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Transportation & Environment
Request by Aurora Tourism Services, LLC, dba New York Iconic Cruises, for a sightseeing bus stop on the west side of 7th Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street
At the regularly scheduled monthly Community Board Five meeting on Thursday, March 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 the west side of 7th Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets for pickups and dropoffs Monday through Sunday 8 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. with a frequency of one trip every two hours; and
WHEREAS, The requested location is currently marked No Standing and is already licensed to sightseeing bus operators Big Bus Tours New York and TopView Sightseeing; and
WHEREAS, Community members expressed concern about sidewalk obstructions creating a chokepoint of limited sidewalk space on the northern half of the block, due to existing bus stops, a subway entrance, sidewalk grates, and sidewalk cafes; and
WHEREAS, Community members also expressed concern that it is unclear from DOT’s letter which section of the block is the location of the proposed new stop, specifically whether it is intended for the southern section of the block or the northern section which contains existing bus stops and the sidewalk obstructions mentioned above; and
WHEREAS, Community Board Five continues to call on DOT to develop a comprehensive plan for street use in the district in conjunction with the city’s appointed Chief Public Realm Officer, including a comprehensive vision for overall placement and capacity of sightseeing buses; therefore be it
RESOLVED, Community Board Five finds significant concern for the proposed bus stop on the west side of 7th Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, including sidewalk obstructions on the northern half of the block and uncertainty about whether the proposed new bus stop is on the northern or southern half.