Seward Park Co-op Seeks to Reduce E. Broadway Truck Traffic

Representatives of the Seward park Co-op are asking the city’s Department of Transportation to post signs on East Broadway underscoring that trucks are prohibited from using it as a “through route.” Co-op resident Ed Green has been on a 10 month crusade to keep the trucks from rumbling down the street past his apartment at all hours. Last night CB3’s transportation committee asked the DOT to look into the request.

At last month’s 7th Precinct community meeting, Green pleaded with the NYPD to ticket trucks using the street to pass through the neighborhood. In spite of the fact that East Broadway is not a designated “through” street, police officers told him there’s nothing they could do unless signs were put up. But last night, after a representative of the community board said that signs were not required in order to enforce the law, The Lo-Down asked police officials for clarification. They acknowledged that it is, in fact, their responsibility to ticket trucks that are using East Broadway to get across town. On the DOT’s web site, it states, “the presence of signage is not required to enforce the Truck Route regulations.” For a list of “through” streets in the neighborhood see the end of this post.

Nevertheless, the transportation department will study the feasibility of adding signs as an extra deterrent. Even if signs are posted, trucks making local deliveries will still be able to use East Broadway. The committee discussed whether the signs should be posted on the entire street (from Grand to Chatham Square) or just from Montgomery to Essex Street (in the vicinity of the Seward Park towers). Ultimately, they decided to ask for signs along the entire stretch of East Broadway. The DOT said the study would take about three months.

The co-op also asked for a mid-block crosswalk and signal on Clinton Street, between East Broadway and Grand Streets. Seward Park board member Lee Slater said there are serious concerns about safety, citing the death of a woman back in March, who was hit by a garbage truck. The DOT agreed to study that situation, as well.

During the discussion, the problem of the ubiquitous Chinatown buses came up. Residents in Chinatown and the Lower East Side have been complaining for months about the parking, traffic and crowding issues the buses cause. The DOT spokesperson said the mayor has organized inter-agency meetings to come up with a solution to the Chinatown bus issue. One member of the transportation committee expressed outrage that the city was not seeking community feedback.”So you’re holding private meetings and we’ll be informed of the outcome after the fact,” she asked the DOT’s representative. The response was, “yes.”

LOWER EAST SIDE THROUGH STREETS

Allen Street- Delancey Street to Houston Street
Canal Street- Manhattan Bridge to West Street
Chrystie Street- Delancey Street to Houston Street
Delancey Street- Willamsburg Bridge to Bowery
Houston Street- Allen Street to Varick Street
Kenmare Street- Bowery to Lafayette Street
Lafayette Street- Kenmare Street to Canal Street