West Side Rag
  • TOP NEWS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT
West Side Rag
No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

Search the site

No Result
View All Result

Get WSR FREE in your inbox

AVAILABLE NOW!


HERE

Trump Highway Sign at West 79th To Be Removed After 1,600 Sign Petition

November 9, 2021 | 9:05 AM
in ABSURDITY, NEWS, OUTDOORS
78
Photograph by Richard Robbins.

By Carol Tannenhauser

The Donald J. Trump highway beautification sign — on the southbound side of the Henry Hudson Parkway, just north of the West 79th Street exit — is being removed, according to a letter from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) to Assembly Member Linda Rosenthal, who shared it with WSR.

“DOT has determined that the contract between the organization and the maintenance contractor expired on November 7 and will not be renewed,” Manhattan Borough Commissioner Edward F. Pincar Jr. wrote, on Monday, November 8th. “The existing sign will be removed promptly.”

Trump’s name has been a presence on the Upper West Side for decades — the development he spearheaded along the Hudson River from 59th to 72nd Streets included several Trump-branded buildings, until residents decided to take his name down. Similarly, the highway sign has been controversial for years, and was defaced multiple times.

DOT notified Rosenthal of its decision because she had called and written a letter to the Commissioner in July, in support of a petition launched by Upper West Sider Richard Robbins in late 2020, demanding that the sign be taken down.

“It violates DOT’s own policy, stating that ‘Highways can be adopted by individuals, companies, or organizations (but not by political candidates and campaigns),'” Robbins wrote. “The sign should have been removed in 2015 and should not be in place now, as Trump has stated an intention to run again in 2024.”

At the time, DOT disagreed, telling the Rag, “[The sign] is paid for by the [Trump] organization, not any personal/political entity.” The petition then had 25 signatures. It now has garnered nearly 1,700. (One signer said, “His name is too upsetting to drivers. It will cause accidents.”)

When informed of DOT’s latest decision, Robbins responded, “That’s awesome! For years, this sign has been an affront to people on the Upper West Side who are offended by Trump’s racism and misogyny, and more recently his promotion of the insurrection. We are outraged that a president who helped destroy our environment would be credited as a sponsor of a highway ‘beautification’ initiative. I applaud DOT for taking this action, and hope they have a ceremony that the 1,600+ people who signed the petition can attend [and] witness an act of true beautification of our neighborhood — removal of the sign.”

Rosenthal also hailed DOT’s decision. “Though it may be impossible to remove his name from our collective history, we can and must remove his name from New York’s vaunted institutions and infrastructure,” she wrote.

The Trump Organization is currently fighting to retain another city contract for a Bronx golf course, pending litigation. The city did not renew contracts for two Central Park concessions, Wollman Rink and the Carousel, following the events of January 6th.

Share this article:
guest

guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

78 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Never Again!
Never Again!
1 year ago

As the Brit’s say in Parliament in approval of something :
HEAR, HEAR !!

0
Reply
stashy
stashy
1 year ago

Why stop with this? We must eliminate the term ‘trump’ from bridge games, though presumably the term ‘no trumps’ would be allowed to remain.

0
Reply
good humor
good humor
1 year ago

The wolf leapt off the cliff trying to catch the bird.

0
Reply
Karen Bruno
Karen Bruno
1 year ago
Reply to  good humor

Yep!

0
Reply
GG
GG
1 year ago

“I have never wished a man dead but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure”

Mark Twain

0
Reply
matt
matt
1 year ago

good morning indeed!

0
Reply
EdNY
EdNY
1 year ago

The sign should be removed beause the contract has expired. If the name on the sign properly reflected the corporation, it was correctly displayed, despite the enormous distaste for the individual (which I share).

0
Reply
Leon
Leon
1 year ago

I really don’t understand why it didn’t come down years ago based on the fact that Trump was a political candidate. Donald J Trump and The Trump Organization are not the same legal entity (though they are pretty close) – if the sign said “The Trump Organization” I can see an argument for letting it stay, but his personal name is different and is the name of a politician. I guess the DOT was afraid of being sued by Trump’s fleet of sketchy lawyers.

Good riddance – we are in parks overlooking that sign often and do not need to see his evil name – all of the kids talk about it.

0
Reply
Charles
Charles
1 year ago
Reply to  Leon

I’m a little confused. President Trump got the U.S. a vaccine in record time. It usually takes at least 10 years to develop vaccines. This vaccine was developed in less than 1/4 of that timeframe.

The stats for the UWSers who have taken President Trump’s vaccine are:

10023 78% Fully Vaxxed
10024 74% Fully Vaxxed
10025 72% Fully Vaxxed

https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data-vaccines.page#byzip

0
Reply
vg
vg
1 year ago
Reply to  Charles

That’s just dumb. It was never Trump’s vaccine. And his administration’s stupidity killed a lot of people.

Trump did little to nothing to facilitate the creation of a vaccine.

Trump’s actions and rhetoric only discouraged people from taking it.

0
Reply
Bob
Bob
1 year ago
Reply to  Leon

If it’s any consolation, he doesn’t pay his lawyers anyway…

0
Reply
Citizen
Citizen
1 year ago

Well, count me pleased.
Every time I pass it I think, “Really? Still with this thing?”
It’s literally a driving distraction.

0
Reply
Fake News?
Fake News?
1 year ago

Where is DOT getting its information that Trump is 100% going to run again? I mean, I think in the back of our minds we all know it’s going to happen, but he has not officially announced. I Googled it to make sure. As of yesterday, Politico was reporting he has not announced, but may likely announce after midterms.

I know this is a post about the sign (which wasn’t taken down because of the petition as the headline indicates, rather because the contract was up, per the article), but so much has been contentious re news & politics lately. Let’s not spread misinformation if we can.

0
Reply
EdNY
EdNY
1 year ago
Reply to  Fake News?

I don’t think whether or not he is going to run again is the issue (which would require the sign being removed even if the contract weren’t up) – it’s whether or not he is a political figure. His actions this year clearly indicate that he is.

0
Reply
Don Kedick
Don Kedick
1 year ago
Reply to  Fake News?

That’s a quote from Robbins, not DOT.

Trump has said very specifically that he’s not announcing yet for campaign financing reasons, but he has said he “will be talking about it” and that his supporters “will be very happy”.

0
Reply
Truth and Reason
Truth and Reason
1 year ago
Reply to  Don Kedick

It doesn’t matter who it is from if it is wrong. You can quote someone who is giving incorrect information, but then the article has to reveal that it is incorrect by supplying the facts in turn. It’s Society of Professional Journalism Code of Ethics 101. Just because the misinformation is tucked in a quote doesn’t dismiss a reporter’s obligation to report the truth.

0
Reply
John Blank
John Blank
1 year ago
Reply to  Truth and Reason

That’s 100% false, there’s no compromise of journalistic integrity here.

Robbins expressed a fact and an opinion, and he made both parts clear – Trump should have been rendered ineligible when he was a registered political candidate for president, and should remain ineligible based on his intention to run.

0
Reply
Mark Moore
Mark Moore
1 year ago

The words “beautification” and “Donald J Trump” are highly incongruous.

0
Reply
Bob Lamm
Bob Lamm
1 year ago

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

0
Reply
chuck d
chuck d
1 year ago

If DOT wants to sell me the sign, please have them call me

0
Reply
Alice Jacobs
Alice Jacobs
1 year ago

Anything that can be done to remove Trump’s name is an act of beautifying the environment.

0
Reply
UWSider
UWSider
1 year ago

I’ve developed a habit of flipping off this sign every time I pass by it for the past few years.

0
Reply
Ish Kabibble
Ish Kabibble
1 year ago
Reply to  UWSider

My wife and I do the same every time we exit at West 79th Street. White hot hatred.

0
Reply
new englander
new englander
1 year ago
Reply to  UWSider

I believe anybody who wants to support the city and its infrastructure should be appreciated. We drive this stretch and see this sign frequently, always appreciating the fact that individuals still support the clean up of the highways. I hope the hatred expressed here doesn’t result in a stretch of highway filled with litter and weeds. Will that satisfy the haters?

0
Reply
Sal
Sal
1 year ago

Whoever spearheaded this is deranged. I couldn’t stand obama but I never torched cars or smashed storefront windows over it. Now you see what’s in the white house and I suppose you’re happy? Why would anyone care about a sign on the highway when fuel prices are so high you can’t even afford to drive anywhere anymore?

0
Reply
Susann
Susann
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Agree…this is pure partisan politics at its highest level. ‘Nuff said!

0
Reply
John Blank
John Blank
1 year ago
Reply to  Susann

So, you think the fact that he hasn’t paid for the sign and allowed the contract to expire has a political element to it?

I know you guys are OK with him not paying taxes, so just to be clear – how long should his unpaid sign continue to provide free advertising for Trump, paid for by NYC residents, before it gets taken down?

0
Reply
35 miles per gallon
35 miles per gallon
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Gas prices are about $1/gallon more than it was. If you can’t afford an additional $15 every 425 miles, you can’t afford to have a car in NYC.

0
Reply
Notrump
Notrump
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Have you driven lately? Gas prices are lower than they were during the Bush years. As for Obana, he never tried to overthrow the government of our country.

0
Reply
Ish Kabibble
Ish Kabibble
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

LOL, where do you get your information from? Actually, never mind. We all know.

0
Reply
LAWRENCE BRAVERMAN
LAWRENCE BRAVERMAN
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

“…fuel prices are so high you can’t even afford to drive anywhere anymore?”

Rising fuel prices! I bet it’s all just a conspiracy to keep people from joy riding so as to lower the carbon footprint of the USA!!

I only pray that it works.

0
Reply
Joseph R. Giordano
Joseph R. Giordano
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

I agree 100%

0
Reply
Tom D
Tom D
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

You’re way too rational for the woke liberal UWS elite!

0
Reply
UWSwokeup
UWSwokeup
1 year ago
Reply to  Tom D

Tom D.: Why are you reading the UWS Rag then? And the right’s use of woke is just another dog whistle. I will take liberals over bigots any day!

0
Reply
Steve
Steve
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Hey Sal, if was up to Trump, you wouldn’t be able to breath the air in a few years! You’re clearly on the wrong side of history! Please take a moment to reassess your position!

0
Reply
Brandon
Brandon
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Oh please, gas prices are not as bad as you’re making them out to be, nor can you fairly blame them on the current president.

According to U.S. Department of Energy stats, average retail gas prices in the NYC metro area are still below 2011 to 2014 levels and far from their 2008 peak.

Forget covid — I think you have a case of Biden Derangement Syndrome.

0
Reply
Benoit
Benoit
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Very pertinent comment.
Alas, I have no clue as to what you are trying to say.

0
Reply
Bob
Bob
1 year ago
Reply to  Sal

Removing a sign through official process = torching cars and smashing windows. Okilly dokilly.

0
Reply
Chuck
Chuck
1 year ago

Glad to see that the city is taken care of very important items such as removing signs that contain their political rivals name. Maybe now the city can concentrate on less important issues such as crime, homelessness, garbage, potholes, mass transit problems, cost of living, etc.

0
Reply
LucilleSoho
LucilleSoho
1 year ago
Reply to  Chuck

Exactly! I wish the same energy was directed at something constructive. Ugh. UWS has lost the plot.

0
Reply
Frank Grimes
Frank Grimes
1 year ago

Im proud of my fellow UWS’rs for moving on from being offended by statues of historical figures who died 500 years ago, to being offended by structures of more contemporary figures.

Anyone want to start a petition to get rid of those creepy Alice in Wonderland statues in CP? I imagine those offend someone…..

0
Reply
Ang
Ang
1 year ago

Finally!!! 😹

0
Reply
Alexis Greene
Alexis Greene
1 year ago

I will be so glad when that sign is gone. “Beautification” and Donald Trump are polar opposites.

0
Reply
Morrie Ross
Morrie Ross
1 year ago

I am really puzzled by the hatred. I imagine you’re otherwise nice people, but you’re imbued with such evil hatred, which prevents you from seeing the truth.

0
Reply
John Blank
John Blank
1 year ago
Reply to  Morrie Ross

The truth is Trump was a terrible New Yorker. He went on to be an even worse president, who used lies and fear to help destroy this country and get countless Americans killed due to his indifference to COVID19. His legacy is a huge deficit that he left in order to help out a few of his billionaire buddies, a complete disaster in Afghanistan after supporting the Taliban, and a COVID crisis fueled in part by vaccine and mask misinformation that he helped foment that’s still getting Americans killed today.

Worst president in American history who probably should have been imprisoned for treason if not for the fact that he strongarmed his government out of enforcing it’s checks and balances.

The truth hurts.

0
Reply
Sally
Sally
1 year ago

That is a shame. Trump was a great president with excellent policy despite human foibles. People are lemmings to trust corrupt media and this dislike the good he spearheaded. Let’s go Brandon.

0
Reply
John Blank
John Blank
1 year ago
Reply to  Sally

How cute, bashing the current president who wasn’t responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans (and New Yorkers), and supporting the tax dodging misogynist with a little catchphrase.

Trump lied, 750k Americans (and counting) died.

0
Reply
Marilyn
Marilyn
1 year ago

The city and state should also imprisionbhim for tax evasion.

0
Reply
Susan
Susan
1 year ago

HOORAY for small victories! This made me smile.

0
Reply
Roberta Maxwell
Roberta Maxwell
1 year ago

Gone..but alas never to be forgotten

0
Reply
Farnham
Farnham
1 year ago

Gone

0
Reply
Live on the UWS
Live on the UWS
1 year ago

This shows Trump loves Nature. It also shows he is willing to pay to clean up the mess of thoughtless motorists who throw trash onto the grass.

0
Reply
BILLYNYC
BILLYNYC
1 year ago

Excuse me I thought that sign was to be removed two years ago after me and my neighbors put black paint all over it?

0
Reply
Brown
Brown
1 year ago

i hope that all you idiots are happy with the current package that you bought, viz. buyers’ remorse! really, there are so many many more important issues to focus on than “drivers being upset” when they see the name of the former great president …

0
Reply
Consuelo
Consuelo
1 year ago

Please put me on the mailing list for the ceremony.

0
Reply
Maggie
Maggie
1 year ago

People grow up…don’t you have better things to complain about?

0
Reply
NANNETTE Gonnella
NANNETTE Gonnella
1 year ago

trump sign gone✊🏽 Teddy Roosevelt on CPW next!✅ Happy Holidays NYC💋

0
Reply
Joey
Joey
1 year ago
Reply to  NANNETTE Gonnella

Stalin also erased people he despised from history……

0
Reply
Brandon
Brandon
1 year ago
Reply to  Joey

And Hitler was a vegetarian. What’s your point?

0
Reply
Jen
Jen
1 year ago
Reply to  Brandon

The point is you intolerant “progressives” have strange bedfellows.

0
Reply
B. Fleck-Paladino
B. Fleck-Paladino
1 year ago

YAY!

0
Reply
J k
J k
1 year ago

Everyone loves gas at $4.50 a gallon soon it will be higher $ 5 to 6 a gallon going up and up oh what food prices etc everyone loves to pay more and more be happy

0
Reply
Bill Williams
Bill Williams
1 year ago

Why the continued censorship on this page?

0
Reply
mmary
mmary
1 year ago

Thank God – Jesus wanted this sign gone I have prayed very hard for it to be gone. Thank God.

0
Reply
james guzman
james guzman
1 year ago

Please do, it’s an eyesore and nothing I want to see even before I’ve had my morning coffee.

0
Reply
B Kaufman
B Kaufman
1 year ago

It is amazing that a political viewpoint is the basis for removing an opposing political person. NY has become the intolerant city that tries to project itself as most tolerant.
The people of NY should ask whether they are better off now or 6 years ago.

0
Reply
Eric Rude
Eric Rude
1 year ago
Reply to  B Kaufman

And I have an answer for you: I AM!!!

0
Reply
Kathy Crawford
Kathy Crawford
1 year ago

Good riddance!

0
Reply
Brandon
Brandon
1 year ago

Funny, when I saw an abbreviated headline about the “Trump Sign” I thought the story would be about taking down the “F**K Trump” sign that has been hanging from a building clearly visible to Metro North riders in upper Manhattan since 2016. I guess that’s OK.

0
Reply
Jack
Jack
1 year ago
Reply to  Brandon

Let’s Go Brandon!

0
Reply
Ellie Karanauskas
Ellie Karanauskas
1 year ago

YAY!!!!

0
Reply
DAVID LAROCCA
DAVID LAROCCA
1 year ago

How much money did they pay initially for beautification?? How much did they pay on a yearly basis. Or was the sigh the only they paid for? Looks like weeds near the sign not flowers.

0
Reply
Kathy Carver
Kathy Carver
1 year ago

John Blank. You said it all and said it soooooo well. Donald Trump was a horrible president as well as a terrible person. Good for NYC. You folks are the absolute best!!!!!

0
Reply
Happy Driver
Happy Driver
1 year ago

Good RidDunce! Finally I can exit the WS Highway without gagging and driving while mentally impaired.

0
Reply
John
John
1 year ago

Maybe the 1600 people who were bothered by the sign will pay for a contract to clean the highway as Trump had been doing.

0
Reply
UWSConcerned
UWSConcerned
1 year ago
Reply to  John

And it would be great if just the people who were in favor of the City early terminating all City contracts with the Trump Organization last year would cover the litigation costs (and not the rest of). I am not a Trump supporter but at some point we need to start letting our decision process be guided by rationale thought and not pure emotion

0
Reply
Coogan
Coogan
1 year ago

Trumps cheap little trick has always been to get publicity for free- or as close as he can get to it. The variety of his self promotion angles is notorious, as far from honest, giving, thoughtful and altruistic as one can get.

He was told the public would see the sign and think better of him, so he paid for up once. As far as anyone can tell there was never any actually beautification efforts made on a routine basis to prove it made NYC better. He knew that but only cared about seeming like a good guy- though he hates animals, is a germ-o-phobe, is never seen in real nature that isn’t highly altered and is fake. The same guy who puts his name on golf courses and poor quality buildings others build that actually pollute the environment. He’s obsessed with self promotion, and people seeing his name writ large and he doesn’t care about actually doing good. A sociopath to his core.

Sign should’ve been taken down long long ago.

0
Reply
Don Kedick
Don Kedick
1 year ago

Trolls are out in force on this one. You can tell they’re not UWS residents because they keep going on about rising gas prices and not conditions on the subway. It’s the anti-Biden talking point du jour, so they have to repeat it even where it doesn’t make sense. Don’t bother engaging with their nonsense, just move on to the next article.

0
Reply

YOU MIGHT LIKE...

Updated: Police Activity at Jack’s Convenience on Broadway and 109th
CRIME

Updated: Police Activity at Jack’s Convenience on Broadway and 109th

March 28, 2023 | 11:14 AM
Pupper West Side: Jofi Has Ties to Freud But a More ‘Snuggly’ Technique
COLUMNS

Pupper West Side: Jofi Has Ties to Freud But a More ‘Snuggly’ Technique

March 28, 2023 | 7:29 AM
Previous Post

Monday Bulletin: Double-Parking Violence; Franken vs. Gillibrand; Post-Pandemic Architecture

Next Post

Join Morningside Montessori School for the 2022/23 School Year!

this week's events image

Explore Your Favorite Subject

20th precinct 24th precinct american museum of natural history animals art bicycling bulletin central park closings columns community board 7 coronavirus crash crime development dogs events fdny fire food gale brewer helen rosenthal history jcc lincoln center monday bulletin morning bulletin nypd openings pedestrian safety photography photos politics public schools pupper west side real estate restaurants retail riverside park silver stars fitness snow sponsored subway upper west side uws

CITY NEWS

Brick Underground
City Limits
Eater
Gothamist
NY Daily News
NY Post
NY Times

LOCAL RESOURCES

Bloomingdale Neighborhood History Group
Central Park Conservancy
CB7
Community Education Council 3
Assembly District 67
The New York Historical Society
Riverside Park
West End Preservation

UWS Blogs

Bloomingdale History Central Park Blogger
North River Notes

Next Post
Join Morningside Montessori School for the 2022/23 School Year!

Join Morningside Montessori School for the 2022/23 School Year!

Central Park and the JCC Complete Major Restoration Projects

Central Park and the JCC Complete Major Restoration Projects

Wedding Band Blues: Max Seeking Owner of Lost Ring

Max and the Ring: 'What Is Lost May Very Well Be Found Again!'

  • ABOUT US
  • CONTACT US
  • NEWSLETTER
  • WSR MERCH!
  • ADVERTISE
  • EVENTS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • SITE MAP
Site design by RLDGROUP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • TOP NEWS
  • THIS WEEK’S EVENTS
  • OPEN/CLOSED
  • FOOD
  • SCHOOLS
  • OUTDOORS
  • REAL ESTATE
  • ART
  • POLITICS
  • COLUMNS
  • CRIME
  • HISTORY
  • ABSURDITY
  • CONTACT US
  • WSR SHOP

© 2023 West Side Rag | All rights reserved.