General Discussion

G_j

(40,367 posts) Mon Feb 3, 2014, 10:33 AM Feb 2014

Name the new Tappan Zee bridge for Pete Seeger

Last edited Wed Feb 5, 2014, 09:59 PM - Edit history (2)

Got this petition from Peggy Seeger.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/gov-cuomo-name-the-new-tappan-zee-bridge-for-pete-seeger?share_id=kPKWDMCQOX&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

From Joshua Gordon,

I am Pete's grandson.

For everyone who says Pete would hate the idea of naming a bridge after him, I think I should provide insight into Grandpa's thought process.

Kitama: Grandpa what do you think of the new Tappan Zee bridge being named after you?

Pete: There are lots of great people to name things after, why me?

Kitama: Because if they name it after you then people of all races and socio-economic backgrounds will be reminded every day that they need to continue fighting for a better world as they sit in traffic.

Pete: Well I do love bridges. I have spent the past sixty years looking at two bridges right from my porch. Bridges are essential, built by geniuses. Also the Tappan Zee goes right to Nyack. That is the only time when I lived with both of my parents, and it was only two years.

Kitama: But some people say you would hate it.

Pete: Hate it? I hate injustice! I hate dishonesty! I hate greed! Those are things worth hating.

9 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Name the new Tappan Zee bridge for Pete Seeger (Original Post) G_j Feb 2014 OP

Done! nt alsame Feb 2014 #1

OK, but why not The Beacon-Newburg bridge? nikto Feb 2014 #2

the new Tappan-Zee bridge hasn't been built yet G_j Feb 2014 #4

My bad nikto Feb 2014 #6

It's hard to make a renaming stick in the popular consciousness. Jim Lane Feb 2014 #5

Urging the naming NY bridge for Pete Seeger G_j Feb 2014 #3

k G_j Feb 2014 #7

It should be called the "Night Moves Bridge" AngryAmish Feb 2014 #8

What a great idea. Thanks for passing it along. Hekate Feb 2014 #9

alsame

(7,784 posts)

1. Done! nt

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Feb 3, 2014, 10:58 AM

Feb 2014

nikto

(3,284 posts)

2. OK, but why not The Beacon-Newburg bridge?

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Feb 3, 2014, 11:32 AM

Feb 2014

It's closer to where he lived, and was even visible from near his house.

Just a thought.

Completed in 1963, The Newburgh-Beacon Bridge is 8 years newer than the Tappan-Zee.

G_j

(40,367 posts)

4. the new Tappan-Zee bridge hasn't been built yet

Reply to nikto (Reply #2)

Mon Feb 3, 2014, 01:13 PM

Feb 2014

Construction on the $3.9 billion bridge is expected to be completed in 2018; the span will replace what is officially known as the Gov. Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge. Wilson grew up in Yonkers. The city's mayor, Mike Spano, did not respond to a query about how his constituents might feel about losing their nominal connection to the bridge.

nikto

(3,284 posts)

6. My bad

Reply to G_j (Reply #4)

Tue Feb 4, 2014, 05:55 AM

Feb 2014

I missed the essential detail about a new bridge.

I was thinking about the old Tappan-Zee.

A New bridge is always preferable.

Jim Lane

(11,175 posts)

5. It's hard to make a renaming stick in the popular consciousness.

Reply to nikto (Reply #2)

Tue Feb 4, 2014, 05:47 AM

Feb 2014

The structure referred to in Simon & Garfunkel's"59th Street Bridge Song" is sometimes called that and sometimes called the Queensboro Bridge. I've never heard anyone refer to it as the Koch Bridge, despite its formal renaming in honor of Ed Koch three years ago.

You're right that the new bridge won't be as appropriately located, but it has the overwhelming advantage that people haven't gotten used to some other name for it. Furthermore, its location has one obvious merit: It will span the Hudson River, which is cleaner right at that spot, as well as at many others, because of Pete Seeger.

G_j

(40,367 posts)

3. Urging the naming NY bridge for Pete Seeger

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Mon Feb 3, 2014, 12:56 PM

Feb 2014

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/30/seeger-bridge-petitions/5061609/

Pete Seeger bridged countless social divides during his long life of activism and folk music. And he spent decades cleaning up and protecting the Hudson River, which he could see from his home in Beacon, N.Y.

Now, days after his death at 94, there's talk of naming the new Tappan Zee Bridge in Seeger's honor.

In a letter Tuesday to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Legislature, Greenburgh Supervisor Paul Feiner wrote, "If the Tappan Zee Bridge is named for Pete Seeger we will honor a man who led the fight for a cleaner river. And, we will be inspired whenever we cross the Hudson to think of ways to keep the river clean and beautiful.

"A world-class new bridge should be named for a world-class environmentalist who made our region a better place."