please see Plan 2040: Appendix8 for the Regional Freight Plan - InterimPlan Summary Report). Truck traffic isexpected to grow, with estimates rangingfrom a 39 percent increase by 2035 toa 47 percent increase from 1998 levelsby 2025. Improving freight access acrossthe region is a key initiative for NYC-DOT and its regional partners. Thereare approximately 5,800 miles of streetswithin the five boroughs of New YorkCity, including approximately 930 milesof truck routes. To help truck driversnavigate to their destinations in the City,NYCDOT produces a truck route mapand a parkways guide which identify thelegal routes for trucks in New York City.Additionally, regulatory and guidancesignage are provided to direct trucks tothese routes.Trucks are restricted in many parts of theNYMTC planning area. For example,trucks are not allowed on most parkwaysin New York State, due to the relativelylow clearance of the bridges and roadways.This restriction causes trucks torely on already congested roads in theNYMTC planning area. In 2006, congestionwas estimated to cost the NewYork City economy $13 billion annuallyas people and goods were stuck in slowmovingtraffic. A lot of that daytime congestionis created by trucks utilizing thestreets while making deliveries.NEW YORK CITYSUSTAINABLEDELIVERY INITITIVESTo facilitate truck mobility by reducingthe impact of goods movement duringthe most congested periods of the day,NYCDOT has implemented two programsto address congestion related totruck deliveries: Delivery Windows andNYC deliverEASE.Delivery Windows establishes dedicatedtruck loading and unloading zones dur-3-38 Plan 2040: NYMTC Regional Transportation Plan