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From The Peopling of New York City

The Staten Island Expressway

The Creation

This project was approved in 1957 and would eventually provide a direct route from Brooklyn and Long Island to central and southern New Jersey. The expressway was constructed in the hope of increasing Staten Island business affairs and expanding them throughout the tri-state area. However, they quickly realized that this was not practical, since interstate relations also meant paying tolls and extra fees. In addition, Staten Island businesses were not designed to serve a universal consumer. On the contrary, most business owners pride themselves in having a “neighborly” quality. Some believe that the expressway was not particularly successful in achieving its original goal, but has served as a convenient form of travel and connecting mechanism.

Image of Traffic on The Staten Island Expressway

More Than Just the "Pass Through" Borough

The Verrazano Birdge provides the vital connection to Brooklyn, as well as the rest of New York City. Without this structure, Staten Island would have remained almost completely isolated and the identity of the borough would have been quite different. Similarly, the expressway aided to the island's "connector" identity.Both of the mentioned forms of transportation have undoubtedly lead Staten Island to be perceived as a “pass through borough".I have spoken with several people who seem to agree that it is simply tragic that tourists are not drawn to the island, due to dated stereotypes and perceptions of “just the dump borough.”

The Staten Island Boardwalk is a favorite spot for many residents and tourists alike, courtesy of flickr.com

In a New Light

There are many fantastic elements of Staten island that offer a different form of splendor than the typical New York sites. More accurate perceptions and positive attention seems to be developing, as Staten Island begins to develop several attractions, including beautifully renovated boardwalks and piers. Hopefully this will transform the island into a must-see site among New York City tourists and created a new name for our borough.

Sources:

Saltzman, Jeff. “Verrazano-Narrows Bridge-Historic Overview.” Nycroads.com. Eastern Roads. Web 1 Apr. 2010. http://www.nycroads.com/crossings/verrazano-narrows/>.

Shepherd, Barnett. Personal Interview. 1 April 2010.