Emergency Services

The intersection of 6th Avenue and Dean Street, looking southeast. The 78th Police Precinct is on the right, the firehouse for Engine 219/Ladder 105 is just to the left. 6th Avenue is typically congested already. Arena venue parking and truck access are both proposed to be added immediately adjacent to this intersection, on the north side.

This comment on a previous post got me thinking:
Your previous observation on the traffic implications of the proposed curb cuts should spark some sort of inquiry given the implications for the adjacent emergency services. Do you know whether it's specifically in the draft EIS?

Good question. Task 5 of the Draft Scope of Analysis for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (Community Facilities and Services, P.20) states:
“The ability of the fire department to provide fire protective services for a new project usually does not warrant a detailed assessment….Generally, a detailed assessment of fire protective services is included only if a proposed project would affect the physical operations of, or access to and from, a station house; and…. Generally, a detailed assessment of police protective services is included only if a proposed project would affect the physical operations of, or access to and from, a precinct house. Based on these thresholds and the proposed project program, detailed analyses will be conduced for public schools, libraries, health care facilities, and day care centers.”

There is no mention of traffic relative to emergency services in Task 12 (Traffic and Parking/Transit and Pedestrians). The bottom line? It seems that fire houses and precinct houses are specifically excluded from the analysis, even though their physical operations and access would certainly be affected!