Dear Eric Adams (NYC Mayor),
We need to discuss the bridges and tunnels. Let’s start with the bridges. The Macy’s Firework Show on July 4th utilized the Brooklyn Bridge nicely. The best part of the show was the American flag waterfalling off of the Brooklyn Bridge. The projections on the Brooklyn Bridge were fun and innovative. An excellent way to cut costs and still have something visual.
Why not have something like this year round? Not the fire, but the fun projections on the sides of the bridge. You can honor different holidays, advertise movies and other types of partnerships— the City can make some cash. And let’s face it, due to your mismanagement and the mismanagement and corruption of Bill de Blasio, the City needs every penny it can get. Just an idea. Maybe, with that cash, we can stop throwing our veterans out on the street. Another thought. Take it or leave it.
Let’s go to the tunnels. There are a million things we can say about the trains. God help us commuters— all of us. But today, I want to focus on paint notices.
Many of us endure the commute through distraction. We read, we listen to podcasts, and every so often, we lift our gaze (avoiding eye contact with lunatics) to see what station we are rolling past or through. Each station has a personality. We know which stations have certain tile (Canal Street has the Chinese characters on the tiles), and some stations have a certain color of paint on the columns.
I have noticed that stations that were painted a jovial light yellow are now being painted black with zero notice. The black/dark grey paint is a terrible choice. It makes the station look as sinister as it actually is. Please stop doing this. Pick a better color. The City serves us a plate of crap every day, but at least make it pretty and let it have a garnish. A little mind game never hurt anyone.
Most importantly, New Yorkers should be informed when a station is changing. Today, I got off at a station to switch to an express train and a formerly yellow station was black. I was there LAST NIGHT, and it was yellow. I felt disoriented and lost. It took me a minute to make sure I was where I was supposed to be. I glanced around the darkened station wondering what nightmare I had stepped foot in. This is not cool. Many New Yorkers will be confused and miss their stop. Imagine the elderly and the monolingual non-English speakers? All of us lost in the darkness in different ways. We already expend a lot of energy dodging death. We don’t need to spend more mental energy to make sure we aren’t lost.
Stop making unsafe and dirty spaces look dirtier, darker and creepy. The City is hard enough to navigate as is. Find brighter colors that make us feel hopeful. No one wants to die in a black station. At least let me have the last thing I see be a bright yellow.
Also, the Verrazano bridge has that beige cover again. See Letter #3 for more on that. You know I am always paying attention. Thank you for your time and attention. Fix the vibes, Adams. How do you expect anyone to re-elect you when the City keeps decomposing under your watch?
Wishing us all bright yellow days despite your incompetence. Sigh.
GABRIELA YARELIZ 