Sanders and Ariola Find Solutions for Addabbo Bridge Trash Issue

Senator James Sanders Jr. and NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola celebrated the delivery of new signage and a dozen new trash cans on the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge last week, bringing the ongoing litter issue in the area one step closer to an end.

For several months, there have been complaints from pedestrians and bike riders about the garbage-filled conditions of the Addabbo Bridge from Broad Channel to Howard Beach. Sanders and Ariola teamed up to come up with solutions for the issue. Among them were installing signs warning people to not litter, and that the area is under camera surveillance, and adding trash receptacles for fishermen and others who utilize the bridge to have somewhere to dump trash instead of on the pathway or in the bay.

“Working together to clean the Addabbo Bridge exemplifies our commitment to maintaining our community’s infrastructure and ensuring a safer, cleaner environment for all residents,” Sanders Jr. said. “By joining forces, we can uplift our neighborhoods and foster a sense of pride in our community.”

“This delivery makes good on our promise to bring a multi-agency, multi-level solution to this chronic problem,” Ariola said. “For too long, the Addabbo Bridge has been a dumping ground. With these new cans and signage, as well as a renewed commitment to sweep the area and pick up litter, I believe that we will finally be able to move into a new, cleaner chapter for the bridge and its visitors.”

“The State Department of Transportation continuously works local and state agency partners to address maintenance concerns on our roadways,” New York State Department of Transportation Region 11 Director Erik Koester said. “Because of these important partnerships, in coordination with the New York City Department of Transportation, a dozen new trash receptacles and new pedestrian signage were installed Thursday morning along the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge, enhancing the appeal of the structure for everyone who utilizes it.”

“I am proud to work with partners who don’t simply sit back and accept the status quo from government agencies,” Phyllis Inserillo, co-president of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic Association and Ariola’s Chief of Staff said. “These kinds of joint task forces are so necessary, because they make sure that people stop playing the blame game, and actually work together to get the job done.”