Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino stood up for transit on the bridge | Photo: robastorino.com
Each week, Tri-State lists the region’s heroes and villains of transportation and development. Today, at the close of the public comment period for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, we present a special installment of our Winners and Losers series: the Tappan Zee Edition. Since New Yorkers found out that the proposed bridge would not include transit, they have come out in full force and demanded a better plan. Below, we list the winners that have, in one form or another, stood up for transit on the bridge.
Government Officials:
- New York State Assemblymember Thomas Abinanti (D-Greenburgh)
- New York State Assemblymember Amy Paulin (D-Scarsdale)
- New York State Assemblymember Kenneth Zebrowski (D-New City)
- New York State Senator John Bonacic (R-Mt. Hope)
- New York State Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange)
- New York State Senator Martin Dilan (D-Brooklyn)
- New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D/WF/I-Yonkers)
- Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino
- Orange County Executive Ed Diana
- Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef
- Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell
- Former Nyack Mayor Richard Kavesh
- Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White
- White Plains Common Council Member Milagros Lecuona
- Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner
- Westchester County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky
- Westchester County Legislator Alfreda Williams
- Rockland County Transportation and Planning Commissioner Thomas B. Vanderbeek, P.E
Municipalities (note: those marked with a star are part of NWEAC, a group comprised of a number of Westchester municipalities. The consortium passed a resolution calling for transit on the Tappan Zee):
- Bedford*
- Village of Croton-on-Hudson* (note: Croton-on-Hudson also passed its own resolution in favor of transit on the Tappan Zee)
- Cortlandt*
- Dobbs Ferry
- Greenburgh
- Hastings-on-Hudson
- New Rochelle
- City of Peekskill*
- Tarrytown
- Wesley Hills
- Lewisboro*
- Village of Mt. Kisco*
- New Castle*
- North Castle*
- North Salem*
- Ossining*
- Pound Ridge*
- Somers*
- Yonkers
- Yorktown*
Publications and Non-Government Leaders:
- 84% of respondents to a Nyack News and Views poll
- Nicole Gelinas
- Larry Hanley, President of Amalgamated Transit Union
- Hartford Courant
- Journal-News
- Newsday
- John Samuelsen, President of TWU Local 100
- Streetsblog
- Times Herald-Record
Advocacy, Industry, and Labor Groups:
- Amalgamated Transit Union
- American Planning Association, New York Metro Chapter
- Bike Walk Alliance of Westchester & Putnam
- Community Voices Heard
- Concerned Citizens for Responsible Development
- Empire State Future
- Environmental Advocates of New York
- Environmental Defense Fund
- Federated Conservationists of Westchester County
- Good Jobs New York
- Hudson Valley Smart Growth Alliance
- League of Women Voters of Westchester
- League of Women Voters of New York State
- MTA Labor Coalition
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- New York Bicycling Coalition
- New York State Transportation Equity Alliance
- New York League of Conservation Voters
- NYPIRG
- Orange County Citizens Foundation
- Reinvent Albany
- Riverkeeper
- Scenic Hudson
- Sierra Club, Atlantic Chapter
- Transportation Alternatives
So many people and groups have voiced support for transit on the Tappan Zee that it’s hard to keep track. Did we miss someone? Let us know in the comments!
And the loser? New York State.
Despite widespread demand for transit on the Tappan Zee, the Cuomo Administration has continued with its plan to build a fast-tracked bridge that puts cars first. From misleading “fact sheets” to cancelled stakeholder meetings to unsubstantiated cost estimates to a request for proposals that was issued before the close of the public comment period, the state has not convinced anyone that their Tappan Zee plan will solve the Lower Hudson Valley’s congestion problem. That’s why Tri-State is calling for a supplemental study that would document the true costs and benefits of all project alternatives.
There are still a few hours left in the comment period – tell Governor Cuomo to build a 21st century bridge!