New York City Plants Trees in the Middle of the Sidewalk!

NEW YORK — Residents in Astoria, Queens, say the city planted trees in the middle of the sidewalk.

What thought was given to pedestrians trying to pass by seems to be nil.

Apparently the city has money to burn. It reminded me of the massive boondoggle going on in the poorer part of town, East River Park, surly not Central Park. I’ll throw in an update on that.

The four trees are along 29th Street between 31st Avenue and Broadway.

State Senator Michael Gianaris claims it was caused by a city error, but the parks department says that’s not the case.

Residents call it strange.

“I thought it was a joke. You don’t realize they’re planted for real, and in two, three years, they’re going to be hitting the building, you know,” Astoria resident Amir Memo said.

I’ve never seen anything like it … Space is being taken up by trees, and it leaves us no space to walk,” Astoria resident Sara Tsouli said.

The parks department says the trees were put in the middle of the sidewalk because of underground utility lanes.

UPDATE:The first phase of construction closures which included East River Park from Stanton Street south to Montgomery Street, began on December 6, 2021.

On December 18, 2023, the transition into phase two began with the closure of three additional ballfields to East Houston Street.

All for the mere sum of $1.45 Billion to start. De Blasio claims it’s the first project such as this done in the world. “Coastal Resiliency” is the new term for boondoggles that plunder the treasury in the name of climate change.

East River Park Org:

New York City is demolishing our big, beloved park on the unwealthy side of the Lower East Side and East Village. Everything must go–shady lawns, picnic areas, ballfields, running track, amphitheater, the compost yard, historic buildings, and 1,000 trees, most 82 years old and healthy.

The city is going ahead with the massively destructive ESCR–East Side Coastal Resiliency project–even though there are alternatives that could preserve much of our park and provide flood control.

Under the current plan, the city will build a 1.2 mile wall along the water and cover the razed park with eight feet of fill. Eventually a new park will be built on top of this levee.

 

The Best of the Swamp.

Source: https://bunkerville.wordpress.com/2024/01/03/new-york-city-plants-trees-in-the-middle-of-the-sidewalk/