Jackson Heights 'Clear Curbs' Pilot To End Early, Lawmakers Say

JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS -- A citywide pilot program banning curbside deliveries in parts of Jackson Heights and Corona will end this week - a month earlier than planned - after local storeowners claimed it was wiping out their business, lawmakers said.

The city's "Clear Curbs" initiative, a six-month pilot banning curbside loading along a quarter mile of Roosevelt Avenue during rush hours, was enacted in March to ease traffic congestion. But the pilot will end five weeks early amid complaints that it's done more harm than good for local business and safety, City Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona) announced Monday.

"This program was instituted to drive down traffic congestion...but in practice it left small businesses decimated and put nearby residents at risk as delivery trucks pushed off the main roads flooded into residential side streets," Moya said.

Under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Congestion Action Plan - a series of projects designed to ease congestion along busy roadways throughout the city - the Clear Curbs pilot banned curbside deliveries on one side of Roosevelt Avenue between Broadway and 80th Street from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The other side of the road was designated a "No Standing" area from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

NYPD staff were assigned to Roosevelt Avenue and other pilot areas in parts of Queens, Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan to enforce the new restrictions, which only allowed for speedy passenger pick-up and drop-off.

Moya, who has long been an outspoken opponent of the pilot, called the city's decision to end it "a welcome relief" for locals and business owners.

"Time after time, small business owners told me they feared they wouldn't survive the six-month pilot period," he said. "We're thankful the city has decided to shut this initiative down early."

In May, Moya and fellow City Council Members Mark Gjonaj and Laurie Cumbo responded to the Clear Curbs initiative with the Protect NYC Jobs and Business Act, which would require the city to notify local leaders of any project that will disrupt their neighborhood streets and give then a chance to dispute it.

Cumbo claimed the city's Department of Transportation never extended such a courtesy before rolling out Clear Curbs.

"It provided almost no advance notification to the local businesses that would be most impacted," said the City Council Majority leader.

"Almost all of the businesses in the impact zone faced serious challenges...and they were never given the opportunity to provide input before the DOT rolled out its plan."

Locals voiced their frustration with the pilot to Moya and the NYPD Commissioner in late June when they toured Roosevelt Avenue halfway through the project to get feedback.

Philip Papas, chairman of Community Board 3, said despite good intentions, the initiative has been "devastating" to the area's local business.

“Several businesses closed or were on the verge of closing," Papas said. "The negative effects of the project outweighed any potential positive outcome."

Lead photo courtesy of Google Maps/December 2017