- Vendors on the Brooklyn Bridge will be prohibited from selling souvenirs starting Wednesday to alleviate sidewalk overcrowding.
- He said the decision was made by New York City Mayor Eric Adams after holiday crowds led to dangerous conditions.
- The ban applies to all bridges in the city, but the Brooklyn Bridge faces particular problems because of the large number of contractors.
Tourists in New York City looking to take home souvenirs from the Brooklyn Bridge will be forced to settle for photo-ops as street vendors are about to be banned from the iconic bridge.
The new rules, which take effect Wednesday, are aimed at easing overcrowding on the busy bridge's sidewalks, where dozens of trinket vendors currently compete for space with tourists and city commuters. .
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said crowds gathered on the bridge during the holiday season, making the situation dangerous. He pointed to a video showing a pedestrian jumping from an elevated walkway into a bike lane several feet below to bypass human traffic.
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“This is not just a health issue, it's a public safety issue,” Adams said Tuesday. “People would be stepping on each other. We need order in this city. It's one of our major landmarks.”
A peddler on the Brooklyn Bridge displays his wares on January 2, 2024 in New York. New York City will ban peddlers from the Brooklyn Bridge starting January 3, 2024. The move is aimed at easing overcrowding at the East River Crossing. Dozens of souvenir vendors now compete for space here with tourists and city commuters. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The new rules apply to all bridges in the city, but none has as many vendors as the 140-year-old Brooklyn Bridge, with tables selling things like phone cases, copy Yankees caps and novelty license plates. There are many things. more.
Those selling goods on the bridge acknowledge that the number of vendors has proliferated in recent years due to easing of enforcement during the coronavirus pandemic and the availability of lower-priced goods. A decision two years ago to move cyclists to the carriageway lanes also freed up space for food stalls.
On the bridge's mid-span, entrepreneurs are currently installing more than a dozen rotating selfie platforms where tourists can pay to take panoramic photos.
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Dr. Rahman, who has been selling hot dogs and pretzels from a cart on the bridge for 15 years, said he understands the need to crack down on illegal sellers. But he criticized the city's plan as too broad. That's because the plan also applies to veteran sellers like himself who hold mobile sales licenses.
“The problem is that illegal and unauthorized people are selling things there,” Rahman said, pointing to a new group of stalls in the middle of the bridge. “It's insane to punish everyone. You don't know what will happen to your family.”
In recent days, police have posted flyers across the bridge in multiple languages telling vendors they must leave. But some questioned whether the city would actually follow through on the plan.
“Maybe it will come back in a few weeks,” said Qiu Lan Liu, a vendor selling hats and T-shirts. Many of them feature the New York City Police Department's emblem, “NYPD.” “Let's see what others do.”
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As news of the upcoming ban spread, some tourists said they were taking advantage of the low-priced souvenirs still available. Anna Souza of Oklahoma proudly held up an “I Love New York” tote bag she found for just $10, a fraction of the price she saw at a brick-and-mortar store.
Jenny Atchi was visiting New York from Oakland, California. “It’s a little crowded, but not as much as I expected,” she said. “It's crowded because everyone is taking pictures.”
Among the supporters of the new rules are some disability rights advocates, who said the ban would immediately improve access for wheelchair users. In a statement, Idanis Rodriguez, the city's transportation director, celebrated the improvements to the tourist attraction he has dubbed “America's Eiffel Tower.”
Rashaun Prince uses the bridge to sell copies of his self-published book, “How to Roll a Blunt for Dummies.” He said he was unfazed by the comparison.
“I've been to the Eiffel Tower,” Prince said. “There are vendors over there too.”
