Table of Contents Chapter 29: Responses to Comments ...................................................................29-1 A PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED/DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED ACTION/ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK .........................................................................29-5 B LAND USE, ZONING, & PUBLIC POLICY ...................................................................29-17 C SOCIOECONOMIC CONDITIONS.................................................................................29-23 1. RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT AND DISPLACEMENT.......................................................29-23 2. COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND DISPLACEMENT......................................................29-28 3. SPECIFIC INDUSTRIES ASSESSMENT ...............................................................................29-32 4. SUMMARY OF ECONOMIC BENEFITS, COMMENTS ON PROJECT COSTS AND FINANCING......................................................................................................................29-34 D. COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES ...............................................................29-37 E. OPEN SPACE AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES.....................................................29-41 F. ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIC AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES................29-46 G. URBAN DESIGN, VISUAL RESOURCES & NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER .......29-49 H. NATURAL RESOURCES.................................................................................................29-56 I. INFRASTRUCTURE.........................................................................................................29-64 J. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS...........................................................................................29-65 K. WATERFRONT REVITALIZATION PROGRAM..........................................................29-68 L. SOLID WASTE AND SANITATION SERVICES...........................................................29-72 M. ENERGY............................................................................................................................29-72 N. TRAFFIC ...........................................................................................................................29-73 1. MODAL SPLIT .................................................................................................................29-73 2. VEHICLE OCCUPANCY ....................................................................................................29-78 3. TRIP ASSIGNMENTS ........................................................................................................29-78 4. TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION..............................................................................................29-79 5. MITIGATION....................................................................................................................29-80 6. EVENT AND FACILITY SCENARIOS..................................................................................29-83 7. RIVER CROSSINGS ..........................................................................................................29-88 8. EXISTING AND CHANGED CONDITIONS ..........................................................................29-91 9. SAFETY ...........................................................................................................................29-96 10. METHODOLOGY ..............................................................................................................29-96 11. MISCELLANEOUS ..........................................................................................................29-103 O. PARKING ........................................................................................................................29-104 1. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................29-104 2. CALCULATIONS ............................................................................................................29-106 3. GROWTH RATE .............................................................................................................29-107 4. CONCLUSIONS...............................................................................................................29-108 5. POLICY..........................................................................................................................29-111 P. TRANSIT .........................................................................................................................29-112 1. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................29-112 2. POLICY..........................................................................................................................29-114 3. SUBWAYS......................................................................................................................29-116 4. BUSES ...........................................................................................................................29-120 5. COMMUTER RAILROADS...............................................................................................29-123 6. FERRIES ........................................................................................................................29-124 7. MULTIPLE MODES ........................................................................................................29-126 29-i No. 7 Subway Extension—Hudson Yards Rezoning and Development Program FGEIS Q. PEDESTRIANS............................................................................................................... 29-127 1. SAFETY......................................................................................................................... 29-127 2. POLICY ......................................................................................................................... 29-128 3. ROUTE ASSIGNMENTS .................................................................................................. 29-128 4. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 29-129 5. RESULTS....................................................................................................................... 29-129 R. AIR QUALITY................................................................................................................ 29-130 S. NOISE AND VIBRATION ............................................................................................. 29-143 T. CONSTRUCTION IMPACTS........................................................................................ 29-147 U. PUBLIC HEALTH .......................................................................................................... 29-151 D ALTERNATIVES............................................................................................................ 29-153 1. ZONING ALTERNATIVES............................................................................................... 29-153 2. ALTERNATIVE PLANNING INITIATIVES ........................................................................ 29-156 3. ALTERNATIVE USE FOR CAEMMERER YARD ............................................................... 29-157 4. TRANSPORTATION ACTIONS ........................................................................................ 29-158 5. ALTERNATIVE DEVELOPMENT/FACILITY CONFIGURATIONS....................................... 29-160 W. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PROCESS, PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 29-162 29-ii Chapter 29: Responses to Comments [Entirely New Text] INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes and responds to all substantive comments on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement (DGEIS) published in June 2004 for the No. 7 Subway Extension - Hudson Yards Rezoning and Development Program (Proposed Action). Public review for the DGEIS began on June 21, 2004, with the publication and distribution of the DGEIS by the City of New York City Planning Commission (CPC) and the MTA. The CPC and MTA held a duly noticed public hearing to receive comments on the DGEIS on September 23, 2004 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Haft Auditorium, Building C, on West 27th Street and Seventh Avenue, Manhattan. The public comment period on the DGEIS remained open through October 4, 2004. This chapter of the FGEIS identifies the organizations and individuals who commented on the DGEIS, and summarizes and responds to all comments made at the public hearings or received through the close of the comment period noted above. All agencies, elected officials, organizations and individuals who commented on the DGEIS are listed below. Sections A through W then contain a summary of all comments made and a response to each of those comments. These summaries convey the substance of the comments made, but do not necessarily quote the comments verbatim. Comments are organized by subject matter and generally parallel the chapter structure of the FGEIS. Where similar views and comments were expressed by more than one commenter, those comments have been grouped and addressed together. Copies of the transcripts of the September 23, 2004 public hearing and written comments are contained in Appendices AA and BB, respectively. LIST OF COMMENTERS PUBLIC AGENCIES 1. Manhattan Community Board No. 4 (CB4), Walter