May-June 04 Newsletter
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Coalition for a Livable West Side Vol.18, Issue No.1, May-Junel 2004 Newsletter www.livablenewyork.org e mail:[email protected] 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567 1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567 CITY OFFICIALS HELP TRUMP ‘TRUMP’ THE COMMUNITY West 72nd St. Highway Exit Ramp Closure PLAN Spurs Lawsuit - Residents Outraged Over Planned 7-Lane Speedway on West End Avenue The Coalition for a Livable Westside (CLW) announced on April 13, 2004, that together with Congressman Jerrold L. Nadler, State Assemblymember Scott Stringer, Councilmember Gale A. Brewer, State Senator Eric T. Schneiderman, and State Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell, three Manhattan Civic groups, and nine West Side coop and condo boards, a lawsuit has been filed in New York State 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Supreme Court against the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 and its Commissioner, Iris Weinshall, and Hudson Waterfront Associates, 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345Lloyd E. Rigler 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 developers of Trump Place. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345The Coalition for a Livable West 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345Side mourns the passing of Lloyd 6 The lawsuit seeks to overthrow DOT’s decision to close 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345E. Rigler. 6 the West Side Highway 72nd Street off-ramp and create 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 a seven-lane roadway on West End Avenue from W. 57th 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345Making life more livable was a 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 to W. 70th Streets. 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345passion for Lloyd Rigler—more 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345livable through the arts, through a 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345healthier urban environment, 6 The Plaintiffs’ attorney, Richard J. The closing of the 72nd Street exit 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345through humanitarian efforts where 6 Lippes, Esq. stated, “The plaintiffs ramp will clog the 79th St. exit from 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345it could genuinely make a 6 seek revocation of the city’s the highway and negatively impact the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345difference in the lives of people 6 96th Street exit, causing serious traffic 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 arbitrary, capricious and unlawful 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345from America to Africa. 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 issuance of approvals for the closure congestion at those points and on West 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345The Lloyd E. Rigler Challenge 6 of the northbound exit ramp at 72nd End Avenue (WEA). DOT admits that 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345Grant to the Coalition started in 6 Street from the Joe Dimaggio there will be an increase in traffic on 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123451992, and every year it has served 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Highway (Miller Highway) and the WEA. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345as a magnet for our fund raising. As 6 implementation of the mis-named 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 DOT’s solution to that increased traffic 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345a long time resident of Manhattan’s 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 West End Avenue Improvement Plan 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 is the so-called “West End Avenue 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345West Side, he understood the 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 (WIP). The city violated the 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345impact of over-development on our 6 Improvement Plan”. WEA would 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 requirements of both cityand state 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 become a seven-lane roadway from 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345community’s quality of life, on our 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 environmental review laws in 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345infrastructure and environment. 6 70th Street to 57th St. with no 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 granting the approval. It failed to 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345He urged us to continue the fight to 6 parking during rush hours. There 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 follow the proper procedures 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 would be a change in green time in 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345preserve our community and 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 required by those laws. The actual 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345improve our environment. 6 traffic lights. DOT never evaluated the 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 amount of increased traffic that 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 impact of the plan on the increased 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345He will be missed—but his caring 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 would result from closing the exit 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 hazards created to pedestrians 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345will continue to inspire us—and he 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 ramp is substantially understated 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 crossing West End Avenue its side 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345will live on in the most meaningful 6 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 Our Challenge Grant will match your contribution Grant your Challenge Our match will in the developer’s technical 12345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345way. 6 streets and to vehicular traffic. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 memorandums”. 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456 The bottom line for the plaintiffs: DOT must NOT CLOSE the W. 72nd Street exit ramp until the entire Riverside Boulevard is completed connecting Riverside Boulevard to Riverside Drive at W. 72nd St. Or CLW alternatively, make the connection - and it is possible to do so- WITH- Coalition for a OUT CLOSING the ramp. But NEVER, NEVER implement the Livable West Side PO Bx 230078 Orwellian West End Avenue Improvement Plan. NY, NY 10023 Tel: 1-212-580-9319 [continued on Page 2] JOIN THE COALITION TODAY WHY DOT APPROVALS FOR RAMP CLOSING AND THE WEA IMPROVEMENT PLAN MUST BE OVERTURNED Congressman Jerrold Nadler stated, “Closing the 72nd Street northbound exit will set off a domino