In cities like New York, the convenience of e-commerce is colliding with the limits of urban infrastructure. The result is a freight system that’s increasingly unsustainable – environmentally, economically and socially.
Over 90% of goods enter New York by truck, leading to rising emissions, deteriorating roads, poor air quality and streets clogged with delivery vans.
This isn’t just a local issue. As cities densify and online shopping grows, last-mile deliveries are surging. Same-day delivery is one of the fastest-growing sectors, and the average US household now receives 160 packages a year – 55% above the global average.
While convenient, the environmental cost is steep. If trends continue, delivery vehicle volumes in major cities could rise by 80% by 2030, with emissions increasing by up to 60%.
Yet passenger vehicles dominate the emissions debate, despite medium and heavy-duty trucks causing far more damage relative to their volumes. Last-mile deliveries account for 30% of urban greenhouse gas emissions, 40% of fine particle pollution, and half of diesel use.
The issue isn’t just emissions; it is also about space. Trucks take up more room, wear down infrastructure and pose safety risks in dense areas – in fact, a single loaded truck can cause as much wear on a road as thousands of cars. In New York, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway is under strain, with strict weight limits now enforced due to structural concerns.
The current model isn’t working. But demand for fast, convenient delivery isn’t going away. The challenge is clear: how can cities meet modern expectations without sacrificing their streets, air and future?
The answer lies in rethinking how goods move — and revisiting ideas that have long been overlooked.
New York’s Blue Highways initiative is part of a broader rethink. By shifting freight from trucks to boats, it aims to cut congestion, reduce idling emissions and create new jobs. This isn’t about global shipping; it is about how goods move within the city.
The idea is simple: use rivers and harbors to move goods closer to their destination. Then smaller, cleaner vehicles — cargo bikes, electric vans, even hand carts — handle the last mile. It is a hybrid model combining maritime logistics with micromobility.
The impact is real. One South Bronx site already removes 1,000 truck trips monthly. City agencies are planning more landing sites along the East River to expand adoption.
The initiative could create 8,000 jobs across logistics, transportation and maritime sectors — opening new career paths for underserved New Yorkers.
To accelerate this, TYLin supported NYCEDC’s Blue Highways Workforce study. This first-of-its-kind report explores how marine freight can create accessible, family-sustaining jobs. Smart transport systems connect people to opportunity and generate shared wealth.
Waterways are only part of the answer. Solving the climate and logistics challenge requires a systems-based approach that connects policy, infrastructure and technology to reshape urban freight from end to end.
This means holding warehouses accountable for their emissions, creating micro-distribution hubs for cleaner last-mile delivery, and implementing smart loading zones, off-hour incentives and shared-use lockers to ease curbside congestion. TYLin is helping New York pilot these tools in its most complex, high-density areas.
These ideas aren’t theoretical. They’re already in use but remain fragmented. What’s missing is scale and coordination.
No single operator can redesign last-mile logistics or overhaul freight networks alone. City governments can play a vital role in coordinating, incentivizing, and managing these complex systems.
If cities fail to act, the consequences are clear. More trucks. More emissions. More congestion. And ultimately, a decline in the very convenience that e-commerce was meant to deliver.
Our quality of urban life will deteriorate. Streets will become less safe, less breathable, and less functional. The economic cost – in lost time, damaged infrastructure, and public health – will only grow.
But the tools to avoid that future already exist. The challenge is not invention. It’s implementation.
Melvin Wah is presenting at Climate Week NYC in September. For more information on the event click here.
Melvin Wah, New York Sustainability Lead,
TYLin
Mr. Wah is the New York Sustainability and Resiliency Lead at TYLin, bringing extensive expertise in sustainable mobility, transit planning, vehicular electrification planning, and transportation policy. He works closely with cities and states to accelerate their decarbonization efforts, helping to shape a more sustainable transportation future.
