The drone of car horns can be heard rattling any resident’s ears. The complaints may be even louder by driver’s who are sitting and staring at the same view of blinking red brake lights. Bay Ridge is the lead into three boroughs. The Verrazano Bridge takes you to Staten Island, the Belt Parkway to Queens, and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to Queens and Manhattan.
The two biggest problems with residents in Bay Ridge are getting in and getting out. Many residents, even though they have cars decide to take public transportation out of Bay Ridge. A local resident Ryan Dawson says, “Unless it is the weekend I don’t touch my car because of the traffic, and the parking when I finally do get home”.
The worst of the three trips, many residents say, is getting to Staten Island from Bay Ridge which is across a 4,260 foot bridge. It seems as if there is never-ending construction going on somewhere on this bridge. Right now, the bottom level is being worked on so one may want to steer clear and head up top. No matter what level one takes from about 3:30P.M.-7:00P.M. one will be sitting in traffic as the Belt Parkway and BQE both flood into the Verrazano Bridge.
A Staten Island resident, Jessica Hughes said, “I used to attend John Jay and in the morning I sat in an hour and a half worth of traffic. After a long day on the way home I sat in another hour and a half worth of traffic on the Verrazano Bridge.” Now traffic cops are present in the afternoon but many residents complain that they cause more traffic and accidents than if drivers obeyed the street lights.
Now the question asked by many local residents is when will the traffic gridlocks stop and what is the solution.
Irish eyes are smiling. Adults and children of all ages join the festivities. Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated in Bay Ridge on Sunday, March 30th.
The parade, which usually falls the Sunday after the actual Saint Patrick’s Day, was moved back as a result of Easter Sunday. Every year the Irish and many other nationalities from Bay Ridge and surrounding neighborhoods join the fray.
The day begins with a 9:30 A.M. mass at Saint Patrick’s on 95th Street and 4th Avenue, followed by a parade at 1 P.M. that runs from 95th street all the way to 59th Street. After the parade, the day is nowhere close to being over.There is not an empty stool in any of the neighborhood bars. Many local bars offer Irish menus including corned beef and shepherd’s pie, accompanied by enough drink to get your fill.
Many local residents mark this day as Local 40 worker Joe Nicholson says, “with all the various jobs my friends have it is hard to get together, but not on Saint Patty’s Day.” If you enjoy shamrocks, beer and a fun crowd you may want to take a trip down to Bay Ridge next Sunday, to either have a good time or maybe even change your face.
This word uttered after a hero is completed will put a smile on any person’s face who enjoys a hot roast beef sandwich. John’s Deli established in 1967 is famous for its roast beef sandwiches which contain fresh mozzarella, fresh onions, and their special gravy. Upon walking passed a store front on 89th and 3rd avenue in Bay Ridge, one will see a sign that the owners of John’s Deli on 86th Street and Stillwell Avenue are opening another brother store. Neighborhood resident Greg Coyle said,”Nothing is better than a roast beef after a long night out”. If anyone has attended this landmark on Stillwell Avenue, they will agree with this statement. The roast beef is not the only thing that the deli offers, even though this is the most popular sandwich. They offer anything else one can dream. Many local neighboring delis may not be happy about the insertion of the land mark in Bay Ridge.One of these places, Paneantico is located three blocks away offers most of the same sandwiches. Now any place in the vicinity will face stiff competition from anyone who has been to Stillwell Avenue. But overall the community residents are happy about not having to travel as far for their hot roast beef.
A growing problem facing teenagers today is staying out of trouble. The parents may call them troublemakers or say they are up to no good. But the problem, especially in Bay Ridge, is that teenagers have no place to hang out. The cops patrol the streets and parks at night. Also, the bars are off limits unless kids have fake identification to show.
Over the past couple of years in Bay Ridge two landmarks, Leemark Lanes Bowling Alley and the Fortway Movie theater were shut down. A Century 21 parking lot and a Food Dynasty supermarket replaced these two landmarks. The lone movie theater that remains the Alpine was also going to close until a private company purchased it. This theater plays half the movies that are out at the time, and is in dire need of a renovation. The only places left for a child to hang out are pool halls, and this is not a memory that residents hold of the past. So with all of this going on, the question is posed: where are teenagers supposed to go?
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