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Vallone Agrees "Koch Bridge" Is A Bad Idea
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 15, 2011
Modified Feb 15, 2011
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 15, 2011
Modified Feb 15, 2011
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A few months ago the Bloomberg administration announced plans to rename the Queensboro bridge after former Mayor Ed Koch, and reactions ranged from apathetic to downright disgusted. The renaming still requires approval by City Council, Queens member Peter Vallone Jr. will not be voting yes. He recently said, “Mayor Ed Koch is truly a great man and deserving of an honor like this, but renaming a landmark so closely linked to our borough’s culture and history is not appropriate. The city would not rename the Brooklyn Bridge and the Queensboro Bridge should be treated equally.”We couldn't agree more.
But then again, what's in a name? The cantilever bridge was originally named the Blackwell's Island Bridge, and for most New Yorkers the name Queensboro has barely caught on. One of Bloomberg's aides said, "It was to re-name it the Ed Koch/Queensboro Bridge. What is being lost is the 59th Street bridge." One Daily News commenter complains that the name is "Manhattan-centric." Perhaps the "Queens Boulevard" bridge would be better?
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59th street bridge
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Jaya Saxena
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