Check back here regularly to find out what's going on in our communities.
There is an old song called "What A Difference A Day Makes." Well in this case it would be what a
difference an Authority and a zip code makes in how residential communities are handled during a bridge construction project. The article below was sent to us by one of our members living next
to the Bayonne Bridge.
In reading through the article about the Tappan Zee Bridge construction, Governor Cuomo's aide is in the
kitchen of one of the residents going over her grievances. The Governor's aide has given 300 community meetings and explained in a presentation no less the consequences for the river
towns.
Well I guess being told that this project was going to be really loud and dirty was the PANY's way of
explaining the consequences to us. But some how in comparison it just seems a little lacking.
But $20 million for a community benefit fund. Say What? That is some serious community
advocacy, I would say. And yes please we would like some of that.
Please scroll down for the article....
From The New York Times:
This Time, Tappan Zee Bridge Project Proceeds With Neighbors in Mind
The new Hudson River crossing is being built with more sensitivity to the needs and feelings of people living nearby, unlike when the current bridge went up in the 1950s.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/nyregion/this-time-tappan-zee-bridge-project-proceeds-with-neighbors-in-mind.html
"Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s top aide, Lawrence S. Schwartz, has
met with Ms. Goldberg in her kitchen and knows many aggrieved homeowners and their problems in detail. Brian W. Conybeare, a former anchor for News 12 Westchester, a local cable station, who became
special adviser to the governor for the bridge, has spoken at 300 community meetings. He has given presentations to explain the consequences for the river towns and what the Thruway Authority and its
contractor, Tappan Zee Constructors, are doing to ameliorate unpleasant impacts.
“We have to overcome decades of animosity,” he said recently at Nyack College. “We want South Nyack and Tarrytown to
welcome this new bridge.”
The state and its chief contractor have created a $20 million “community benefit” fund. The state
is spending $2.5 million of that for sound-dampening windows and doors just for the 89 condo owners of the Quay complex, where two-bedroom apartments sell for $500,000. At least two other housing
complexes will get new windows and doors, and $1.7 million was made available on Wednesday for similar soundproofing for 57 private homes."
Bayonne Bridge Petition to Governor Andrew Cuomo!
In response to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's lack luster and shabby mitigation efforts and at the request of residents that are being adversely impacted by the Bayonne Bridge
Construction Project. We need Governor Andrew Cuomo's intervention and that will only happen if we present a case that garners his attention. Please sign the petition below and have your family and
friends do the same. We are trying to equal the number of signatures to the number of residents that are being impacted by this project 10,000!