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Traffic on the Staten Island Expressway is a common occurrence and most agree needs to be addressed, along with tolls. (Staten Island Advance/Irving Silverstein)
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Few Staten Islanders would argue that traffic isn't an issue here, that more dense development is needed or that tolls should increase.
When we asked readers what they saw as the top issues facing Staten Island, traffic/public transportation was at the top of the list -- which is in line with what many of our elected officials and their challengers said when asked in Advance Editorial Boards.
Of the 11 people running for office on Staten Island this year, nine said transportation was a top issue.
Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) said traffic and tolls are directly related to preserving the quality of life. Increased density from housing projects would add to the traffic issue, he said.
"Simply put, these neighborhoods cannot accommodate the increased density and traffic burden, especially at a time when we don't even have adequate housing for our seniors, the disabled, and our homeless veterans."
His Democratic opponent, Domenic M. Recchia Jr., said, "Transportation is a huge issue on Staten Island. We need to invest in transportation and infrastructure to address the severe traffic problems and to stimulate economic development and create jobs across the Island."
Assemblyman Michael Cusick (D-Mid-Island) said transportation is intertwined with other issues.
"Transportation is a big issue on Staten Island, probably the biggest, next to people needing jobs."
His Republican opponent, Joe Tirone, said, people have "this almost sense of doom as traffic continues to worsen and tolls continue to go up."
State Sen. Diane Savino (D-North Shore/Brooklyn) is running unopposed and said, "We are always behind the eight ball on transportation."
She said the Island's officials needs to be aggressive about getting a bus rapid transit for the North Shore.
Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore) is also running unopposed, and agreed that transportation "has always been a huge issue and will become an even bigger issue without the BRT."
Assemblyman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) is also unopposed, and said transportation improvement on the West Shore is needed, whether it's the BRT or a light rail, and supports bills in the New York and New Jersey state legislatures that will require reform in the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, including answering to officials and having more transparency.
Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) also indicated traffic is an important issue that needs addressing.
Gary Carsel, the Democrat running against Sen. Andrew Lanza (R-Staten Island) said, "We should really work on public transportation. We can't have good jobs unless people can get around, unless we're accessible to all sorts of people."
The other two candidates, Lanza and Marybeth Melendez, the Democrat running against Ms. Malliotakis, both indicated that traffic is part of larger issues, like the urbanization of Staten Island, as Lanza called it.
Readers also said overcrowding/overdevelopment are top issues, as is the economy/jobs, illegal immigration, taxes, crime and use of prescription drugs and heroin.
Many of the candidates agreed that overcrowding/overdevelopment, the economy/jobs are top issues.