New Kosciuszko Bridge Won't Come Cheap

"nine lanes instead of six (yay!)"

What an idiotic statement. Nine more lanes of cars producing more asthma for our kids, more demand for Middle East oil (and the resulting wars) and more giant chunks of fiberglass taking up space in the crowded city. And what happens when these nine lanes of car traffic disperse (usually speeding) into the rest of the Brooklyn and Queens neighborhoods causing a local increase in noise, traffic pollution and blight?

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 10:48 AM

"There is no current plan to expand the BQE to nine lanes."

So why is the writer cheering? Does he want to pull off on the shoulder and take in the view or think it will help him get to his Hampton house quicker on the ridiculously packed LIE? Don't think he'd want to get Queens quicker. Hmmm. Sounds like LA mentality.

Three less lanes might reduce the budget and maybe (but not likely) the funds could be used to make the G Train and LIRR better and a more attractive option than spewing pollution into our kids' lungs.

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 11:03 AM

Dittoburg and Tybur6:

So at least you do seem to understand and acknowledge the pollution problem. I'm breathing a little easier now.

I can get across the lower bridge across Newtown Creek from Ft. Greene in about 30 minutes (the amount of time that tyburg6 is sometimes sitting in traffic). I can get to Midtown Manhattan in 30 minutes. Chinatown 15 minutes. East Village 20 minutes. Granted if you've got to haul kids or it's raining, it's an issue. But the times require a bit of new transportation strategy (and we're lucky we have options and people thinking about it in NY).

You've probably biked. It's good exercise too (besides breathing all the car exhaust).

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 11:46 AM

Petebklyn:

That's an excellent point. That's why public transportation should be reevaluated. Things like dedicated bus lanes, more funds to make public transportation faster, more reliable and more comfortable transport could change the point you make. Unfortunately, the gas and car companies will only fund campaigns of politicians who will make cars the better option.

For the record. I'm far from rich and "luxury". My greatest asset is that I have an affordable place near excellent public transportation and new bike lanes. And I'm not lazy and overweight.

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 12:01 PM

Minard Lafever:

John Liu won in a runoff. And I remember reading an article about how he was often late trying to get to his campaign stops in Flushing because he was often hopelessly stuck in traffic coming from Manhattan, where he does most of his political business.

By the way, when you say you are an American, does that mean you're from the United States, or do you just negate all the other South and North Americans in places from Chile to Canada? Some of these other Americans in cities like Bogota have made innovative and interesting changes in their traffic systems recently by taking a risk on changing the status quo. That said every city is different. What is a given is that New York is hopelessly clogged with traffic.

You offer a lot of rebuttals and negatives. What's your plan, sir?

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 2:37 PM

rf:

I hear your frustration. However, if you used the 70 minutes to read and read 20 pages in that hour, you could read 4800 pages in a year. That's about 19 medium-sized novels a year. If you learned 20 new vocabulary words in another language on each trip, you would have, in a year, a second language vocabulary of 4800 new words.

Now say New York City actually does some work on the transportation system by shuffling some money from fees on private cars to make the trip roomier and more comfortable (maybe even a straight shot on fast buses on dedicated lanes), you'd be able to nap and feel rested enough to do something fun when you got home. The City, if it had the will, probably could fairly easily make most trips significantly faster too with some special planning (though unfortunately you'd have less novels under your belt in a year).

I say we might as well get started gradually doing this type of thing now while we have wiggle room, because it certainly is not going to get easier or less complicated as the years and decades progress.

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 6:04 PM

(a followup on my last statement) Actually, rf, I think that the real sloution is to get excellent cross and interborough public transportation planned, but I made a math error in my above idea on how to make the best of a crappy situation. (see above posting). I only took into account one way of a two hour trip. So you'd have been able to read 38 novels.

Unfortunately, New York politicians can't find their way into a paper bag (unless it's filled with money). So it might be best to do everything possible to fend for ourselves and figure out the work/transportation situation on our own.

Posted by: Epiphany at November 6, 2009 6:32 PM

rf: Yes, as I mentioned in one of my notes, that's a big catch in the discussion, having kids. I don't, and I am always amazed at the amount of energy and focus it takes in this city for parents to get the simplest thing done. It's really impressive.

It really wouldn't have to be like that if we didn't have such corrupt and greedy politicians running things. I mean, instead of billion dollar bridges, ticker tape parades, TV political campaign ads (the ultimate waste of money!), helicopter rides and subsidies for luxury high rises, there could be some help with things like child care, decent schools for people who can't afford private schools, affordable housing and innovative transportation policies.

We all should have more time to read up on stuff, do Soduku or just meditate. It'd be good for everyone we cross paths with daily. It's hard to keep a positive attitude, but what other choice is there?

Posted by: Epiphany at November 7, 2009 12:31 AM

bf: So, then you haven't experienced the sometimes 30 minutes backup delay described in post by tyburg6 ("I've been stuck around there for 1/2 hr easy")? That would make at least one of your one way trips y your estimate 50-55 minutes (if you can find a parking spot right in front of your job) — an extra twenty by train and reading time.

In fact I look up on that clogged freeway often and see standstill traffic at different hours of the night and day. All those particles from car exhaust float and drop into different neighborhoods—and into the lungs of people and their kids. Someone should figure out a way to visually show the flow of emissions particles off high traffic areas into neighborhoods.

And if you want to go to Downtown Brooklyn, Ft. Greene, Park Slope, Williamsburg or Prospect Park, do you ride bike or drive? Because it's no more than a half an hour from Marcy and Monroe. And with a saddle pack on the back of a bike you can haul lots of groceries (I use a regular camping backpack).

Posted by: Epiphany at November 7, 2009 10:16 AM