NYC pol wants to ‘beautify’ concrete medians, claims greenery will help manage flooding
A New York City Council member wants to “beautify” the Big Apple’s concrete medians by adding greenery, claiming the new plants will help curb flooding during storms.
Councilmember Oswald Feliz’s bill, dubbed “Operation Green NYC” and introduced Thursday, would require the city to build three miles per borough per year of vegetation on paved medians, until all of them are filled with flora.
“We must prepare our city for the environmental threats that are becoming more intense and frequent, and this bill will help us do so by requiring the construction of greenery and storm-water management systems in every community,” Feliz (D-Bronx) said.
“The greenery will beautify communities, clean our air, reduce noise pollution and decrease risk of flooding,” he added. “It will also improve quality of life through cleaner, quieter and green environments, and will protect entire communities from safety-threats posed by extreme weather.”
Bronx residents were split on the idea, with one woman saying she believed the new medians would look “really nice,” but may not do as much to help with flooding as cleaning up the sewage system would.
“Can’t they clean out the sewers better? Our street flooded when it rained real bad a couple weeks ago, but it was because the sewer was plugged up with garbage,” said Marisol Guzman Feliz, 38, a worker at a clothing store.
At the end of March, the city was hit with record rainfall that caused roads and the subway system to flood, and even grounded planes.
Dramatic images showed an SUV stranded in flood water on the Mosholu Parkway in the Bronx, a submerged black Mercedes on the 65th Street Central Park Traverse and straphangers jumping across a makeshift bridge made of wooden crates to exit a flooded train station at the 2nd Avenue F train stop in the East Village.
Feliz said the greenery is more about the environment than adding nice-looking gardens.
The practice — called “green infrastructure” — aims to control stormwater and other adverse environmental effects by mimicking natural systems, according to the city Department of Environmental Protection.
For example, a rain garden planted on or near a sidewalk can redirect water to the plants or to a storm drain rather than allowing the water to flow unchecked on concrete, which can lead to local flooding or sewer overflows.
“Not too long ago, we saw the dangers of extreme rainfall: flooding in our streets, subways, and homes. Additionally, too many New Yorkers are suffering from well-documented health issues due to high levels of pollution in communities. I am proud to introduce the “Operation Green NYC” bill to tackle both challenges,” Feliz said.
Another Bronx resident, Aarav C., 61, an Uber driver, said the green medians would be an affront to the city’s motorists.
“The city wants no cars! Why more ways to screw up traffic? Why? That pavement is like new! Rip up the busiest streets and turn them into gardens that need to be tended? For water? No. They want a city where no cars drive. Every change, more expensive to drive, slower to drive, make it harder to drive around. The city want no cars,” Aarav said.
