Why The Verrazano Toll Is Ridiculously Unfair To Bay Ridge, Part II

By on July 3, 2012  Politics
Jul 032012
 

Do not get me going on the Verrazano Bridge toll. I could rant and rave about this subject for days.

When we visited the subject last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo had just announced a deal with the Port Authority to offer a deep discount on its three New Jersey-Staten Island bridges to Staten Island residents. To which Councilman Gentile and I responded, “C’mon, really? Don’t you think Brooklyn residents that use these bridges and the Verrazano deserve the same break?” (I’m paraphrasing both myself and the Councilman.)

Since then, in a press release, State Senate candidate Andrew Gounardes jumped on what he termed as Marty Golden’s political failure caused by absenteeism. And Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island) announced that the Port Authority would extend the discount deal to Brooklyn residents for the Goethals Bridge, Bayonne Bridge, and the awesomely-named Outerbridge Crossing, as reported by Laura Vladimirova of the Bensonhurst Bean.

But there remains no word from the MTA on an extension of the discount to Brooklyn residents on the Verrazano.

As someone who used to go to Staten Island every Sunday, this really makes my blood boil. I’m sure those of you who use the Verrazano to get to work feel that angry times…

Well…

That angry times five, I guess.

Another Man Jumped Off The Verrazano

By on June 29, 2012  Featured story, News
Jun 292012
 

Image source: joo0ey via Flickr.

The Staten Island Advance is reporting that a disturbing string of suicides on the Verrazano Bridge which began in April continued yesterday, when a man in his 30s jumped from near the middle of the almost mile-long span at around 2:30 p.m. Continue reading »

The Staten Island toll discount: Port Authority joins MTA in sticking it to Brooklyn

By on June 28, 2012  Traffic & Transit
Jun 282012
 

If this is your view of the Verrazano Bridge, you pay almost twice as much as a Staten Island resident who can’t even see it from their house. (Photo credit: Brian Hedden/Bay Ridge Odyssey)

Staten Island residents will get a 60% discount on tolls paid to use the three Port Authority bridges linking Staten Island with New Jersey, as reported by Judy Randall of the Staten Island Advance last Sunday.

Because, you know, Staten Islanders are the only ones who are inconvenienced by bridge tolls.

Jerks.

We’ve complained on several occasions that the 40% discount on the Verrazano Bridge applies only to Staten Island residents, no matter where on that island they live, yet Brooklynites – even Bay Ridgers who live in the shadow of the bridge – must pay full freight.

With the new deal announced by Governor Andrew Cuomo and the Port Authority, Councilman Vincent Gentile has joined the Bay Ridge Odyssey in saying, Seriously, dude? Continue reading »

HOV Lane, New Upper Deck Coming To Verrazano Bridge

By on June 28, 2012  Traffic & Transit
Jun 282012
 

Image source: MTAPhotos via Flickr

Soon you’ll be able to count seven lanes on the upper deck of the Verrazano.

As the MTA plans to install a new upper deck on the nearly 50-year-old Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, a new HOV lane is slated to premiere as part of the improvements, writes Denise Romano in a very informative piece for the Home Reporter.

Word of the new traffic artery came to light during an MTA Capital Construction Committee hearing on June 25. Continue reading »

[UPDATED] Ship Possibly Containing Human Trafficking Victims Stopped Just South Of Verrazano Bridge

By on June 28, 2012  News
Jun 282012
 

On Wednesday U.S. customs officials based out of Newark, New Jersey seized a ship containing cargo from India and Egypt, “after hearing what sounded like people stowed away inside a container,” reports Reuters via the Chicago Tribune.

The vessel, named the Villa D’Aquarius, was stopped at approximately 3 a.m., just south of the Verrazano Bridge at a spot called Ambrose Anchorage, according to Coast Guard spokesman Charles Rowe. Continue reading »

Seen In Bay Ridge Weekender: Bench In Transit

By on June 15, 2012  Seen In Photos
Jun 152012
 

The above photo, which comes courtesy of photographer David Tan, shows a bench on the Belt Parkway Promenade eclipsing the sun as it sets behind the Verrazano Bridge in the background. It was taken on April 24, 2012.

To see more of David’s tremendous talent, please visit his blog at dtan.blogspot.com.

If you have photos you’d like us to publish as part of the Seen In Bay Ridge photo series, please send them to info@bayridgeodyssey.com. Be sure to let us know where the picture was taken and when, and how to credit the photo (i.e. by your real name, pen name, anonymously, etc.).

Body Found Floating Near Verrazano May Be Last Week’s Jumper

By on June 14, 2012  News
Jun 142012
 

The NYPD Harbor Unit discovered a corpse floating in upper New York Bay yesterday, not far from the spot where a man had jumped from the Verrazano Bridge the week before, writes the New York Post police blotter.

The body, which appears to be that of a 46-year-old man, was found floating off Shore Road near Bay Ridge Avenue, just before 2 p.m.

Authorities are seeking to determine if the corpse’s identity is that of a man who jumped off the Verrazano Bridge last Friday.

The jumper had been tentatively identified as 46-year-old Brooklyn resident Benny Guzman. Friday’s incident was the latest in a series of suicides and attempted suicides on or near the span.

Police Identify Friday’s Verrazano Bridge Jumper – Incident latest in series of suicide attempts on or near span

By on June 11, 2012  News
Jun 112012
 

Image source: joo0ey via Flickr

Police have classified last Friday’s suicide leap from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge as a missing persons case. NYPD officials made the determination after search and rescue teams came up empty in the search for a body, writes Staten Island Advance.

Friday’s incident marks the fourth in a series of both successful and attempted suicides to take place on or near the bridge by different men since April. Continue reading »

Big Ang’s Baby Boy Busted! 23-year-old son charged with drug dealing, conspiracy

By on June 6, 2012  News
Jun 062012
 

Big Ang, center (Image Source: Edwin Martinez1 via Flickr).

The son of beloved reality show character and reconstructive surgery connoisseur Angela “Big Ang” Raiola has apparently run afoul of the law.

Anthony D’Onofrio, age 23, who is known on the show Mob Wives by his nickname A.J., surrendered at Bay Ridge’s 68th Precinct yesterday after being indicted as part of a “five-person narcotics ring” that allegedly sold Oxycodone, marijuana, and cocaine, writes New York Post reporters Larry Celona and Doug Auer. Continue reading »

Seen In Bay Ridge Weekender: Memorial Day Edition

By on May 25, 2012  Seen In Photos
May 252012
 

The above image of the USS Iwo Jima passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was taken by David Tan during last year’s Fleet Week on May 25, 2011.

For this shot, David used a Konica Autoreflex T3 with Kodak Gold 200 film.

To see more of David’s awesome work, please visit his blog at dtan.blogspot.com.

If you have photos you’d like us to publish as part of the Seen In Bay Ridge photo series, please send them to info@bayridgeodyssey.com. Be sure to let us know where the picture was taken and when, and how to credit the photo (i.e. by your real name, pen name, anonymously, etc.).

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