Locals Push for McGuinness Redo Following Bribery Charges

"Greenpointers are demanding that the city implement a full road diet on McGuinness Boulevard amid allegations that a top mayoral aide was bribed to interfere with a Department of Transportation-approved redesign. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, allegedly agreed to alter the redesign in exchange for cash and a TV show cameo offered by Broadway Stages owners Gina and Anthony Argento, according to indictments that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced last week."

"The indictment was "vindicating" in some ways, said Bronwyn Breitner, a local mom and founding member of Make McGuinness Safe. Locals had long suspected that Lewis-Martin had moved behind the scenes to scuttle the project. "We'd been seeing really strange behavior by senior Adams officials," said Greenpoint resident Vincent Valdmans. "It was very clear at a certain point that the administration was not going to respect the process of its own DOT.""

"The fight over McGuinness Boulevard created a "rift" in the neighborhood, Breitner said, one that still exists today. And while a redesign was eventually implemented, it was watered down and less safe than what had initially been promised. "If these accusations are true, if Mayor Adams doesn't want to be part of the corrupt landscape that influenced the safe streets redesign, he should go ahead and implement the rest of the road diet tomorrow," Breitner said. "There's no reason not to.""

Residents of Greenpoint demand a full road diet on McGuinness Boulevard after indictments allege a top mayoral aide accepted bribes to alter a DOT-approved safety redesign. Ingrid Lewis-Martin is accused of agreeing to change the redesign in exchange for cash and a TV show cameo from Broadway Stages owners Gina and Anthony Argento, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Locals reported unusual behavior by senior Adams officials and felt vindicated by the indictment. A watered-down redesign was eventually implemented, and residents are urging immediate completion of the promised safety measures.

Read at Brownstoner