Comments on: Chinatown Business Group Proposes Car-Free Streets http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:54:00 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Geoff Lee http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-28506 Geoff Lee Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:29:59 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-28506 Let's be very clear here: The Department of Transporation has specific NO PERMIT ZONES. It is the law that in NO PERMIT ZONES, cars with placards, permits or vehicle utilization books on their dashboards are Illegally Parked. Permits and placards are no valid in a NO PERMIT ZONE. Since 9/11 the D.O.T. and NYPD have shut their eyes and ignored these laws and over a million parking violations have occurred in the Chinatown area alone. Let's be very clear here: The Department of Transporation has specific NO PERMIT ZONES. It is the law that in NO PERMIT ZONES, cars with placards, permits or vehicle utilization books on their dashboards are Illegally Parked. Permits and placards are no valid in a NO PERMIT ZONE. Since 9/11 the D.O.T. and NYPD have shut their eyes and ignored these laws and over a million parking violations have occurred in the Chinatown area alone.

]]> By: Geoff Lee http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-5524 Geoff Lee Fri, 06 Oct 2006 12:51:33 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-5524 Your writer is misinformed. I have lived in Chinatown all my life and a general survey of businesses and, even more so, the residents of Chinatown, would not be in favor of a street mall like Little Italy. Consider Chinatown pre-9/11 and how businesses were at least able to maintain their livelihoods at that time. Illegal parking by NYPD and government salaried employees since 9/11 took ALL the parking spaces, legal or illegal, Mon-Fri 9-5 for FIVE YEARS. Many Chinatown businesses suffered and closed as a result. According to the law and the Dept of Transportation, Chinatown is in a NO PERMIT ZONE. Enforcement of existing laws to eliminate illegal parking with placards is the answer. The NYPD needs to be Courteous Respectful and Professional so Chinatown can have its streets back. 9/11 was five years ago, Chinatown is in a NO PERMIT ZONE, and it's time for illegal placard parkers to be ticketed and towed, simple as that. Your writer is misinformed. I have lived in Chinatown all my life and a general survey of businesses and, even more so, the residents of Chinatown, would not be in favor of a street mall like Little Italy. Consider Chinatown pre-9/11 and how businesses were at least able to maintain their livelihoods at that time. Illegal parking by NYPD and government salaried employees since 9/11 took ALL the parking spaces, legal or illegal, Mon-Fri 9-5 for FIVE YEARS. Many Chinatown businesses suffered and closed as a result. According to the law and the Dept of Transportation, Chinatown is in a NO PERMIT ZONE. Enforcement of existing laws to eliminate illegal parking with placards is the answer. The NYPD needs to be Courteous Respectful and Professional so Chinatown can have its streets back. 9/11 was five years ago, Chinatown is in a NO PERMIT ZONE, and it's time for illegal placard parkers to be ticketed and towed, simple as that.

]]> By: Jan Lee http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-2525 Jan Lee Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:04:22 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-2525 I appreciate the follow up comments offered on this website. Calling any street in Chinatown a "low volume Street" is simply reflective of how ill-informed your writer is. I suggest you contact Brian Ketchum, PE , who is a traffic engineer hired by plaintiffs who are fighthing to reopen Park Row to its pre NYPD takeover days. The volume of traffic that will be passing through the area in very near future as a result of the rebuilding of Ground Zero and the vigorous development going on in downtown Brooklyn will inundate Chinatown even with all the streets completely open. There is no consideration given to the inevitable increase of vehicular traffic as a result of the ground zer project when the discussion of Chinatown street closures is mentioned. Brian Ketchum will be preparing a statement for the upcoming hearing at 125 Worth ST. on Sept. 14th for the DEIS on Park Row. I encourage you and your readers to continue to learn the facts and interview ACTUAL Chinatown residents and business owners before commenting further. Jan Lee I appreciate the follow up comments offered on this website. Calling any street in Chinatown a "low volume Street" is simply reflective of how ill-informed your writer is. I suggest you contact Brian Ketchum, PE , who is a traffic engineer hired by plaintiffs who are fighthing to reopen Park Row to its pre NYPD takeover days. The volume of traffic that will be passing through the area in very near future as a result of the rebuilding of Ground Zero and the vigorous development going on in downtown Brooklyn will inundate Chinatown even with all the streets completely open. There is no consideration given to the inevitable increase of vehicular traffic as a result of the ground zer project when the discussion of Chinatown street closures is mentioned. Brian Ketchum will be preparing a statement for the upcoming hearing at 125 Worth ST. on Sept. 14th for the DEIS on Park Row. I encourage you and your readers to continue to learn the facts and interview ACTUAL Chinatown residents and business owners before commenting further.
Jan Lee

]]> By: Joey http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-1467 Joey Wed, 16 Aug 2006 01:54:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-1467 I stay away from Chinatown because of the horrible smell and greasy sidewalks, not because of traffic. Closing the streets to traffic allows businesses to set up seating on the sidewalks, but who wants to eat when the street reaks of dead fish and garbage?! I stay away from Chinatown because of the horrible smell and greasy sidewalks, not because of traffic. Closing the streets to traffic allows businesses to set up seating on the sidewalks, but who wants to eat when the street reaks of dead fish and garbage?!

]]> By: John http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-1446 John Tue, 15 Aug 2006 17:32:18 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-1446 Another approach to consider might be Hans Monderman's "shared space" concept -- that is, a street where cars and pedestrians are equal, and the design tells the driver what to do. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/22/international/europe/22monderman.html?ex=1264136400&en=df658c80f6f9ed20&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland Another approach to consider might be Hans Monderman's "shared space" concept -- that is, a street where cars and pedestrians are equal, and the design tells the driver what to do.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/22/international/europe/22monderman.html?ex=1264136400&en=df658c80f6f9ed20&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland

]]> By: John http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-1444 John Tue, 15 Aug 2006 17:21:30 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-1444 Rather than banning cars from the streets, how about eliminating parking, widening the sidewalks, and keeping a single lane with speedbumps and a drop-off area midblock? The drop-off area could be used for trucks delivering supplies to restaurants and businesses, and it would be a good idea to have a lane available to give emergency vehicles easy access to the businesses. Rather than banning cars from the streets, how about eliminating parking, widening the sidewalks, and keeping a single lane with speedbumps and a drop-off area midblock? The drop-off area could be used for trucks delivering supplies to restaurants and businesses, and it would be a good idea to have a lane available to give emergency vehicles easy access to the businesses.

]]> By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/comment-page-1/#comment-1442 Glenn Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:51:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/08/15/chinatown-business-group-proposes-car-free-streets/#comment-1442 Councilmember Liu and the entire Transportation Committee could do great things for relieving traffic congestion and therefore the environment, simply by challenging the DOT to innovate, experiment and analyze the results in an open manner. Anything less would represent a failure of leadership. Councilmember Liu and the entire Transportation Committee could do great things for relieving traffic congestion and therefore the environment, simply by challenging the DOT to innovate, experiment and analyze the results in an open manner. Anything less would represent a failure of leadership.

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