Senator Squadron Announces Proposal to Avert Tour Bus Crisis in Lower Manhattan

New York, NY—In anticipation of the opening of the 9/11 Memorial in September 2011 that will attract millions of visitors—and thousands of tour buses—to Lower Manhattan, State Senator Daniel Squadron announced in an op-ed in this week’s Downtown Express a proposed solution that would prevent these tour buses from creating even greater gridlock in the community: Buses can drop off visitors at PATH trains in New Jersey, which run directly to the World Trade Center site, and then park in nearby lots. For example, the Harrison PATH station is less than 20 minutes from the Memorial, and is adjacent to excess parking space at the new Red Bull Arena.

 

Senator Squadron said, “Lower Manhattan is already swarmed with tour buses that often park illegally, idle, or snare traffic. The opening of the 9/11 Memorial next year will turn this serious problem into a full-fledged crisis unless we implement a solution now. Regulating tour bus traffic to require the use of PATH stations and excess parking space across the river will alleviate the traffic burden in Lower Manhattan, while offering tourists a convenient path to the Memorial and other attractions across the city.”

 

Although the Port Authority is constructing a Vehicle Security Center, an underground drop-off and parking complex, it is not scheduled to open until 2013 and will provide parking for only 70-80 buses. In addition, construction of One World Trade Center and the other planned buildings will not be completed until well after 2011, keeping many streets and sidewalks closed when the Memorial opens.