'Now is the time': Locals demand full redesign of McGuinness Boulevard after bribery allegations * Brooklyn Paper

"Greenpointers are demanding that the city implement a full road diet on McGuinness Boulevard amid allegations that a top mayoral aide was bribed to interfere with a Department of Transportation-approved redesign. Ingrid Lewis-Martin, a former chief advisor to Mayor Eric Adams, to alter the redesign in exchange for cash and a TV show cameo offered by Broadway Stages owners Gina and Anthony Argento, according to allegedly agreed indictments that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced last week."

"The indictment was "vindicating" in some ways, said Bronwyn Breitner, a local mom and founding member of Make McGuinness Safe. Locals had long suspected that Lewis-Martin had moved behind the scenes to scuttle the project. "We'd been seeing really strange behavior by senior Adams officials," said Greenpoint resident Vincent Valdmans. " ... it was very clear at a certain point that the administration was not going to respect the process of its own DOT." But it was also frustrating. "[The Argentos] have done a lot of good things for our community," Breitner said. "It's hard to accept that these guys would put all of the neighbors of Greenpoint's safety at risk." The fight over McGuinness Boulevard created a "rift" in the neighborhood, Breitner said, one that still exists today. And while a redesign was eventually implemented , it was watered-down and less safe than what had initially been promised."

""If these accusations are true, if Mayor Adams doesn't want to be part of the corrupt landscape that influenced the safe streets redesign, he should go ahead and implement the rest of the road diet tomorrow," Breitner said. "There's no reason not to." Lewis-Martin was simultaneously charged in three other pay-to-play schemes. She pleaded not guilty to all charges last week, as did the Argentos."

Greenpoint residents demand a full road diet on McGuinness Boulevard following allegations that Ingrid Lewis-Martin accepted bribes from Broadway Stages owners Gina and Anthony Argento to alter a DOT-approved redesign. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced indictments alleging cash and a TV show cameo were offered in exchange for interference. Local advocates and residents reported seeing unusual behavior by senior city officials and say the eventual redesign was watered-down and less safe. Lewis-Martin faces additional pay-to-play charges and pleaded not guilty; the Argentos also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

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