As New York City faces its worst financial crisis in 2 decades, a NYC D.O.T. study was released showing that from 2003-2007, the increase in jobs and people was accompanied by a slight decrease in traffic due primarily to increased transit usage.
"The study is the first analysis to take an overall look at traffic and transit patterns in New York during the boom years from 2003 through 2007, when, according to the report, the city added more than 200,000 jobs and its population increased by more than 130,000."
"'What you see is that for the first time since at least World War II, all of the growth in travel in the city has been absorbed by non-auto modes, primarily by mass transit,' said Bruce Schaller, New York's deputy transportation commissioner for planning and sustainability, who wrote the study, which is to be released on Monday (12/15).
The study revealed that "the volume of traffic on the streets and highways remained largely unchanged, in fact declining slightly. Instead, virtually the entire increase in New Yorkers' means of transportation during those robust years occurred in mass transit, with a surge in subway, bus and commuter rail riders."
"'...we've really turned a corner in the city in that all of the growth in travel over the last four years has been absorbed by mass transit and so, in terms of the city's sustainability goals, this is very encouraging to see,' said Schaller."
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