A new 'no idling' policy at the Peace Bridge plaza has been announced in an effort to improve air quality.
The Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority board of directors announced authorization of the zones for both the U.S. and Canada plaza areas and the Duty Free parking lots.
PBA chairman Sam Hoyt says it will affect motorists who are required to stop for a secondary inspection or paperwork at the customs plaza.
"Drivers will be required to shut off their engines when shopping. In addition, commercial carriers will be allowed to spend no more than 20 minutes parked in the U.S. duty free area, regardless of these new idling policies," said Hoyt.
"You can't idle anywhere on the plaza, including Duty Free, including parking," said Niagara District Common Council member David Rivera. "Once you pass the booths, there is no idling."
Assemblyman Sean Ryan says the Department of Environmental Conservation and bridge employees will be watching for violators.
"Authority employees now can tell drivers, 'please turn your car off.' If they don't and they exceed the five minutes, then we'll bring the police into it," said Ryan.http://youtu.be/kbxmL3Y__Ao
This announcement comes on the heels of plans to begin bridge plaza expansion in Buffalo.
But Resident Peter Joe Certo, who lives near the bridge, says "no idling" zones won't improve air quality. Certo and other residents opposed to the expansion say it will only increase traffic in their West Side neighborhood.
"This is an insane, backward project, and it's small potatoes," said Certo. "When you start your engine, you're burning more fuel that you do in five minutes of idling."
The state Department of Environmental Conservation is conducting air monitoring of the area.
