Will IKEA Be a Traffic Nightmare for Red Hook?
Today’s NY Post has a story that looks at the measures being taken to mitigate the car and people traffic that some believe is going to overwhelm Red Hook when the home-furnishings giant opens next month. First off, there’s going to be a free Water Taxi running between Lower Manhattan and IKEA every 40 minutes…
Today’s NY Post has a story that looks at the measures being taken to mitigate the car and people traffic that some believe is going to overwhelm Red Hook when the home-furnishings giant opens next month. First off, there’s going to be a free Water Taxi running between Lower Manhattan and IKEA every 40 minutes when the store is open. Second, the MTA is extending the B61 and B77 bus lines so they stop directly in front of the store, and IKEA is going to offer a free shuttle between the Borough Hall/Court Street, Smith/9th Street, and 4th Avenue/9th Street subway stops every 10 minutes. The closest subway stop to IKEA, Smith/9th, is more than a mile away from the store. The retailer built 1,400 parking spots and expects 14,000 cars to flock to the store every Saturday. John McGettrick, co-chair of the Red Hook Civic Alliance, believes that number is going to be closer to 20,000, and he says the traffic is going to sink Red Hook’s character. “There’s been no IKEA in this country ever put in a situation like this; most others like the ones in Elizabeth and Paramus in New Jersey have direct access off highways,” says McGettrick. “This is on a tiny peninsula that is basically a dead end.”
IKEA Goes to Se-a in Red Hook [NY Post]
Photo by marko boni.
Why did Ikea have to promise locals jobs, anyway? It’s not a God-given right to be able to walk to work. I wish I could, but can’t…I love when people say “there’s no jobs around here”. Well, get on the subway like everyone else, then…
Big newsflash to 3:25,
People who buy and live in multi-million dollar houses tend to be elitist. They belong to a special club. It’s called the upper middle class. It’s about time that lightbulb turned on!
latent racism?
this whole site is elitist
The projects don’t count?! The people in the projects are the one’s who opened the door to Ikea coming to the neighborhood you nudnik! Without Ikea promising jobs to them Ikea would have never been able to lie their way into Red Hook.
Yes, all these people are complaining about Ikea so that they can have the road to Ikea themselves.
Once the city allows Red Hook to go residential the transportation will come including more water taxi stops. And so will all the retail. Why don’t you just admit that residential in Red Hook is a very viable option. It is just not an option that you want. Heck, you think the huge developer who was converting 160 Imlay to residential, pouring millions of dollars into this building, when residential is doomed to failure because lack of mass transit. Please. The only thing that is stopping Red Hook from going residential are people like you who are trying to turn Red Hook into a big box haven or trying to keep in industrial.
Everyone you know is peeing in their pants over Ikea? I’m sorry to hear that. But yes, one of the many dreaded side effects of Ikea is incontinence. Funny thing is, I know a lot of people who are resigned to Ikea in Red Hook, but I don’t know one person who thinks that placing it there was a good idea.
People, stay away from Ikea. The traffic will make you pull your hair out and strangle your kids!!!!
Good, now I will have the road all to myself. I love you, IKEA! :o)
“they need to re-pave the roads. They’re pretty shitty. It causes everyone to drive at 10 mph.”
they’ve already ripped up the civil war-era cobblestone on the street ikea is on and repaved it.
overall, it’s going to be a total nightmare.