New York City visitors hoping to take home a souvenir from the Brooklyn Bridge will now have to settle for a photograph, as the NYC Mayor has banned vendors from the iconic spot. The new rule, which went into effect on January 3, 2024, aims to ease overcrowding on the bridge.
Before the ban, the Brooklyn Bridge housed dozens of trinket sellers who competed for space with tourists and city commuters. Consequently, the bridge’s pedestrian walkway was usually heavily trafficked and hectic. According to NYC Mayor Eric Adams, the situation turned dangerous as crowds flocked to the bridge over the holiday season.
Adams condemned the number of legal and illegal vendors on the pedestrian walkway on the Brooklyn Bridge. He said, “It is not only a sanitary issue, it’s a public safety issue,” and promised to evacuate the vendors. Adams followed his promise to boot vendors from the historic span, making it easy for pedestrians.
City workers labored overnight to sweep up the final remnants of the hawkers who created a safety hazard for pedestrians. Although unpleasant for the vendors, the move came as a relief to many locals. “This is a great thing they did,” Brooklyn Heights resident Alan Posner said.
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“This morning was the first time I saw baby carriages and strollers and people in wheelchairs going across the bridge in years,” Posner added. “There’s no way they could have crossed like this yesterday.” Like Posner, other locals commended the move from Adams.
Retired MTA worker David Rico said the landmark’s new look “is definitely better.” Rico said he walks the bridge weekly to visit his mother in a Brooklyn nursing home. “I walked this same route the day before yesterday, Monday, and you couldn’t get by with the congestion,” he said. In addition, Rico said the bridge is safer, too.
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Also, Diane, a 63-year-old lawyer who walks the crossing regularly, called it a pleasure to have a clear path now. “It’s like night and day,” she said. However, Diane expressed concern about the possibility of the vendors returning to the bridge. “This was a good move. But I’m afraid they’ll be back in a month,” she said.
“The city cleared them out before, and they came right back.” The new rule, which prohibits selling on pedestrian walkways and bike lanes on bridges and bridge approaches, will affect all Big Apple crossings. However, reports suggest Adam made the rule to target the Brooklyn Bridge.
Hence, NYC workers moved in overnight and swept away the last remnants of vendors on the Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge vendors also acknowledged that they have increased in recent years. The vendors occupied the bridge since the authorities relaxed enforcement during the Coronavirus pandemic.
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Also, relocating cyclists to a roadway lane two years ago freed up stall space. Consequently, dozens of peddlers hawked a variety of oddities, including miniature Statues of Liberty. Others peddled pot-leaf caps, stuffed llamas, illegal cocktails, and selfies with a live snake.
While many celebrated Adams’ new rule, others weren’t so happy. With a city vendor license, 67-year-old Navy veteran Kendall Otway decried the move. He said more than 30 migrants joined him at the foot of the bridge to peddle items. Otway added that the hawking stations provided them with their only income.
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