Five Boro Bike Tour cyclists slammed the MTA on Sunday over its threat to charge the event for tolls lost on the Verrazzano Bridge.
“while [a potential toll bill] Former Queens firefighter Bob Sweeney, 65, has drawn the ire of transportation officials.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last month proposed charging the infamous New York City Marathon hundreds of thousands of dollars in tolls lost due to bridge closures during the famous running race, prompting Gov. Cathy Hochul to It sparked widespread protests that forced the department to pump the brakes.
But bike tour organizers, who were also reportedly threatened with higher bridge tolls, say they have never received any promise of future exemptions.
This year’s bike tour was expected to cost the MTA big bucks, as it did last year, but both the DOT and Hochul’s office said Sunday whether the Five Boroughs would be subject to a potentially catastrophic toll bill in the future. He did not make it clear whether.
“It’s ridiculous,” Sweeney said of the situation. “This is a great event, and a lot of people who live in the city attend. … We’ll probably have to lower the price to get more people to attend.”
Other participants feared a potential increase in the bike tour’s $139 entry fee would effectively eliminate participation in the ride, which attracts about 32,000 people a year. He said there was.
“That’s not cool,” said Glenna Hamilton, 54, an office manager in Queens.
“I don’t think a lot of people will ride, and then I won’t be able to ride either,” she said of the increased cost. “Why would you pay so much for an event? You could just go to the park.”
Kenneth Poziva, CEO of ride organizer Bike New York, told the Post he was concerned the MTA would hurt the organization by adding significantly more tolls for the lost bridge. (The cost of the marathon is estimated to be about $750,000.)
“We’re a great event, we’re a charity, we’re doing great things with our money,” said Pojiba, who doesn’t believe the MTA is actually losing cash because of the tour. he added.
“They have not been able to provide us with any evidence of loss of income,” he said.
“When the governor told the MTA to fix this mess, she only mentioned the Marathon and was silent about the Five Boro Bike Tour as if we didn’t exist,” Pojiba said. . She added, “I would like the governor to come out and issue a statement to correct this mess, since it also mentions bike tours.”
On Sunday, the governor’s office directed questions from the Post to the MTA, but the MTA did not provide any updates on its plans, including whether it would charge tours for lost fares in coming years.
The MTA already has its hands full with another major controversy: congestion pricing, or the move to impose a $15 surcharge on drivers at downtown Manhattan toll plazas starting next month.
“Bike New York plans to reimburse the MTA for overtime and certain other costs at the same rate as in 2023, and has worked with event organizers to reduce these expenses as much as possible,” a spokesperson said. Aaron Donovan spoke only verbally. A statement addressing Sunday’s events.
“We look forward to a successful event this weekend,” he added.
Bike New York paid about $90,000 in royalties for Verrazzano last year. This includes overtime and other costs required to close the bridge’s lower deck.
Meandering 40 miles through the city, this tour begins in Lower Manhattan and ends in Staten Island.
Participants told the Post that part of the value of the event was visiting all five boroughs, including biking across the city’s bridges.
They said they probably wouldn’t return if the tour had to cancel Verrazzano or if the cost became too high.
” [40] “That’s what I came here for: miles of open streets through all five boroughs, car-free,” said Abby Lohr, a 29-year-old teacher from Washington, D.C.
“If it wasn’t so open and accessible, I probably wouldn’t do it,” she added. “Verrazzano is a big part of this. It felt like it rounded out the whole route.”
Therese Holm, a Manhattan health care worker who rode with her fiance, said she loves riding along Manhattan’s FDR Drive but would think about signing up if prices went up.
“I got to the point where I couldn’t afford that kind of money,” she said.
Jay Durdan, a 65-year-old retiree from Dashpoint, Wash., said he was appalled when he heard the city wanted to raise rates.
“I don’t like it at all,” he said. “New York has a great reputation, and hosting a Diamond event like this is a great way to bring people in from all over the world and the United States.
“It’s good for the local economy. Think about how you can procure something within your budget. [rather] Rather than increasing the prices for events like this. ”
Posiva said he hopes next year’s Tour won’t have to cut off the tail end that prevents riders from crossing the Verrazzano River to Staten Island because of toll losses.
“We should call it the Four Boroughs Bike Tour, but that’s not as interesting,” said the organizer.
“They are trying to take away the fun of this great, iconic New York City event. You can only ride Verrazzano one day a year, and the TD Five Borough Bike Tour dates are the first in May. It’s Sunday. This is great.
“It would be too bad if we had to make it into four boroughs.”
