Advocacy groups, lower Manhattan residents and public officials want the NY State Dept. of Transportation to bury its proposal to build a tunnel on West Street where it abuts the World Trade Center site. Last Wednesday, NYSDOT presented three alternatives for the reconstruction of West Street, including shoring up the existing six-lane roadway (the "no build" option), an eight-lane surface roadway, and a $900 million tunnel. NYSDOT did not answer questions in public nor specify whether or not the "public meeting" was in fact a formal EIS scoping hearing. However, it did allow an open forum for public comment, as opposed to the "infomercial" format used in June (MTR #422) where a stenographer and tape recorder took private statements from interested parties.

Testimony against the tunnel plan cited its very high cost and said it would not lead to a significant improvement in pedestrian safety or access. "We call the short tunnel the ‘Ramp-way’ because its series of depressed ramps will actually make it harder for many to cross West Street," said NYPIRG’s Gene Russianoff. Others looked for traffic calming elements to make the street more of a boulevard, and urged that a six-lane option be considered as a real option, not just a pro-forma no-build option.

Fewer than five citizens said the tunnel option was worth considering further. The great majority of speakers, including representatives for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick criticized the tunnel and called for an at-grade project. Many expressed concern that the state has prejudged the project and is being driven by unseen advocacy by downtown business groups.

Those following the EIS process remain concerned about NYSDOT’s plan to supplement the Route 9A environmental impact statement from 1994, inadequate public notice and murky proceedings around project scoping.

MTR back issues:

Go to index of all Mobilizing the Region back issues