At its Board of Trustees meeting on April 2, 2015, the Park Slope Civic Council endorsed the MoveNY Fair Plan following a motion from the Livable Streets Committee and two community forums on this, one on February 19 and the other on March 26. This plan would institute cashless, all-electronic tolling (with license plate readers and E-ZPass) at the four East River bridges and at 60th Street in Manhattan from river to river. There would be a surcharge on taxis and livery vehicles in Manhattan south of 96th Street. Tolls would be equalized around the City whether on the four East River bridges or on MTA crossings, and the revenues would be dedicated to transit operations and expansion. At a time when the new MTA Five-Year Capital Plan is less than 50 percent funded, it is critical to identify a reliable revenue stream that at the same time would go a long way toward transportation equity City-wide and reduce congestion in our community. For complete details on this plan go to http://iheartmoveny.org/.
The Civic Council was especially concerned that this plan might increase demand for un-metered parking spaces in Park Slope and neighboring communities. In its resolution, the Civic Council not only endorsed the MoveNY Fair Plan but took a strong position for comprehensive curbside management, one element of which is residential permit parking. The Civic Council, through the Livable Streets Committee, will be working actively with the MoveNY organizers, neighboring communities, government agencies, and elected officials to develop the comprehensive approach that is envisioned. The Livable Streets Committee encourages everyone to get involved with the Civic Council, or your local civic organization, on this vital issue.
The full text of the Civic Council’s resolution follows:
WHEREAS since 2007 the Park Slope Civic Council has recognized the urgent need to identify a reliable revenue stream to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) that will be dedicated to transit operations and improvements; and
WHEREAS the Park Slope Civic Council remains seriously concerned at the present and future impact of surface traffic congestion, resulting in part from the current toll regime at river crossings, and the demand for un-metered curbside parking on the health, safety, livability, and economic vitality of the Park Slope community; and
WHEREAS the organization MoveNY has presented its proposed MoveNY Fair Plan to the Park Slope Civic Council and numerous civic organizations, businesses, and others have endorsed it; and
WHEREAS the Park Slope Civic Council is concerned that implementing the MoveNY Fair Plan might increase the demand for un-metered curbside parking in the Park Slope community;
BE IT RESOLVED:
- The Park Slope Civic Council endorses the MoveNY Fair Plan and will work closely with MoveNY to achieve this plan, and urges local elected officials to endorse it and make it a reality;
- The Park Slope Civic Council supports the institution of a comprehensive curbside management program in Park Slope and any other communities that desire it, including but not limited to commercial deliveries, school bus loading and unloading, and, importantly, Residential Permit Parking; and considers this to be a priority initiative;
- The Park Slope Civic Council’s Board of Trustees charges its Livable Streets Committee with proposing a program for curbside management in cooperation with neighboring civic associations and other interested parties, and actively advocating this strategy to government agencies and elected officials; and
- The Livable Streets Committee shall report to the Park Slope Civic Council’s Board of Trustees from time to time on its progress in this initiative.