We will work to expand options for freight movements
One of the major ways that New Yorkers bear the costs-economic, health, and social-of congestion is in the movement of freight. Delays to deliveries increase the cost of the goods sold in New York stores. Congestion-and inconsistent tolling policies-lead trucks to take circuitous routes through neighborhoods. Deliveries require curbside space, and when trucks can't find it they often cause more congestion, either by cruising for a space or by double parking. Congestion is even threatening the status of John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) as one of the nation's leading airfreight hubs-and the airport is one of the largest employers in Queens. Still, for the vast majority of deliveries to New York businesses and homes, trucks are the only viable option, even in the long term.

The City and its regional partners are undertaking several efforts to improve freight access across the region. In some cases, capacity would be added; more often, we would be attempting to manage the capacity we have more wisely, for the benefit of the truckers and the neighborhoods they drive through. For example, the results of the DOT's Truck Route Study will improve the overall management of truck traffic in New York City leading to improved efficiency of truck traffic, while at the same time working to keep non-essential truck traffic out of residential neighborhoods. Muni-meters will create curbside space to allow truckers to make deliveries more easily. Better traffic management and information will speed up all types of traffic. Congestion pricing will apply to trucks, but will also create an incentive for night time deliveries and eliminate the practice of trucks passing through Brooklyn and Manhattan to avoid the one-way tolls on the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.

Two additional initiatives will be specifically focused on freight movement, but will also have benefits for other travelers.

We will improve access to JFK
Congestion en route to JFK is bad and getting worse, making the city less convenient and business-friendly. It also reduces the airport's competitiveness: in the last decade, JFK has been losing cargo business to airports outside the region, primarily due to delays and congestion on the road leading to the airport.

In June 2006, the City, in partnership with the Port Authority, created a private/public task force focusing on improving roadway access to JFK for passengers, employees and cargo. It has recently issued several short-term recommendations. These include: marketing the Cross Island Parkway as alternative to the Van Wyck Expressway for non-commercial vehicles; improvements to the Van Wyck Expressway; allowing 53' trailer access to JFK; and providing a southern route to JFK for commercial vehicles. We will pursue these recommendations, and explore the long term solutions the task force recommends in the future.

Progress (4/22/08):
To improve access to JFK airport, a construction project along the Van Wyck Expressway was completed in September 2007, adding additional auxiliary lanes for traffic. Also that month, the City held the first meeting of a steering group to study traffic lane management and ways to improve the mobility of people and goods on arterial highways, including the Van Wyck, Grand Central, and Cross Island Expressways. The City continues to coordinate outreach and plans to improve freight access to JFK Airport and travel time along the Van Wyck Expressway. In addition, travel time signage will be installed by this summer at the Whitestone Bridge to provide JFK-bound motorists comparative travel times along the Van Wyck Expressway and the Cross Island Expressway. Many operational improvements in the Springfield Gardens and Jamaica areas have been completed to enhance safety and increase roadway capacity. The City, in coordination with the PANYNJ, will be developing an improved signage program to better control truck movements in the area.

We will explore High-Occupancy Truck Toll (HOTT) Lanes
Around the world and in several states, truck traffic has been accelerated by the creation of new lanes dedicated to trucks, which pay for themselves through tolls charged for traveling on these lanes. In many cases, high-occupancy vehicles are allowed access for free, and in some, those driving alone can choose to pay a variable toll to travel on them. Thus, they are referred to as "HOTT" Lanes-for High-Occupancy Truck Toll.

On several of New York City's main highways, the opportunity exists to explore this concept, using medians and in some cases service roads for additional lanes. Key bottlenecks where trucks encounter-and cause-congestion include the Cross-Bronx Expressway, the Staten Island Expressway, the Van Wyck, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

The City will work with and support the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), which controls these roads, to explore these self-financing lanes.

Progress (4/22/08):
In April, the NYS DOT initiated a 24-month Managed Use Lane Study to look at HOTT lanes. On September 19, it held the study's first steering committee meeting and since then has held a series of project review and project steering committee meetings. NYS DOT will complete the Managed Use Lane Study in 2009.