CB1 Supports City Hall Plan for Futuristic Skyport on East River, with a Few Caveats
Community Board 1 (CB1) is getting behind an initiative by the administration of Mayor Eric Adams to bring electric helicopters to the Downtown Manhattan Heliport (located at Pier 6, on the East River waterfront), while also using the facility as a hub for waterborne freight and last-mile deliveries via electric cargo bikes, under the so-called Blue Highways plan.
In a resolution enacted at its December 19 meeting, CB1 notes that electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft “are about 20 times quieter than helicopters (65 versus 80-90 Db at 100 meters) and have zero emission in flight, which will address two of CB1’s long standing complaints about helicopters.”
Focusing on a longstanding community concern, the Board notes that while the currently allowed number of tourist flights (30,000 per year) remains unchanged, hours for such excursions will be reduced by 30 percent under the plan, and urges the City to impose lower landing fees for eVTOLs than for helicopters, creating an incentive to reduce noise further.
Both the eVTOL and Blue Highways components of the plan call for the installation of electrical infrastructure powerful enough to charge electric aircraft, boats, and fleets of delivery bikes. The design and permitting process for this equipment is expected to be completed next year, with construction slated to begin in 2027.
CB1 also notes that the operators of the new facility (a partnership calling themselves Downtown Skyport) have promised to work with educational programs for high school and post-secondary students in sustainable careers related to the operation of a revamped Pier 6.
One reservation voiced by the Board is that standard, commercial bicycles used for deliveries, which are 48 inches wide, “will place too big a demand on the existing bike lanes and greenways in the district. It will be important that the bike routes for last mile deliveries from Pier 6 are planned so that bikes and commercial bikes do not need to compete for safe space.”
But overall, the resolution concludes, “CB1 supports the Downtown Skyport plan to bring quieter and less polluting air transportation and marine plus last-mile delivery to the Downtown Manhattan Heliport at Pier 6.”