Printer Friendly Format
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 29, 2002
PR-067-02
www.nyc.gov


MAYOR MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG AND GOVERNOR GEORGE E. PATAKI ANNOUNCE OPENING OF LOWER PORTION OF THE WEST SIDE HIGHWAY


Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to reopen with new HOV-3 lane for E-Z Pass users only

New plans to create family room at LMDC offices also announced


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Governor George E. Pataki today announced that a six-lane interim Route 9A roadway (West Street) and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (BBT) will open tonight at 8 p.m. This portion of Route 9A (West Street) between Chambers Street and Albany Street had been closed to traffic since the September 11th attack. In addition, the Mayor, Governor and LMDC officials announced a new family room at the Lower Manhattan Redevelopment Corp. (LMDC) offices on the perimeter of the World Trade Center (WTC) site. This new private area on the 20th floor of 1 Liberty Plaza will enable victims' families to observe the site throughout the duration of the recovery effort.

NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Iris Weinshall, NYS Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) Commissioner Joseph H. Boardman, Port Authority Vice Chairman Charles A. Gargano, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) Chairman John Whitehead, LMDC President Lou Thomson, and President/CEO of Battery Park City Authority Tim Carey also attended the announcement.

"The opening of West Street and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel is key to relieving traffic congestion on the approaches into Manhattan and to the future revitalization of Lower Manhattan," said Mayor Bloomberg. "I want to thank the Governor, City DOT, State DOT, the Port Authority, the MTA, the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Design and Construction, and the NYPD for their continued cooperation. Their unprecedented support in this and all other post-September 11th transportation projects have made a real difference in the lives of all that come to the area."

"This is a great day -- together with the modified opening of the Battery Tunnel, the transportation infrastructure of New York City is beginning its comeback with the effects of the reopening of West Street," said Governor Pataki. "The initial loss of this highway was devastating to all of the boroughs, and, in particular, to the residents and businesses of Battery Park City, who were forced to take significant detour routes just to reach theirs homes and offices."

"Thanks to a productive partnering relationship with the State DOT and the NYPD, we were able to implement this new High Occupancy Vehicle lane, which will provide continued benefits for commuters while improving air quality for the surrounding communities," said NYC DOT Commissioner Weinshall. "HOV-3 will give express buses quicker accessibility to the lower Manhattan area, thus enhancing mass transit. Our traffic engineers will closely monitor progress throughout the week and see how traffic is processing."

"Thanks to the strong commitment from Governor Pataki, we were given the resources to reconnect lower Manhattan as quickly as possible," said NYS DOT Commissioner Boardman. "Under his leadership, our agency personnel worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week with numerous City and State agencies to ensure the completion of this roadway in such a short period of time. I am proud of our dedicated staff who gave their time and effort for the people of New York City."

The interim roadway and the BBT will be open to the general public tonight at 8:00 p.m. The interim roadway was constructed in approximately five weeks. In the months after the attacks, the temporary roadway had been constructed to accommodate the continued recovery and cleanup operations and the rebuilding of the PATH station. The interim roadway is expected to remain for approximately three to five years.

A new High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, which will run from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the BBT for Manhattan-bound traffic only, will go into effect at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, April 1st when the morning rush hour traffic begins. This lane is for E-Z Pass users only who are carrying a minimum of 3 passengers.

An HOV-3 lane means that access to the current HOV lane along the Gowanus Expressway will only be accessed by cars with three or more people, buses and emergency vehicles. Commuters using the HOV-3 lane also will need to use their E-Z passes to gain entry to the BBT. Vehicles with fewer than three people will not be permitted in the HOV lane; however, vehicles with two people can access the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel via the regular lanes of the Gowanus Expressway. The NYPD will strictly enforce these restrictions.

The BBT is the last major crossing in the City to fully reopen as a result of the tragic events of September 11th. When the BBT opens, it will be subject to regular Manhattan-bound single occupancy vehicle (SOV) restrictions from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on weekdays - in accordance will all other Bridges and Crossings leading into Manhattan south of 63rd Street. Thus, during this morning weekday period, the regular lanes heading into the BBT will require two or more passengers - while the new HOV lane on the left will require three or more passengers.

New Family Room at LMDC Offices

A new Family Room was created in response to a request made by the families of the victims at a meeting with the Mayor on February 27th. The Family Room will open on Monday April 8th at the LMDC offices on the 20th floor of 1 Liberty Plaza. This new private area, located on the perimeter of the WTC site, will enable families of the victims to observe site throughout the duration of the recovery effort.

"I also want to thank LMDC Chairman Whitehead and President Tomson for working with the Mayor's Office to respond to the needs of the families to create a comfortable indoor location for them to come and view the site," said Mayor Bloomberg. "For those families who continue to cope with the pain resulting from September 11th, there is now a new place for them to come and view the site with privacy and dignity."

"The indoor Family Room has been created in response to family requests for more privacy and comfort during this incredibly difficult time," said Governor Pataki. "We will continue to work with the families to ensure that their needs are met in every way they can be."

"The LMDC staff have been working hard to get the Family Room prepared as soon as possible," said Chairman Whitehead. "We are committed to doing our part to address the families' needs and concerns, and making a portion of our space available is just one of the ways we hope to contribute in the future."

"I am pleased that we were able to work with the Governor and the Mayor to provide a private, respectful setting where families can observe the site," said President Tomson. "I want to thank Brookfield Properties for being so accommodating and devoting time and resources to make the Family Room possible."

The Mayor's Community Assistance Unit (CAU) and the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management worked in collaboration with the LMDC to setup the Family Room, which will be open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on weekend and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Family Room will include a children's area, which was made possible by a donation from Toys 'R Us. In addition, Castro Convertibles, Inc. has generously donated tables, chairs and couches to create a comfortable sitting area.

www.nyc.gov

Contact: Edward Skyler / Jennifer Falk
(212) 788-2958
Matt Higgins (LMDC)
(212) 225-3502