Abstract |
The City of New York, with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has embarked on the Manhattan Garment Center Urban Goods Movement Study in order to better understand the goods movement process, to develop techniques to alleviate the difficulties of urban goods movement, and to implement these techniques. This Garment Center study represents the first major effort to investigate the goods movement problems existing in a major, highly urbanized environment. The project is a comprehensive study of urban goods movement and is organized to meet several objectives: (1) to be accessible and responsive to the community; (2) to develop, design, evaluate, and implement short-term, low capital improvements for the goods movement system; and (3) to identify long-term solutions to goods movement difficulties. This report presents a summary of Phase I of the Manhattan Garment Center Urban Goods Movement Study. Phase I consists of the development of a data base, analysis of the goods movement problem, and the implementation of short-range proposals to improve the movement of goods and people. It addresses such issues as the economic structure of the garment industry; pattern of land use; volume and patterns of traffic and curbside parking; air and noise pollution levels associated with the garment industry; and the implementation of a program of short-range low capital improvements. This Phase I report states that the analyses, policy recommendations, and experiences of this project are appropriate for a study of urban goods movement in any area, particularly small metropolitan areas. |