More Ramped Stupidity

We are always amazed that some folks are so congenitally ignorant-freely opining on issues that they haven't the slightest clue about. Enter the Queens Courier, local paper that is editorializing in confused fashion in favor of building the Van Wyck ramps: "The Willets Point redevelopment project, which calls for the remediation of a roughly 62-acre site adjacent to Citi Field, may have hit a roadblock, at least this is the hope of attorney Michael B. Gerrard, a senior counsel at Arnold & Porter, who has mounted a legal challenge against the project on behalf of a group of small landowners in the area who joined forces and pooled their money to fight City Hall. The ramps, which would connect Willets Point to the Van Wyck Expressway, seemed like a minor detail. But, as it turns out, they are critical to the project’s survival."

Who writes this stuff-can it all be blamed on English as a second language? But the Courier-owned by Vickie Schneps, Claire Shulman's best friend-is determined to flaunt its stupidity for all the world to witness. For instance, it acknowledges that, "The $3 billion project could generate 80,000 vehicle trips a day, and the ramps are meant to help move cars in and out of the area. The city cannot use eminent domain unless the ramps are approved by the federal Highway Administration and the state’s Department of Transportation (NYSDOT)."

But then goes on to ignore the sheer magnitude of the traffic generation-and the charge that the ramps fail to mitigate it-to proclaim: "Willets Point will be the "Crown Jewel" of Queens and destination point for visitors and tourists alike. We call on the federal Highway Administration and the state NYSDOT to approve all the ramps necessary and allow the project to move forward."

C'mon Courier! At least address the issues and actually try to deconstruct the opponents' position. Instead we get mindless cheer leading that may warm the heart of her good friend, but is cold comfort to the Queens residents that the Courier alleges it speaks on behalf of.