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November 3, 2006
London Calling. Are New York’s Leaders Really Listening?
StreetsBlog connects the dots between London's run at NYC to be the financial capital of the world and London Mayor Ken Livingstone's efforts to make the UK capital a first-class city. Then the traffic-n-transportation blog lobs this well earned criticism at the Brooklyn Borough President:
Meanwhile, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, a possible 2009 Democratic mayoral candidate, is off to visit the World Travel Market expo in England to sell UK travel groups on package tours that include a trip to Brooklyn. Marty told the Daily News, "Tourism is one of Brooklyn’s biggest and most vital growth sectors, and I’ll do whatever it takes to show the world the beauty of our borough."
There are a couple of things, of course, that Marty won’t do to enhance the beauty of his borough. He won’t support London-style traffic reduction measures. He won’t stop parking his SUV and about a dozen other vehicles on the pedestrian plaza, technically park land, outside of historic Borough Hall. And he won’t push the city, state and developer Forest City Enterprises to do smart, thoughtful, long-term planning around the massive "Atlantic Yards" project.
Welcome to Brooklyn, Brits. Perhaps the traffic congestion will remind you of what it used to be like in London. Don’t forget to look to your left when you step out into the street.
Posted by lumi at November 3, 2006 8:06 AM