Last Tuesday, the Staten Island Advance managed to bring together Assemblyman Robert Straniere and Deputy Borough President James Molinaro - rivals for the Republican nomination in the race for S.I. borough president - for a discussion and exchange of views. 

The paper's coverage of the session included a number of traffic and transportation policy issues. The candidates argued about whether or not opening new roads through the closed Fresh Kills dump would handle a high enough volume of traffic and be environmentally safe for drivers (Molinaro is in favor, Straniere is more skeptical). 

Straniere said he would call for a one-year moratorium on residential development on the island, and a tax credit for restoring or preserving existing homes. Molinaro said such a pronouncement would be empty, because developers can build if they want to within existing zoning codes.

Straniere also said he opposes city plans to widen Rockland Avenue, but wants the state to add lanes to the Staten Island Expressway. He cited his fight for South Shore NYC Transit express bus service and called for better security on the Staten Island Railway. Straniere said he supported right-on-red legalization for the borough (and voted for it in Albany). 

Molinaro said he backs the widening of Rockland Avenue but says he is "cautious" about right-on-red.

The Democratic candidate in the borough president race is City Council member Jerome O'Donovan. O'Donovan has opposed the Port Authority plan to "twin" the Goethals Bridge and supports right-on-red legalization. In 1997, O'Donovan signed a "statement of principles" with other officials and civic groups that urged the NY State DOT to find means other than road widening to meet congestion problems on the S.I. Expressway (MTR #154), and stated: "A 'solution' that promotes an increase in either automobile or truck traffic on the Staten Island Expressway or other Staten Island roadways is unacceptable."

SIE Statement of Principles Released - December 12, 1997

Paper Roughs Up S.I. Highway Widening - January 28, 2000

Fresh Kills Bypass? - April 2, 1999

Recipe to Worsen Traffic Chaos: Right-on-Red for Staten Island - May 14, 2001

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