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Transportation & Environment
Request by Aurora Tourism Services LLC., dba New York Iconic Cruises, for a sightseeing bus stop on 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway and on the west side of 7th Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, February 09, 2023, the following resolution passed with a vote of 33 in favor; 0 opposed; 1 abstaining:
WHEREAS, Aurora Tourism Services LLC., dba New York Iconic Cruises requests a sightseeing bus stop from the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) on 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway for pickups and drop-offs Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. through 11:45 p.m. with a frequency of 1 trip every 2 hours; and
WHEREAS, Aurora Tourism Services LLC., dba New York Iconic Cruises requests a sightseeing bus stop from the Department of Transportation (“DOT”) on 7th Avenue between West 47th and 48th Streets,,closer to West 47th Street, in front of 714 7th Avenue on west side of the street, for pickups and drop-offs Monday through Sunday from 8:10 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. with a frequency of 1 trip every 2 hours; and
WHEREAS, The requested location on on 42nd Street between 6th Avenue and Broadway is currently marked No Standing, has an existing MTA M42 stop, and DOT considers it appropriate for an additional permit because it has an existing stop, wide sidewalk, and limited stops; and
WHEREAS, The requested location on 7th Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets is currently marked No Standing, is already licensed to the sightseeing bus operator Gray Line, and according to DOT the length of the current bus stop length allows for addition of another bus company; and
WHEREAS, Community members expressed serious concern about either or both stops being prospectively licensed to two or more other sightseeing bus companies simultaneously, potentially causing major conflicts and congestion; and
WHEREAS, Community members expressed concern about sightseeing buses being a hinderance to MTA buses which share the same route through the busy Times Square area; and
WHEREAS, Gray Line, a sightseeing operator already licensed at both stops, advised the committee that it intends to restart service at this stop in the spring or summer of this year; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five continues to call on DOT to develop a comprehensive plan for street use in the district, including a comprehensive vision for overall placement and capacity of sightseeing buses due to the issues raised above; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five finds significant concern for the proposed bus stop on 42nd Street between 6th Ave. and Broadway, including congestion conflicts with the MTA ‘s M42, bus and the prospect of multiple sightseeing buses operating at the same location; and be it further
RESOLVED, Community Board Five finds significant concern for the proposed bus stop on 7th Avenue between 47th and 48th Streets, including congestion conflicts with the MTA ‘s M7, M20, and M104 buses and the prospect of multiple sightseeing buses operating at the same location if multiple permits are issued or the operator Gray Line returns to operation.