Traffic, including a five-axle tractor-trailer and other trucks, streams off the toll-free Manhattan Bridge and onto Canal St.
BY LESLEY SUSSMAN | A proposal that would call on politicians to explore the possibility of putting tolls on all three East River bridges to help cut congestion in parts of Community Board 3 hit a roadblock at last month’s full-board meeting. C.B. 3 voted 21-12 against the measure, which was drafted by the board’s Transportation and Public Safety/Environment Subcommittee.
For several months now, C.B. 3 and the subcommittee have been trying to address the problem of traffic bottlenecks along Clinton, Canal and Grand Sts. that is largely caused by the huge volume of cars, cabs and trucks taking advantage of toll-free crossings on the Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
The subcommittee’s resolution asked politicians to “undertake a review of public policy proposals” that address the vehicular congestion problem, including a “Fair Tolling and Transportation Reinvestment Plan” proposed by Move NY, a nonprofit transportation consulting group led by Downtown Express contributor “Transit Sam” Schwartz. Move NY has been advocating for bridge tolls rather than fare hikes to help pay for maintenance of the city’s bridges, roadways and transit system.
At the Nov. 25 C.B. 3 meeting, many board members objected both to the idea of tolls and the wording of a section of the resolution that called for “immediate support” for any proposal that elected officials felt effective, including the Move NY plan.
Some board members said that tolling the East River bridges would reduce the number of shoppers driving into the Lower East Side from other boroughs and put a damper on already-struggling local businesses. Others said the tolls would negatively impact low-income residents who do a fair amount of driving back and forth on the bridges.
Regarding the resolution’s working, board member Joyce Ravitz questioned why “immediate support” was necessary. She was joined by C.B. 3 Treasurer Bill LoSasso, who said, “The proposal needs to be much broader, not just gearing in on buzz words.”
Richard Ropiak, chairperson of C.B. 3’s Economic Development Subcommittee, added, “We don’t have a Macy’s or large department stores in this area. All our businesses are small businesses, and a reduction of traffic would impair these small businesses. We don’t want to discourage traffic to Chinatown and other neighborhoods.”
Voicing her objection, board member Vaylateena Jones said, That’s why I’m against it.”
Another objection was raised by Herman Hewitt, the board’s first vice chairperson.
“I’m definitely against it,” he said. “There’s no way of controlling the level of prices once tolls are established. Every year they will raise the tolls. It’s the same thing they’ve done on the Verrazano Bridge and the Holland Tunnel.”
John Leo, a Transportation Subcommittee member, spoke in favor of the resolution.
“The committee has taken into consideration all objections and concerns” before drafting its proposal,” he said. He noted, for example, that a section of the resolution regarding “fee discounts where warranted” wasn’t in the first draft but was added in response to concerns about the impact tolls could have on low-income residents.
After the vote, C.B. 3 Chairperson Gigi Li told Downtown Express that “The issue is dead,” she said. “At this point, C.B. 3 is taking no position on it. If board members want to take the issue up again in a different form it can be discussed.”
Li added that “this was not the first time” that the board has not taken a stand on a “controversial” community issue.
The vote surprised some board members, who said that unless some action is taken soon, in addition to continued traffic tie-ups, the three East River bridges will fall into major disrepair over the next decade.
One Transportation Subcommittee member, who asked to remain anonymous, said that maintenance on bridges, roadways and the mass transit system is currently deficient due to inadequate funding.
“The bridges will fall down in 10 years if more funding isn’t found,” he said. “We don’t want to wait for that. Someone has to look at the problem. That’s all the resolution was asking. The vote was ridiculous. The proposal simply asked that elected officials look at plans put together by qualified people.”
Jonathan Matz, a representative of Move NY who responded to some board members’ questions at the meeting, said he, too, was disappointed by the board’s action.
“I wish I had more of an opportunity to address board members’ concerns,” he said. “Their protocol didn’t allow me to do that. But I’ve spoken to about 20 community boards across the city and I’ve gotten plenty of support from them. I just don’t know about this board. Maybe they’ll change their mind over the next few months and I’ll have another opportunity to come back.”
Bridge traffic congestion in the Chinatown and Grand St. area has been a growing problem. Right now, traffic backs up for several blocks on Grand, Clinton and Canal Sts. during afternoon rush hours.
In other board business, C.B. 3’s Executive Committee elected Alysha Lewis-Coleman, a longtime Lower East Side resident and tenant leader, to serve as second vice chairperson. Ricky Leung held the post, but resigned from the community board earlier this year. Lewis-Coleman defeated two other candidates, Enrique Cruz and Chad Marlow. A fourth candidate, Ayo Harrington, dropped out before the vote.
New Leadership & SantaCon
And in news that drew cheers from many of the nearly 100 local residents who attended the board meeting, C.B. 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer announced that SantaCon would not be partying in the East Village and Lower East Side this year.
There has been a vociferous backlash from residents in C.B. 3 and throughout the city about this annual bar crawl in which thousands of people dress like Santa Claus and elves and generally create drunken havoc.
“The news reports that SantaCon will be back are not true,” Stetzer said. “I’ve been told by the organizers that the C.B. 3 area is not on their route this year.”
