The New York Times
November 12, 2000, Sunday
THE CITY WEEKLY DESK
NEIGHBORHOOD REPORT: SOHO -- UPDATE; Signs and Lamentations Have an Effect on Errant Trucks
By DENNY LEE (NYT) 219 words
Broome Street residents may finally be getting a good night's sleep.
After years of complaining that noisy, oversized trucks have been using their street as an illegal shortcut to the Holland Tunnel, residents got their wish for new traffic signs last month.
Two signs that read, ''Truck restriction except for local deliveries,'' were erected on the corner of Broome and Lafayette Streets to discourage through trucks from using Broome Street.
The signs replace earlier truck signs that residents said had been ineffective.
''That's a major victory for the community,'' said Carl Rosenstein, a community advocate.
''These are the best signs we ever had,'' Mr. Rosenstein said. ''Trucking has been reduced already.''
The signs went up shortly after Mr. Rosenstein, elected officials and others met with Iris Weinshall, the recently appointed commissioner of the city's Department of Transportation, to discuss the long-simmering dispute.
The relief may be only temporary, however. Critics say that a citywide plan, drafted under the previous transportation commissioner, would remap Broome Street into a through truck route.
But Tom Cocola, a department spokesman, agreed that the plan was ''horrible'' for residents and said that the department would conduct a new study next year.
''As it stands now, Broome Street is only for local truck deliveries,'' Mr. Cocola said. DENNY LEE
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Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company
