TESTIMONY
Testimony by Jane Rosman: Garment District Alliance's Objections to Bill T75
1:41:52
·
120 sec
Jane Rosman, representing the Garment District Alliance, expresses strong opposition to Bill T75, which proposes allowing vending carts to be placed 2 feet from the curb in high pedestrian traffic areas like Midtown Manhattan.
Citing concerns over already overcrowded sidewalks worsened by various obstructions and the unique commercial density of Midtown, Rosman argues against further encroachment on pedestrian spaces. She advocates for a complete sidewalk inventory and urges the council to reconsider the bill, proposing that carts move off the sidewalk and into the curb lane, similar to open restaurants.
Speaker 32
1:41:52
Good afternoon, everyone.
1:41:53
My name is Jane Rosman, and I am representing the garment district alliance.
1:41:58
The garment district alliance, a business improvement district in Minton, Manhattan with some of the highest pedestrian counts in New York City, strongly objects to Tu 75, a bill that would allow vending carts to be placed 2 feet from the curb.
1:42:12
In response to the overcrowded sidewalks of our area, DOT has had to co opt the western lane of traffic on both 7th 8th Avenue and turn them into pedestrian corridors.
1:42:22
With several of the world's busiest transportation hubs and over 50 tourism hotels, the high volume of pedestrians in the neighborhood and overcrowded sidewalks create unsafe conditions, as pedestrian traffic spills out into the lanes of vehicle traffic.
1:42:36
This proposal is being put forward in the absence of an inventory and critical look at all the current obstructions on our sidewalks, including newsstands, newsboxes, mailboxes, fire hydrants, links, traffic signs, lampposts, bike racks, bus shelters, wave finding, park regulation signage, parking kiosks, trash webs, receptacles, tree pits, outdoor seating, retail signage, and more.
1:43:02
No further encroachment should be allowed on NYC sidewalks, a space that was created for and heavily used by pedestrians until a complete inventory of current uses is inventoried with an eye to eliminating where possible.
1:43:14
This legislation does not look holistically at users of both our sidewalk space and elements placed in the curve line, nor does it take into consideration how commercial density and transit hubs create a demand in Midtown that is significantly different than other areas.
1:43:29
Finally, the garment district alliance strongly urges the council to allow vending carts to get off the sidewalk and into the curb lane as they have allowed for open restaurants.
1:43:38
To relieve the crunch on our sidewalks.
1:43:40
The garmentist alliance respectfully requests that the council vote against t's seventy five.
1:43:46
And revisit the regulation of sidewalks and the public realm based upon actual conditions and purpose.
1:43:51
Thank you.