Chinatown Bus Study, 2009

CHINA TOWN BUS STUDY New York City Department of City Planning Transportaon Division October 2009 Chinatown Bus Study Final Report October 2009 Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor City of New York Amanda M. Burden, FAICP, Director New York City Department of City Planning This study was funded by a matching grant from the Federal Highway Administraon, under NY- SDOT Pin PTCP08D00.G03, FHWA under the Subreagional Transportaon Planning Program, year 2008/2009. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportaon in the interest of informaon exchange. The contents of this report reflect the views of the au- thor, who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Federal Highway Administraon, nor of the New York Metropolitan Transportaon Council. This report does not constute a standard, speci- ficaon or regulaon. Table of Contents Execuve Summary 1 Introducon 2 History 3 Study Area 4 Land Use 5 Zoning 7 Bus Operaons 9 Business Model 13 Previous Aempts to Improve Condions 13 Industry Regulaons 15 Issues and Community Concerns 17 Congeson 17 Polluon and Lier 18 Safety 19 Community Concerns 20 Case Studies 21 Boston, MA 22 Washington, DC 24 Philadelphia 28 Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Staon 31 Recommendaons and Next Steps 33 Long Term 33 Near Term 33 Conclusion 35 Appendix A: Demographics 37 Appendix B: Transportaon Network 45 Public Transportaon 47 Truck Routes 49 Parking 50 Street Network 51 Appendix C : Accidents 55 Bibliography 63 Credits 65 BUS STUDY CHINATOWN Execuve Summary The Chinatown private interstate bus industry began operang from Chinatown in 1997, primarily serving restaurant workers and other Chinese immigrants residing in New York City. The buses provide an alternave to air travel, which is costly and not always possible for those who do not have resident status. Aer September 11, 2001 airline travel became more me-consuming and cumbersome and bus travel became popular among students and bargain seekers outside the im- migrant market. Another reason for the popularity of Chinatown buses is that they cost less than other long-standing commercial bus companies, such as Greyhound or Peter Pan. Chinatown buses are also more convenient for the target populaon since they operate from the Chinatown of the origin city to the Chinatown of the desnaon city, and eliminate unnecessary traveling. The Chinatown Bus industry has grown exponenally since 1997, and the buses now travel to many states along the east coast such as Massachuses, District of Columbia, Delaware, Mary- land, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Georgia. Some bus companies travel further west to Ohio, Ten- nessee and Illinois. Many problems have arisen as a result of this expansion and compeon. A significant strain has been placed on the surrounding community. Reported and observed problems include increased congeson, noise, polluon, lier and decreased safety and security for pedestrians, passengers and neighborhood residents. This study documents the efforts of New York City to improve these condions. Case studies and historical models are presented to demonstrate how other cies manage the Chinatown bus industry and how New York City has historically managed similar problems of severe congeson. There are several studies underway in Chinatown that overlap the study area of this analysis. The Canal Area Transportaon Study (CATS) is being conducted by the New York Metropolitan Trans- portaon Council (NYMTC). Although CATS does not directly address the problems associated with interstate buses, the study does examine congeson issues in the Chinatown area. Lower Manhaan Street Management is a study being undertaken by the New York City Department of Transportaon (NYCDOT) that examines placard parking, as well as bus and curbside management. NYCDOT is also working with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez’s office, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Associaon (CCBA) and the Asian American Federaon of New York (AAFNY) to commence a parking and access study for Chinatown. Following a detailed examinaon of the bus operaons, this report recommends that the City instute a perming process to require bus operators to pay for curbside use, just as commercial trucks are required to pay for parking. It is important to note however, that in New York State instung a perming system requires state legislaon. Instung a permit process will control the growth of the industry and its associated impacts by assigning the space from which buses may operate, and specifying hours when they are permit- ted to operate. Addionally, a permit process would add a measure of safety to the industry by discouraging bus companies from changing their names to evade safety regulaons. Lastly, congeson would be eased by assigning the curb space properly and eliminang the need to double park, and block New York City Transit bus stops and parking meters. Noise and polluon would be reduced by eliminang the need for buses to circle while looking for parking. These recommendaons would benefit the Chinatown community in many ways. Unl a lower Manhaan bus terminal can be built, a perming system would provide order to the industry. 1 CHINATOWN BUS STUDY Introducon The Chinatown Bus Study examines the operaons of the private interstate bus companies that load and discharge passengers throughout Chinatown (for locaons see Figure 1). Recommen- daons to improve those operaons are offered, which may help alleviate the congeson these buses create, to improve traffic circulaon in the area and help travelers find buses more easily. Figure 2 illustrates the study area in context of the borough, and demonstrates its proximity to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the George Washington Bridge Bus Staon. Figure 1 BROOME ST SPRING ST KENMARE ST STATON ST RIVINGTON ST MERCER ST 122 Allen Street CROSBY ST CENTER MARKET PL LISPENARD ST HOWARD ST VARICK ST ± 175B Lafayette Street DELANCEY ST WALKER ST AV OF THE AMERICS THE OF AV ELIZABETH ST ESSEX ST WHITE ST BOWERY NORFOLK ST CHRYSTIE ST CENTRE ST 87 Chrystie Street SUFFOLK ST MULBERRY ST FORSYTH ST MOTT ST CLINTON ST BROADWAY ATTORNEY ST MERCER ST GE S LAFAYETTE LEONARD ST 69 Chrystie Street ALLEN ST RID ORCHARD ST CHURCH ST BROOME ST LUDLOW ST WORTH ST THOMAS ST 33 Allen Street GRAND ST BAXTER ST 139 Canal Street HESTER ST DUANE ST BAYARD ST HOGAN PL READE ST PITT ST 13 Allen Street PELL ST 59 Canal Street CHAMBERS ST MOSCO ST DIVISION ST 1999 CT BNDY E BROADWAY JEFFERSON ST 2000 CB BNDY 2000 CB BNDY PARK ROW HENRY ST OLIVER ST MONTGOMERY ST 88 East Broadway MARKET ST MN BR APPR 133 East Broadway MADISON ST PIKE ST BKBR APPR ST JAMES PL MONROE ST SPRUCE ST ROSE ST CATHERINE ST BEEKMAN ST ALLEY UNNAMED ST Arrival and Departure PIKE SL ANN ST CHERRY ST FDR DR CT BNDY FULTON ST WATER ST LocationsPEARL ST GOLD ST ALLEY BROOKLYN BR SOUTH ST E RIVER SHL W DOVER ST MANHATTAN BR FDR DR Arrival/Departure Locations JOHN ST FDR DR NB EN BK BR BEEKMAN ST CLIFF ST Study Area PLATT ST WATER ST FRONT ST This study provides a comprehensive analysis of exisng condions, including informaon about the study area’s land use, zoning, demographics, street network, accidents and availability of public transportaon. In addion, the operaonal characteriscs of the companies conducng business from Chinatown have been documented, including their frequency, desnaons and business model. Lastly, traffic circulaon and congeson problems have been idenfied and recommendaons have been developed to improve condions. 2 BUS STUDY CHINATOWN History The Chinatown Buses, also known as Dragon Buses in the Chinese community, began shuling Chinese immigrants to the Chinatowns of other states in 1997. Many passengers were restaurant workers and/or NYC residents vising family members. Prices were very low compared to the Greyhound or Peter Pan bus lines and soon word spread to students and other budget-conscious travelers that for a very low fare the Chinatown buses would take customers to Massachuses, Virginia, Washington DC, or Pennsylvania.1 Bus travel in general has increased a great deal since 1997. The growth of the Chinatown bus industry is primarily due to an increase in populaon of Chinatown communies in this country. In addion, immediately following the terrorist aacks of September 11, 2001, airlines ghtened security thereby creang longer lines and delays for air travelers. In 2002 Chinatown Bus companies began to sell ckets online, which made it easier for travelers who do not belong to the Chinese community to purchase ckets. During this period of growth in the bus travel industry, several new bus companies began to provide service thereby cung fares and creang fierce compeon over passengers and curb space. Figure 2 George Washington Bridge Bus Station The Bronx New Jersey Manhattan Port Authority Bus Terminal Queens Chinatown Bus Study Boundaries ´ 1 GotoBus, “Brief History of Chinatown Bus.” (2008) hp://www.gotobus.com/ (Accessed June 20, 2008). 3 CHINATOWN Study Area The study area boundaries are the FDR Drive to the south, Rutgers Street and Essex Street to the east, Grand Street to the north, Centre Street, Worth Street and Catherine Street to the west (see Figure 3). These boundaries include the core of the Chinatown community which surrounds the Manhaan Bridge entrance. Many of the interstate Chinatown BUS buses STUDY load and unload passengers on the streets surrounding the Manhaan Bridge because the irregular street geometry in this area results

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