Res. No. 501
Resolution calling on top maritime importers to New York City ports to commit to making the City’s streets greener by reducing truck traffic and using marine vessels for last mile deliveries throughout the boroughs.
By Council Members Avilés, Gutiérrez, the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Nurse, Brooks-Powers, Won, Hanif, Restler, Cabán, Hudson, Richardson Jordan, Ayala and Krishnan (by request of the Brooklyn Borough President)
Whereas, The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest port on the east coast of the United States making it a primary gateway for international maritime cargos that go to regional distribution centers; and
Whereas, The Port of New York and New Jersey is a national and regional asset that handles the highest volume of shipping containers on the east coast and serves as a critical economic engine to our region; and
Whereas, According to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems, New York City (the City) residents receive a total average of 2.3 million packages per day; and
Whereas, the City’s population is expected to reach 9 million by the year 2040, which will result in increasing residential and commercial freight demand; and
Whereas, According to a 2019 report by the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), approximately 89 percent of the 365 million tons of cargo that enter, leave or pass through the City is transported by truck each year with a total of 125,621 truck crossings into Manhattan per day and 73,583 trucks driving through Brooklyn daily, mostly between the hours of 7AM and 7PM; and
Whereas, The total freight tonnage is expected to grow by 68 percent to 540 million tons by 2045, which will create more traffic congestion and competition for contested street space; and
Whereas, Many buildings in the City lack sufficient off-street loading docks to accommodate deliveries and cause congestion as commercial vehicle drivers search for parking in the surrounding area; and
Whereas, Delivery trucks are responsible for nearly half of the nitrogen oxide emissions and approximately 60 percent of the fine particulates from all vehicles adding up to 7 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States; and
Whereas, Delivery truck emissions contribute to asthma and other respiratory conditions, as well as premature death, and trucks exacerbate traffic congestion, stressing aging infrastructure and affecting the quality of life in residential areas; and
Whereas, According to DOT, there is currently no active maritime service that carries consumer goods directly into the City’s boroughs which has resulted in heavy reliance on delivery trucks for last mile deliveries; and
Whereas, In December 2021, then-Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a $38 million dollar plan to restructure freight distribution to relieve congestion caused by delivery trucks throughout the City; and
Whereas; The plan included $18 million for the Blue Highways pilot program, to secure private investments in marine vessels to transport goods throughout the City, specifically during last mile services; and
Whereas, Pilot programs, such as the Blue Highways program could alleviate some of the City’s truck congestion by utilizing the City’s waterways and creating opportunities for cargo ships to bring various freights, including shipping containers and truck trailers to City marine terminals throughout the boroughs and removing delivery trucks from the City’s streets; and
Whereas, Alleviating truck congestion and utilizing marine vessels for last mile deliveries can also lead to less air and noise pollution and a safer environment for City residents; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on top maritime importers to New York City ports to commit to making the City’s streets greener by reducing truck traffic and using marine vessels for last mile deliveries throughout the boroughs.
PM
LS# 9935
1/10/2022