Comments on: You’ll pay us $8 and like it http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/ Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Briarwood Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:46:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Benjamin Sann http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-1421 Benjamin Sann Sun, 19 Aug 2007 05:45:59 +0000 http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-1421 Julie posted a link to NYCGarages.com. This comment is just to let readers know that the website has been re-branded as http://www.BestParking.com Julie posted a link to NYCGarages.com. This comment is just to let readers know that the website has been re-branded as http://www.BestParking.com

]]> By: Julie http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-87 Julie Wed, 09 May 2007 15:40:07 +0000 http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-87 Municipal park and ride lots: Downtown Flushing: being developed Elmhurst: half built on when the mall expanded Rego Park: would have made a nice one, but there'll be a Whole Foods there instead Long Island City/Queens Plaza: to be demolished Go to NYCgarages.com and you'll see why people drive to work. Parking in a municipal lot in Queens and taking the LIRR or subway costs the same as or more than a commercial lot in Manhattan! Municipal park and ride lots:

Downtown Flushing: being developed
Elmhurst: half built on when the mall expanded
Rego Park: would have made a nice one, but there’ll be a Whole Foods there instead
Long Island City/Queens Plaza: to be demolished

Go to NYCgarages.com and you’ll see why people drive to work. Parking in a municipal lot in Queens and taking the LIRR or subway costs the same as or more than a commercial lot in Manhattan!

]]> By: Jon http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-84 Jon Wed, 09 May 2007 03:23:11 +0000 http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-84 As someone who takes the subway into Manhattan, but who hates tolls within the city, I was initially kind of POed about another toll for NYers to enter lower and midtown Manhattan. Frankly, I'd rather see NJ and CT foot the bill. But the more I think about it, the less upset I really am. I'd PREFER no congestion pricing, don't get me wrong, and I won't cry if it doesn't pass. But if you drive into Manhattan and take the Midtown of Brooklyn Battery Tunnel or take the Triborough, or take a handful of the Bronx bridges, you're paying a toll anyway, both ways. That's about 8 or 9 dollars already. Yes, you can take the free bridges, but when you get to Manhattan (I refuse to call it "the city") more than likely, you're paying for a day-space at a garage. And that's even more money. PLUS you're shelling out three bucks a gallon for gas. So who are these "working stiffs" who can afford all this? The poor folks I've met who live out beyond the subway take the bus to the subway. Their commute is 100% MetroCard, not EZPass. Maybe this is a good thing. During the transit strike, people found ways to carpool. Now they can do it again. Websites can be set up where people can meet. Four people from neighborhood A can drive to work in neighborhood B. They can split the toll, split the gas, split the garage four ways. And the website will match up people with similar schedules. My real concern is for the outer borough companies who make deliveries into Manhattan. I know that this will burden them. But at the same time, THEY'RE the problem. They're the white panel vans who double park almost as a matter of course. This takes a four lane avenue and cuts it in half. So if they delivered later in the day, we might not even need congestion pricing because just getting rid of the double parkers would ease traffic. Plus you can't argue the reduced pollution part. Okay, I've said my say. Maybe I'm totally wrong. Maybe it really is cheaper to pay tolls and gas and parking than I think and maybe an extra $50 a week will screw most commuters. If so, I'd like it to be explained. But thus far, I think that adding express buses, making the subways run more frequently, and encouraging carpooling might do the trick. PS: The parking permit thing should be scrapped. I firmly oppose that one. As someone who takes the subway into Manhattan, but who hates tolls within the city, I was initially kind of POed about another toll for NYers to enter lower and midtown Manhattan. Frankly, I’d rather see NJ and CT foot the bill. But the more I think about it, the less upset I really am. I’d PREFER no congestion pricing, don’t get me wrong, and I won’t cry if it doesn’t pass. But if you drive into Manhattan and take the Midtown of Brooklyn Battery Tunnel or take the Triborough, or take a handful of the Bronx bridges, you’re paying a toll anyway, both ways. That’s about 8 or 9 dollars already. Yes, you can take the free bridges, but when you get to Manhattan (I refuse to call it “the city”) more than likely, you’re paying for a day-space at a garage. And that’s even more money. PLUS you’re shelling out three bucks a gallon for gas. So who are these “working stiffs” who can afford all this? The poor folks I’ve met who live out beyond the subway take the bus to the subway. Their commute is 100% MetroCard, not EZPass.

Maybe this is a good thing. During the transit strike, people found ways to carpool. Now they can do it again. Websites can be set up where people can meet. Four people from neighborhood A can drive to work in neighborhood B. They can split the toll, split the gas, split the garage four ways. And the website will match up people with similar schedules.

My real concern is for the outer borough companies who make deliveries into Manhattan. I know that this will burden them. But at the same time, THEY’RE the problem. They’re the white panel vans who double park almost as a matter of course. This takes a four lane avenue and cuts it in half. So if they delivered later in the day, we might not even need congestion pricing because just getting rid of the double parkers would ease traffic.

Plus you can’t argue the reduced pollution part.

Okay, I’ve said my say. Maybe I’m totally wrong. Maybe it really is cheaper to pay tolls and gas and parking than I think and maybe an extra $50 a week will screw most commuters. If so, I’d like it to be explained. But thus far, I think that adding express buses, making the subways run more frequently, and encouraging carpooling might do the trick.

PS: The parking permit thing should be scrapped. I firmly oppose that one.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-79 Anonymous Tue, 08 May 2007 14:18:26 +0000 http://www.queenscentral.com/2007/05/07/youll-pay-us-8-and-like-it/#comment-79 This idea just gets worse and worse. It's starting to remind me of of stories I read about about pre-1898 unincorporated NYC, before there were five boroughs. Bloomberg needs to make up his mind if NYC is one city or not. This idea just gets worse and worse. It’s starting to remind me of of stories I read about about pre-1898 unincorporated NYC, before there were five boroughs. Bloomberg needs to make up his mind if NYC is one city or not.

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