Res 0137-2014

By Council Members Koo, Gentile and Levine Whereas, There are thousands of schools and houses of worship in New York City; and Whereas, The City is served by over 4,500 local buses operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), in addition to many express buses and private buses; and Whereas, In certain communities, buses utilize curbside space near schools or places of worship for layovers and staging; and Whereas, For example, St. George's Church in Flushing, Queens is surrounded on two sides by bus stops and by a designated bus layover area on the remaining adjacent street; and Whereas, Buses using the layover space have raised many concerns among community members, including pollution and noise related to engine idling, as well as problems associated with bus driver loitering; and Whereas, Schools and houses of worship serve inherently vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation prohibiting buses from using streets adjacent to houses of worship or schools for the purposes of layovers, staging, or idling. LS#5205 12/10/2013 JM