Bridge and tunnel

[dennis_obell]

I was going to send this just to bradamant, but since everyone's complaining lately of a dearth of LJ posts, I figured I'd throw it up here. (Sorry, online_stalker, but this subject might not interest you.)

Anyway, the news from New York City authorities is that bridge and tunnel traffic is down across the board. Here's the part that interests me:

“Less Manhattan

Comments

[misterpardonme]

i can't really say i have. granted, half the time i'm asleep on the subway, but it actually doesn't feel any more crowded that it would have a year ago.

Then again, I take the A train from Inwood to Brooklyn... i don't think there's many people north of 125th street who were driving to midtown or beyond anyway.

One thing i'm curious about is the logistics of tolling the east river crossings, an plan that may come into existence soon. There's obviously no way to build toll plazas on those bridges. Would they put in transponders that interact with E-Z pass, but also have cameras and an send bills to people based on photographs of their license plates? I remember seeing those in canada, oh, almost 10 years ago and have been amazed that they haven't started eliminating all manned tollbooths and putting those in instead.

Man, who knows?

[dennis_obell]

Re: the tolls-you're right that technology has caught up and made toll plazas unnecessary. But I was listening to an NPR/Brian Lehrer Show on this topic last night, and the commentator basically said politics, not practicality, is what's killed East River tolls all these years. You could put them up tomorrow, but the hue and cry from outerborough residents and their councilmen/women would be deafening.

Instead, Bloomberg's peeps are apparently resurrecting the congestion-pricing idea, which they seem to think is more politically palatable. And they're probably right; it got killed only because of a Sheldon Silver pocket veto last spring. The city/state fiscal crisis would probably make it an easier sell the second time around.

Re: Man, who knows?

[misterpardonme]

Ahhh, user fees. I won't get on my soapbox arguing for residential parking before congestion pricing, but I still wonder why NYC chooses one before the other. Oh yes, the revenue. I forget

Re: Man, who knows?

[kdot]

I wish they'd consider how much dough they could make in residential parking permits before they go to congestion pricing. Apparently they were expecting annual revenue of $380 million from congestion pricing last time around (from a PDF on the city site). Let's do some math

[bradamant]

I don't think I can tell whether the train is more crowded at the hour I take it because they're now mostly running those horrible new cars where there are fewer seats and hardly anywhere for short people to hold on. I HATE THEM.

Oh, and

[kdot]

I find the older cars on the A/C/E lines are worst for hand-holds. No vertical bars near any of the doors.

[obifu]

I really LOVE walking to work.

My peeves are the tourists / african counterfeiters that block off the street by Century 21. Still, I get to walk, which is awesome.

Also, I'm keeping an eye out for this.

Been waiting for the Hold Steady cover of Atlantic City for a LONG time.

Nice.

[dennis_obell]

Let me know if you pick up that album - I'd love to hear it.

ummmm....

[famatandi]

what is the subway??

I've spent the last 2 months looking for it, and i haven't found one here! :(

Re: ummmm....

[ennnis]

Sandwich shop. Makes mediocre but consistent and healthy subs on fresh baked bread. Not a bad deal for the money, I've just eaten there too often.