Rodriguez: NYC Can Move Cargo Without Relying on Big Trucks in the Center of Town

Trucks chew up NYC streets and account for a disproportionate share of traffic deaths in the city. City Council transportation chair Ydanis Rodriguez has some suggestions to reduce the impact of freight traffic on city streets.

At an event previewing the city’s Car-Free Day events later this month, Rodriguez said he wants to limit truck deliveries to off-peak hours — either before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. He also endorsed the push to legalize electric bicycles in New York state, saying it could lead more companies to phase in deliveries by electric-powered tricycles.

“For major deliveries, we should never see trucks coming into our densest areas,” he said. Rodriguez envisions distribution centers outside the city where larger loads would be divided up and transferred to smaller vehicles.

“These are short term changes that will not require major investments in infrastructure,” Rodriguez said. “They are logistical changes that can seriously benefit our city and allow New Yorkers to breathe a little easier.”

On Saturday, April 22, six zones throughout the city will be pedestrianized from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including 30 blocks of Broadway, for the city’s second annual Car-Free Day. With his remarks this morning, Rodriguez is trying to link the event to lasting policy changes.