Push to ban Sunnyside food carts

From DNA Info:

Joe Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, said he asked the DOT on behalf of the board to install barriers that would prevent food carts and street vendors from conducting their business near the 46th Street, 40th Street and 33rd Street stations.

He also asked the agency to beautify these areas and improve the "pedestrian experience" including adding green space, art work and more lighting, he said.

A DOT spokeswoman said in an e-mail that the department looked at the location and determined that barriers were not appropriate for this area. But Conley is holding out hope for other improvements.

According to Conley, street vendors other than the food carts have been coming to Sunnyside in the afternoon to hawk goods such as DVDs, usually on 46th Street between Queens Boulevard and Greenpoint Avenue — on small tables or sheets directly on the street.

“It just looks terrible,” he said.

A few days ago, Conley called police, who made the street vendors leave, he said.

One of the fruit stands located directly under the elevated 46th Street station has become particularly contentious with a vendor who has two big carts that "look like a store," locals say.