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Council Member Holden raises concerns about 53-foot trailers and underutilized waterways in Maspeth
1:02:39
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3 min
Council Member Robert F. Holden expresses frustration over the long-standing issues with illegal 53-foot trailers in Maspeth and the underutilization of waterways for freight transport. He highlights the problems these large trucks cause in narrow streets and the lack of enforcement of existing laws.
- Maspeth has many warehouses and trucks, leading to air quality and traffic issues
- 53-foot trailers are illegal in NYC without special permits, but the law is not enforced
- Waterfront areas in Maspeth could utilize barges for transport, but this option is underused
Robert F. Holden
1:02:39
Thank you, chair.
1:02:40
And thank you, commissioner.
1:02:41
I'm sorry I missed part of your I have your notes, though.
1:02:44
But I was at a high school and ran overtime on a tour.
1:02:48
But this is a very important issue since I represent Maspeth, which is has a lot of warehouses, a lot of trucks.
1:02:57
And we never seem to get anywhere with addressing the 53 foot trailers tractor trailer, which are illegal in New York City.
1:03:09
But, you know, talking to police commissioners through the years for decades, we can't seem to get that enforced, that law enforced where they're prohibited from unless by special permit, which they don't have by the way.
1:03:24
And the drivers are not even trained.
1:03:26
Many of the drivers we found weren't trained to drive these 53 footers.
1:03:29
But of course, the almighty dollar dictates that the companies are going to have these drivers, you know, drive these trucks.
1:03:39
And the great the the the weird thing about Maspeth is it's a waterfront, mostly waterfront.
1:03:44
It has we could use barges, like the chair said.
1:03:48
We could we don't use our waterways enough in New York City.
1:03:52
So and then the fifth when the 53 footers come into Maspeth, they don't fit in in some of the bays, and they they it takes them forever to maneuver into the bays.
1:04:04
Then when they do get in, they stick out and block traffic in the street.
1:04:10
So it just it's a never ending cycle here that the city doesn't seem to want to address at all in enforcement, in requirement, and in just, you know, regulating these companies that are causing additional pollution.
1:04:27
Because, you know, it's a what what the 53 footers do on streets, very narrow streets, and we have a lot of those in mass bed that weren't designed for the 53 foot trailers.
1:04:36
And then the extended cab that these trucks have where there's almost like a room in the back with behind the driver.
1:04:44
So if you look at the the the sheer length of these, there's a reason why they're illegal in New York City, these 53 footers.
1:04:52
But nobody seems and I can't get anybody who dresses.
1:04:55
Now you're you have you wear two hats, obviously, the with the the climates are.
1:05:02
I think that could be addressed.
1:05:05
But I think what what incentives or what ideas do you have to try to get the industry to change over to barge?
1:05:11
I tried to do that with sanitation, barging some some more waste out of New York City rather than by rail.
1:05:21
But just on those topics, enforcing the truck, the 53 foot trucks, I think that would go a long way.
1:05:30
But if you look at Grand Avenue, by the way, which is my district and it's not a truck route, but if you look, many of the bays in West Maspeth block that traffic and it just extends into the entire neighborhood.
1:05:45
So question one is how do we get and this was the chairs some of the chairs question, how do we get more barges to feed areas that are waterfront property?
1:05:57
It's a tremendous waste.
1:05:59
And then even the waste management facility, by the way, in West Maspeth is waterfront, but they don't use it.
1:06:08
So what incentives could we do?
1:06:10
And maybe you can help with that.
1:06:13
But then also on enforcement.