The Traffic Management Plan will help identify traffic congestion

The safety and flow of downtown streets and sidewalks are getting special attention during the rebuilding as part of the Lower Manhattan Construction Command Center's (LMCCC) City Operations program.

LMCCC Executive Director Charles Maikish and Program Director Josh Rosenbloom outlined the plan for Community Board 1 on Monday, February 12^th, explaining how everything from truck staging and double parking to crosswalks and traffic speed will be managed. Backed by city, state, and federal funding, the three-part plan specifically addresses construction project schedules, street impacts, permit distribution, and enforcement, Rosenbloom said.

The first element is a master schedule of the nearly 70 construction and renovation projects taking place south of Canal Street over the next decade. The LMCCC team uses this schedule together with a master street map to identify well in advance locations where traffic congestion, pedestrian restrictions, or other access issues may arise during the downtown reconstruction effort with an eye toward adjusting various construction projects to maintain mobility downtown.

To help with accommodating traffic and access issues, the traffic-management plan's second element is the Permit Enforcement Taskforce. It is comprised of the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), Police Department, and Department of Buildings -- the three agencies that issue permits and enforce their stipulations.  The Taskforce will meet daily at the LMCCC's headquarters at One Liberty Plaza. There the agencies will determine how many and which departments' enforcement personnel to deploy at particular sites -- with inspectors, traffic-enforcement agents (TEAs), and tow trucks at the ready.

Other agencies, including the New York City Department of Sanitation, Department of Environmental Protection, Community Assistance Unit, Parks and Recreation Department, and Taxi and Limousine Commission also will participate in the taskforce.

The plan's third component leverages technology to monitor traffic and improve enforcement and communication. Developed with and controlled by city DOT Traffic Operations, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) expands similar existing citywide plans to supply real-time traffic information to the LMCCC's Taskforce, enforcement agencies, and the public.

Rosenbloom said that 30 new wireless cameras will join the 10 already in place around Lower Manhattan through the ITS program. Together with traffic sensors, the cameras monitor traffic conditions, allowing the enforcement agents to deploy personnel to key locations throughout the day and night.

The final elements of the ITS will be up and running by fall 2007, while the other traffic-management plan components are already ramping up in tandem with downtown's abundant public and private construction projects.

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