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https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/27432/critical-issues-in-transportation-for-2024-and-beyond

THE CASE AGAINST BANNING THE CAR IN THE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY HAS MADE NEW YORK CITY NOT ONLY A FOCUS FOR TRADE, SERVICES, AND FINANCE BUT ALSO A CENTER OF CULTURE, LEARNING, FASHION, AND SO ON. THE RESULT HAS BEEN THAT 8 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN AN AREA THAT CAN REASONABLY SUPPORT ONLY ABOUT 4 OR 5 MILLION. THIS IS TRUE OF THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM AS WELL AS OF OTHER FACILITIES. SUGGESTIONS TO RELIEVE THE AUTO CONGESTION CAUSED BY THIS INTENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT OVERLOOK BOTH THE ROLE OF THE AUTO IN THE CITY AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE UNDERLYING FACT THAT CONGESTION IS A FUNCTION OF LAND USE DENSITY RATHER THAN OF A PROPENSITY TO MAKE UNLIMITED USE OF THE PRIVATE CAR. CONGESTION ON DOWNTOWN STREETS AND ARTERIALS IS AGGRAVATED BY THE FACT THAT HALF THE VEHICLES OCCUPYING THEM ARE THERE ONLY BECAUSE THERE ARE INADEQUATE BY-PASS FACILITIES TO TAKE THEM CLEAR OF LOCAL TRAFFIC. SOME CONGESTION IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT ALL TRANSPORT MODES ARE AT OR NEAR MAXIMUM CAPACITY, SO THAT SEVERELY CURTAILING THE OPERATION OF ONE MODE WOULD PLACE AN INTOLERABLE BURDEN ON THE OTHER MODES. HOWEVER, THE MAIN REASON FOR OPPOSING A BAN ON THE AUTOMOBILE IN NEW YORK CITY LIES IN THE ROLE OF THE CAR. FIRST, IT IS A SOURCE OF HEAVY RETAIL TRADE. SECOND, THE CITY'S TOURIST ATTRACTIONS WOULD SUFFER FROM A BAN ON CARS. THIRD, MOST PROPOSALS TO DATE EXEMPT SO MANY KINDS OF VEHICLES AND TRIP PURPOSES THAT THE BAN WOULD BECOME DISCRIMINATORY AND SELF-DEFEATING. AND FINALLY, THE PRESUMED BENEFITS TO AIR QUALITY ARE SUBSTANTIALLY OBERSTATED, AS AUTOMOBILES NOT ONLY ACCOUNT FOR LESS POLLUTION BY WEIGHT THAN TRUCKS, BUT ALSO FOR SUBSTANTIALLY LESS TOXICITY THAN OTHER SOURCES.

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  • Accession Number: 00226620
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Apr 23 1973 12:00AM