Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel renamed: two more New Yorkers' memories dashed

[empirestate]

Yes, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is officially now the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, taking effect two years after the state legislature voted the change.

Of course, renaming the tunnel for Gov. Carey completely wipes away the memory of two of our city's most beloved heroes of yore: Elmer Q. Battery and The Right Reverend Sir Alistair Brooke-Lynnne. They join the ranks of previously spurned city fathers such as Mortimer Triborough and Ferdinand Fifty-Ninth Street. Oh, the ignominy!

At least they sometimes get the renamings right, such as when they favored Jackie Robinson over corrupt former council member Ichabod Interborough...and they really nailed it when they renamed the airport after JFK, instead of for the forgettable President Idyllwild. 

(So far, of course, one man has escaped this affront: Eugenius H. Outerbridge, first chairman of the Port Authority. But of course, that's such a ridiculous-sounding name, I'm sure it must be made up!)

[SidS1045]

Someone has wayyyyyy too much time on their hands.

[cpzilliacus]

Clyde Haberman op-ed piece on this in the N.Y. Times: In Wave of Political Vanity, a Cherished Governor Becomes a Tunnel

The Hugh L. Carey Tunnel was officially opened on Monday. If you haven't a clue where it is, don't feel bad. It may mean that you don't regularly drive into Manhattan, and that's a good thing. There are too many cars in Manhattan as it is.

You probably recognize a different name for the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, or the Hugh L Carey Tunnel as a giant new sign has it, with the period oddly missing after the L (for Leo). It used to be called the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. It went by Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel for six decades. Whatever that name lacked in lyricism, it made up for in geographic clarity. The tunnel connects Brooklyn and the Battery. What more did you need to know?

[hbelkins]

Someone has wayyyyyy too much time on their hands.

They've been hanging out in Alanland.

[SidS1045]

Yes, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is officially now the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, taking effect two years after the state legislature voted the change.

...and, I'm sure, will eventually be relegated to the same dustbin of NYC names that never caught on, like Ed Koch Bridge, Robert Kennedy Bridge or Avenue of the Americas.  No self-respecting New Yorker uses those names.

[Perfxion]

I know Triburo and 6th Ave, but what the hell is the Ed Koch Bridge?

Edit:  nevermind, found out its Queens Bridge, or QB for short. Who the hell has ever called it that?

[NE2]

I know Triburo

[roadman65]

Yes, the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel is officially now the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, taking effect two years after the state legislature voted the change.

...and, I'm sure, will eventually be relegated to the same dustbin of NYC names that never caught on, like Ed Koch Bridge, Robert Kennedy Bridge or Avenue of the Americas.  No self-respecting New Yorker uses those names.

Why not name the tunnel after the three thousand people that that sack of @#@# killed in 01.  That would be fitting since one of its portals lies right next to ground zero.

[roadman]

Renaming roads, bridges and tunnels.  Isn't this exactly the sort of thing that the "initative petition" (as Massachusetts calls citizen referendums) was created to decide?  If the NYCDOT feels it important enough to get Joe Q Taxpayer's input for the design of new parkway markers, then why not do the same thing regarding re-naming infrastructure?

Of course, the real question is - will the local traffic reporters use the new name?  And, if they actually do start calling the tunnel "The Carey", then perhaps we can swap the NYC traffic reporters for the Boston ones.  Boston would then get traffic reporters who might finally refer to highways by their current designations (i.e. Interstate 95 between Canton and Peabody), and NYC would get traffic reporters who love to keep outdated references.

For the record - I personally don't care for the name change.  My general disdain for "cheap politics" that only serve to waste money aside, I agree with the NY Times.  "Brooklyn-Battery" is a perfect name for the tunnel, as it instantly tells everyone what it connects.

"The Battery" also has a family connection for me, as my late Uncle Bob, who lived in Manhattan all his life (except for a stint in the Navy during WW II) helped to construct the tunnel.  As a child of 8 or 9, I recall him talking about how he worked on the project.  To this day, everytime I'm in Manhattan, I'll take a subway ride down to the Battery and walk down to see the tunnel portal and elevated approach road. the end of FDR Drive as it passes the South Street Seaport (one of my favorite places to eat in NYC)

Post ameded 10/25 to correct reference to FDR Drive approach to the tunnel - RM

[NE2]

To this day, everytime I'm in Manhattan, I'll take a subway ride down to the Battery and walk down to see the tunnel portal and elevated approach road.

Which part in Manhattan is elevated?

[formulanone]

If the NYCDOT feels it important enough to get Joe Q Taxpayer's input for the design of new parkway markers, then why not do the same thing regarding re-naming infrastructure?

Wonderful, now there's going to be a John Q. Taxpayer Bridge?

[vdeane]

That's going to be the new name for the Brooklyn Bridge.

[SidS1045]

found out its Queens Bridge, or QB for short. Who the hell has ever called it that?

Its former official name was the Queensborough Bridge, but again that's a name that never stuck with New Yorkers.  To them it is and always will be the 59th Street Bridge.  (Note that Queens native Paul Simon's sub-title for his song "Feelin' Groovy" was "The 59th Street Bridge Song.")

[1995hoo]

found out its Queens Bridge, or QB for short. Who the hell has ever called it that?

Its former official name was the Queensborough Bridge, but again that's a name that never stuck with New Yorkers.  To them it is and always will be the 59th Street Bridge.  (Note that Queens native Paul Simon's sub-title for his song "Feelin' Groovy" was "The 59th Street Bridge Song.")

Minor nitpick: I believe they spell it "Queensboro" (without the weird-looking "ugh" that's recently been showing up in reports about NFL games at the Patriots' stadium). It's a bit peculiar that they were inconsistent–the bridge up the river from there was officially "Triborough," although signs usually said "Triboro" for space reasons.

Unlike with the Triboro Bridge, the name "Queensboro" wasn't removed from the official name–they simply added Koch to the beginning (sort of like Reagan Airport here in Virginia, which is officially Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport).

BTW, regarding Simon and Garfunkel, "Feelin' Groovy" is the subtitle: "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)."

[deathtopumpkins]

the weird-looking "ugh" that's recently been showing up in reports about NFL games at the Patriots' stadium

To be fair, the town's name is officially Foxborough, even though the Foxboro spelling has even started showing up on official signs and whatnot (and the USPS recognizes both).

[NE2]

They still call it Foxborough, not Gilletteugh?

[deathtopumpkins]

They still call it Foxborough, not Gilletteugh?

Yup, the Krafts haven't quite managed to buy the ENTIRE town yet.

[roadman]

To this day, everytime I'm in Manhattan, I'll take a subway ride down to the Battery and walk down to see the tunnel portal and elevated approach road.

Which part in Manhattan is elevated?

My bad.  I was thinking about the lower end of FDR Drive by the South Street Seaport (another of my "must-do" stops in Manhattan).  Although it isn't part of the Battery Tunnel complex, the last signing on the viaduct southbound (or "downtown"?) is for the Battery (nee Carey) Tunnel.

[agentsteel53]

To be fair, the town's name is officially Foxborough, even though the Foxboro spelling has even started showing up on official signs and whatnot (and the USPS recognizes both).

the USPS recognizes a lot of things.  I'm sure if I spelled it "Foxburro" they wouldn't send it to the town of bushy-tailed wily donkeys.

[Alps]

found out its Queens Bridge, or QB for short. Who the hell has ever called it that?

Its former official name was the Queensborough Bridge, but again that's a name that never stuck with New Yorkers.  To them it is and always will be the 59th Street Bridge.  (Note that Queens native Paul Simon's sub-title for his song "Feelin' Groovy" was "The 59th Street Bridge Song.")

Queensboro actually has caught on in NY. 59th St. Bridge was definitely the old name and in song, but I've heard Queensboro often enough and that's actually the one I use.

[MrDisco99]

It's now the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, not just Queensboro anymore.

I doubt most city dwellers would know that if you asked them.

[triplemultiplex]

Everyone knows the 59th Street Bridge was blown up by Hank Scorpio in the mid 90's.  Then they rebuilt it exactly the same and named it the Queensboro Bridge.

[formulanone]

Scorpio was the coolest boss in the hammock district.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I'm waiting for blatant corporate sponsorship:  Duracell Battery Tunnel

[empirestate]

Looking at the news footage now, it seems another renaming is already due: Hugh L. Carey River.