Truck Traffic Surge

While we're dealing with knowing that a lot of city traffic is caused by regular ol' New Yorkers, politicians are still concerned with truck traffic. Congressman Anthony Weiner released a study showing that truck traffic will increase by 83% by 2020, with truck traffic in Staten Island and Brooklyn doubling. Since 1998, truck traffic has increased by 30%, while car traffic has only increased by 8%. (On Staten Island alone, the number of trucks has increased 84% since 1998.)

Weiner said, "Traffic from trucks is rising exponentially and making headaches for New Yorkers," and is proposing a four-point plan to help ease congestion: Higher truck tolls during peak hours (sort of like truck-congestion pricing), tax incentives for nighttime deliveries, and build a rail-freight tunnel between Brooklyn and NJ. NYC is the only city not connected to a national freight rail system, and that's why practically all goods bound for NYC are brought in by truck. Of course, a rail-freight tunnel would cost about $4.6 billion if it's one track ($7.3 billion if it's two track), and there's only $100 million in secured funding so far.

The Department of Transportation says it will review Weiner's suggestions. Last year, the DOT completed a three-year study about truck traffic, Truck Route Management and Community Impact Reduction .

Photograph by autovac on Flickr