BAY RIDGE – CITY DEPARTMENT of Transportation (DOT) commissioner Ydanis Rodrguez announced on Friday a $5.6M federal grant from DOT federal for the creation of a new Urban Freight Mobility Collaborative. This innovation hub is focused on revolutionizing goods movement. The UFC will collaborate with community, industry and government partners to reduce truck traffic within polluted neighborhoods and industrial areas, aiming for a 40% reduction of emissions by 2032. Projects include the creation of “micro hubs” for trucks to unload cargo at central locations, the promotion of cargo bikes and scooters to transport cargo, electric freight vehicles and the development of comprehensive freight modeling tools.
Red Hook is one of Brooklyn’s most emission-impacted neighborhoods, as it is zoned for manufacturing. The growth of online shopping means that there are more delivery vehicles travelling to and from Amazon’s three large warehouses in the area, causing an increase in air pollution. Residents have been pushing Amazon to adopt greener delivery methods.