Vendors and pedestrians weigh in on removal of vendors from city bridges
This comes after NYPD officers were making final sweeps of the Brooklyn Bridge on Tuesday to give warning to those operating their businesses.
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Wednesday marks the first day vendors are off of the Brooklyn Bridge, as setting up shop on the city’s bridges became illegal at midnight last night.
NYPD officers were making final sweeps of the Brooklyn Bridge on Tuesday to give warning to those operating their businesses.
MORE: Vendors no longer allowed to do business on the city’s bridges
Vendors were quick to comply with the new rule, with many moving their stands to Cadman Plaza and Prospect Street near the bridge.
"Most of the vendors who were on the bridge moved over there. We put our empty tables right there. No disrespecting anyone from the DOT or NYPD,” says vendor Raul Salgado.
Some pedestrians, like Columbia Heights resident Louis Di Meglio, say this is better for the bridge because “even without the vendorsm it is still pretty bumpy… it's probably better for everybody that's walking."
Other pedestrians say the vendors brought an extra flair to the bridge and that they will be missed.
The Street Vendor Project, an advocate organization for the city’s vendors, said in a statement:
"Today is a sad day for vendors on the bridge and across the city, that more restrictions are being placed on a system that's already too complicated to work with. We hope that the city will support our smallest businesses and include them in conversations to find middle-ground solutions."
