{"id":925,"date":"2025-12-18T06:57:02","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T06:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multi.nycnewsnetwork.com\/nycbusinessdaily\/waterways-are-the-new-highways-in-new-york-city\/"},"modified":"2025-12-31T08:01:02","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T08:01:02","slug":"waterways-are-the-new-highways-in-new-york-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/nycbusinessdaily\/waterways-are-the-new-highways-in-new-york-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Waterways Are the New Highways in New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: black\">New York City is turning back to its waterways to address one of the city\u2019s biggest modern challenges: congested streets and emissions from freight delivery. The city\u2019s Department of Transportation and Economic Development Corporation have launched a pilot program that moves goods from Manhattan\u2019s Pier 79 to local neighborhoods using ferries and electric cargo bikes, a strategy officials say will reduce truck traffic and pollution, according to the press release on <a href=\"https:\/\/nycnewswire.com\/news\/nyc-shifts-freight-waterways-new-pilot\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NYC Newswire<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"674\" data-end=\"713\"><strong data-start=\"674\" data-end=\"711\"><span style=\"color: black\">Pilot Program Launches at Pier 79<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"715\" data-end=\"1185\"><span style=\"color: black\">The first route of the Blue Highways program runs from Atlantic Basin in Red Hook to Pier 79 in Manhattan. Goods\u2014including cosmetics, fashion, and household items\u2014are transported by NY Waterway ferries to the pier, then loaded onto DutchX electric pedal-assist cargo bikes for last-mile delivery across a Manhattan service area from 23rd Street to 70th Street. The pilot is expected to handle 300 to 400 parcels per day initially, with operations increasing over time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"1187\" data-end=\"1555\"><span style=\"color: black\">Officials say the program will ease congestion, improve air quality, and create a more resilient supply chain. \u201cWaterways are the new highways in New York City! When we move goods by water and deliver them by sustainable modes of transportation like cargo bikes, everyone wins\u2014our streets, our air, and our neighborhoods,\u201d said NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"1557\" data-end=\"1589\"><strong data-start=\"1557\" data-end=\"1587\"><span style=\"color: black\">A Return to Maritime Roots<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"1591\" data-end=\"2076\"><span style=\"color: black\">New York City\u2019s waterfront stretches 520 miles, offering a largely untapped resource for freight transport. \u201cNew York City was built on its waterways and, through the Blue Highways program, we\u2019re taking advantage of them once again,\u201d said NYCEDC President Andrew Kimball. Partners like NY Waterway and DutchX emphasize the efficiency and environmental benefits of moving freight by water rather than relying on trucks, which dominate nearly 90 percent of goods transport in the city.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"2078\" data-end=\"2113\"><strong data-start=\"2078\" data-end=\"2111\"><span style=\"color: black\">Infrastructure and Innovation<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"2115\" data-end=\"2653\"><span style=\"color: black\">The pilot builds on years of planning and smaller tests dating back to 2021, including proof-of-concept seasonal runs between Red Hook and Governor\u2019s Island. As part of a broader initiative, the city is exploring additional piers\u2014Pier 11, 34th Street Pier, and the Battery Maritime Building\u2014for similar freight operations. The effort complements NYC DOT programs such as the Curb Management Action Plan, Off-Hour Delivery incentives, and the Microhubs program, all designed to create safer, cleaner, and more efficient delivery systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"2655\" data-end=\"2696\"><strong data-start=\"2655\" data-end=\"2694\"><span style=\"color: black\">Environmental and Economic Benefits<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"2698\" data-end=\"3150\"><span style=\"color: black\">With freight volumes projected to grow 46 percent by 2055, city officials stress that shifting deliveries to waterways can reduce vehicle miles traveled, lower emissions, and ease wear on roads. Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine highlighted the program\u2019s potential to improve air quality and make streets safer, while advocates note the benefits for environmental justice communities disproportionately affected by last-mile freight facilities.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"3152\" data-end=\"3187\"><strong data-start=\"3152\" data-end=\"3185\"><span style=\"color: black\">A Pilot with Future Potential<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: start\" data-start=\"3189\" data-end=\"3640\"><span style=\"color: black\">The Blue Highways program represents a strategic shift in how New York City move goods. By leveraging ferries and electric cargo bikes for the \u201cmiddle mile\u201d and \u201clast mile\u201d of delivery, the city aims to modernize its freight system while reducing congestion and pollution. Early results from the Pier 79 pilot will inform plans to expand the program across the city, proving that New York\u2019s waterways can once again play a central role in commerce.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>New York City is turning back to its waterways to address one of the city\u2019s biggest modern challenges: congested streets and emissions from freight delivery. The city\u2019s Department of Transportation and Economic Development Corporation have launched a pilot program that moves goods from Manhattan\u2019s Pier 79 to local neighborhoods using ferries and electric cargo bikes, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","category-resources"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v23.4 (Yoast SEO v26.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Waterways Are the New Highways in New York City - NYC Business Daily<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nycnewsnetwork.com\/nycbusinessdaily\/waterways-are-the-new-highways-in-new-york-city\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Waterways Are the New Highways in New York City\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"New York City is turning back to its waterways to address one of the city\u2019s biggest modern challenges: congested streets and emissions from freight delivery. 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