“Buses first, cars second, pedestrians third.” Sources say this is the ranking ordered by new DOT chief Wilbur Chapman for his agency’s final design for the Manhattan approaches to the Brooklyn Bridge.

Over the last five years a who’s who of Giuliani brass had enthused over a proposal by T.A., and Konheim and Ketcham to extend City Hall Park eastward to join seamlessly with the bridge’s promenade. Obvious to all involved is that the elegant and world famous bridge, a major tourist attraction, should have a worthy entrance instead of an ugly and dangerous mess. T.A. originally presented our plan four years ago to Deputy Mayor Fran Reiter (since departed) and DOT Commissioner Elliot Sander (since departed.) Then a new generation of aides stepped including Deputy Mayor Rudy Washington (still around) and Mayor’s Transportation Advisor, Seth Kaye (since departed.)

Called Alternative 6, T.A.’s proposal would improve conditions for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists by eliminating Centre Street adjacent to City Hall Park and converting Chambers Street to one way westbound. T.A.’s basic traffic concept is to have cars exit north of the bridge and enter it from the south. However the recent departure of Seth Kaye, after conflict with Chapman, has left no champions inside the administration for Alternative 6 or its variations. Even the plan to make Chambers Street one way, an idea promoted by traffic engineers for more than a decade, has apparently been killed by a more conservative-minded Chapman. The overall result of Chapman’s "pedestrians last" edict is that pedestrian crossings at the south west corner of City Hall Park, where Broadway meets Ann and Vesey Streets, will remain difficult and dangerous and that the Chambers and Centre St. intersection will remain a mess.

Additionally, since the departure of Kaye, the City (mainly DOT) has kept information about its latest plans secret from T.A., despite the fact we initiated the whole process with a letter writing and postcard campaign and attended numerous meetings on the issue with Giuliani officials. What was once an excellent example of partnership between the public and government has sadly deteriorated into a mediocre planning process with no sense of history or opportunity.

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