Anyone who lives near the Essex Crossing construction sites knows that congestion from trucks has become both a quality of life issue in the local community as well as a potential safety hazard.
There’s a lot of activity on Grand Street, near Suffolk Street, alongside Site 5 of the big mixed use development project. Construction vehicles heading for Site 6 on Broome Street have caused traffic snarls on Clinton Street, interrupting access to the Williamsburg Bridge. Last night, the Lower East Side Partnership and Delancey Street Associates (the development consortium) went before Community Board 3’s transportation committee with a solution.
They want to change traffic patterns on Broome Street, allowing trucks to head east in the direction of Site 6. The change would also make it possible for trucks to enter Site 5 from Suffolk Street, alleviating some of the congestion on Grand Street. The plan involves creating some new staging areas on Broome and Clinton streets by eliminating alternate side parking in certain spots.
The committee approved a resolution in support of the changes. Representatives from the city’s Department of Transportation were on hand last night to hear the presentation. DOT is expected to approve the proposal.
