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down to a smaller size, and especially a smaller width relieves waterfront infrastructure footprints and costs.

that issue. One may argue that one human with a bigger truck These 5-foot wide units will zip through the city much faster can deliver more cargo than one human with a smaller truck, and easier than conventional cars and if they become ubiqui- but in a city like NYC even that argument holds no water, espe- tous, New Yorkers will think: “Why don’t we ? t our asses in cially if NYC water can be crossed at higher speeds by avoid- those ? ve feet wide rolling cargo units?” Then NYC parking ing tunnels and bridges and using the water itself. garages realize they can ? t 30 percent more cars in their parking

NYCEDC, and many others, realize that at a gut level, and facilities, and NYC may say: “Maybe we should reduce con- that is why NYCEDC is looking at waterborne micro cargo de- gestion pricing by 30 percent on ? ve foot wide passenger cars. livery. Such a system uses the water itself as a bypass intersec- And why not provide dedicated ? ve foot wide traf? c lanes?” tion to deliver cargo point to point without delays, and as long And yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, we will have entered a as there are lots of waterfront delivery points, the delivery can bene? cial transportation cycle with the ability to achieve be done in smaller moving units. Those smaller moving units massive system wide ef? ciency increases. But remember: No can move more quickly to their ? nal destination and thereby proper width standard, no ef? cient waterborne micro cargo increase ef? ciencies and reduce costs even if human drivers are transportation system.

still needed. These 5 feet wide units can slip into spots that 8 Somebody needs to set that standard. It costs nothing. wide foot trucks cannot. When double parked, and with minor NYCEDC, and the region’s tax payers, are you listening? Set traf? c lane modi? cations, a 5-foot-wide delivery unit prevents that standard before it is too late! It is free and will save you blockages without the need for total street surface increases. tons of money and carbon emissions!

These units ? t standard shipping pallets if pallets need to

For each column I write, MREN has agreed to make a be moved, and also ? t most human objects, such as beds, fur- small donation to an organization of my choice. For this niture and appliances, since these need to ? t through human column I nominate the Waterfront Alliance, www.

sized doors. These ? ve feet wide units are loaded on cellular- waterfrontalliance.org. This organization has been ized ships whether as rolling units or standard containers, and ? ghting for waterfront access in all its forms since 2000. can be loaded and unloaded very quickly thereby reducing

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