Saturday, May 12, 2007

The great traffic debate

Former City Councilman Walter McCaffrey said that of all the plans to solve New York City's traffic problems, congestion pricing is the one that should never happen.

Councilman John Liu said it should be considered only after transit-riding commuters can get to Manhattan in 30 minutes from anywhere in the city.


City leaders debate commuter toll fees

The Queens Courier gives the plan a big "thumbs down."

Beware New York!

And opposing viewpoints are aired in the same issue about the same issue:

Congestion Pricing: Pro & Con

Some people in Queens don't think the 2nd Avenue subway will adversely impact Flushing:

Queens on the Move, Kind Of

Gene Kelty, chairperson of Community Board 7, where the 7 train ends in Queens at the Main Street stop in Flushing, saw West Side access as another incentive for people to use the neighborhood as a park-and-ride.

"Manhattan is going to get a new subway, and we are going to get more cars driving into Flushing to take the subway," Kelty told McGrade.

Kelty said he would like to see the 7 train extended further out east, so people who live in Bayside and Douglaston could have subway access.

"Every time we talk ask about mass transit in Queens, we are told we'll get more buses on our streets," said Kelty. "Meanwhile, Manhattan gets a new subway."

Here's what a bunch of cabbies think:

What Do You Think of Congestion Pricing?

Whatever the opinion, getting around and how we pay for it remains the most talked about subject in Queens:

Commuter toll hot topic at Queens Chamber meet

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gene Kelty, you're a horses ass on this one!

How about extending the #7 line into your Whitestone neighborhood.....where you live.... and make your backyard part of a park and ride system!

No, thank you! We don't want the #7 extended into East Flushing, Bayside or Douglaston!

Come up with a better idea. In fact, maybe it's time for you to retire from you position as chairman!

Anonymous said...

The rich gets richer and the poor get poorer.

The middle class gets extinct.