Transit Ridership At Historic Levels

The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) has released Sustainable Streets Index 2008, profiling trends in how people get around in the city during the population growth and economic expansion of the last four years.

Compiling years of data on motor vehicle, mass transit, bicycle and ferry use, it was noted, the study found that mass transit ridership grew steadily from 2003 to 2007, while the volume of vehicle traffic within the city remained virtually unchanged.

According to the agency, this marked the first time since World War II that growth in travel in the city has occurred entirely in mass transit.

Enhancing transportation choices and encouraging sustainable transportation modes are core goals of both PlaNYC and the DOT's strategic plan, which DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan indicated were two main goals of PlaNYC and the DOT's strategic plan.

"These trends support our plans to invest in bus, biking and walking programs and underscore the need to implement stable funding for our transit systems to secure the longterm future of the City's economy and quality of life," she said.

The report, which is available at www.nyc.gov/dot, combines data from DOT, the Port Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York Metropolitan Transportation Council. Key findings include:

• Traffic volumes were generally flat from 2003 to 2007 in contrast to an 11 percent increase in the 1990s.

• Transit ridership increased more rapidly than the rate of population growth or employment from 2003 to 2007. In fact, transit ridership increased nine percent citywide and 12 percent among riders entering Manhattan's Central Business District (CBD).

• Bikes are the fastest-growing mode of travel into the Manhattan CBD, with a 70-percent increase since 2002.

Taken together, transit and cycling have accommodated all growth in travel citywide as well as to the CBD since 2003.

As described, the 2003 to 2007 trends show historic progress toward the city's sustainability goals while also raising challenges and opportunities for maintaining and extending this progress. The most critical challenge, according to the DOT, is to expand transit capacity to absorb ridership increases and relieve overcrowding.

Developed in accordance with Local Law 23 and in coordination with City Council, as noted, the Sustainable Streets Index provides a benchmark for the past and current demands placed on the city's transportation infrastructure in the face of economic and population growth.

The Index, which will be published annually, will expand next year to include three additional sections. A new Citywide Traffic Index will be added to provide year-overyear comparison of traffic patterns on streets and highways away from the CBD, boroughs and city boundaries.

Additionally, DOT will summarize its progress along key corridors where DOT initiated improvements such as bike lanes and Bus Rapid Transit to encourage sustainable modes of transportation. Lastly, next year's report will offer readers a snapshot of vehicle speeds it has tracked through GPS in Manhattan.