Verrazzano bridge should be toll-free Wednesday to honor 500th anniversary of explorer’s arrival : pol
NY Post
This week marks the 500th anniversary of Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano’s arrival in New York Bay — and to commemorate it, drivers should get a toll break on his famed namesake bridge, a local pol says.
The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Staten Island and Brooklyn, was opened in 1964 and named after the explorer, who entered the bay April 17, 1524.
“It’s fitting that the MTA make his namesake bridge free for the residents of the two boroughs it connects on April 17th, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Verrazzano discovering New York Bay,” said Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn), to The Post.
“Verrazzano would be rolling in his grave if he knew about the cash grab this money-hungry agency was conducting in his name, which they even misspelled for decades,” the congresswoman cheekily added, referring to the MTA’s infamous spelling error of the explorer’s last name on its signs, giving him only one “z.”
He’d probably even sue for defamation,” the congresswoman quipped.
Malliotakis has already issued a congressional resolution honoring Verrazzano and acknowledging the 500th anniversary of his discovery of the bay on behalf of the French monarchy.
