Transit Authority
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Q: My taxi driver wasn’t able to drive through Central Park a few days ago. Are there new hours or restrictions?
A: There are new restrictions on the hours when you, or your taxi driver, can drive through the park. Since January 3, vehicles can use the East and West drives only between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. and between 3 and 7 p.m. on weekdays.
The restrictions went into place as part of a quality-of-life initiative by three city departments: Police, Transportation, and Parks and Recreation. Further limiting motor-vehicle access to the Park should positively affect other Park users. “Central Park is now more available than ever for runners, skaters, walkers, and cyclists to use the historic carriage drives for recreation,” the parks commissioner, Adrian Benepe, said in a press release. The transportation commissioner, Iris Weinshall, said: “By allowing motorists to use Central Park only during the rush hours, the park will be available for recreational activities at other times. We will better balance the needs of all the users.”
The MTA has touted its “hybrid buses” for several years now. How much of a positive effect have these vehicles had on city air quality?
Besides providing frequent, effective, and affordable transportation for the public, one goal of any transit system is to reduce pollution in the area it services. As a rule, bus service reduces pollution by taking cars off the streets. According to the MTA, the New York City transit system keeps 1.18 million pounds of particulate matter, 22 million pounds of hydrocarbons, and 376 million pounds of carbon monoxide out of the air each year. Hybrids – that is, vehicles that run in part on non-fossil fuel – reduce emissions further.
A City University of New York study shows that the hybrid buses used by the MTA reduce emissions significantly. When compared to a standard diesel burning bus, the study found, hybrids produce 79% less hydrocarbon pollution, 29% less carbon monoxide, and 29% less by way of particulate matter. Looking beyond air quality, the study also found that hybrid engines operate more quietly as well.
