NY vows no major closings for RNC
NEW YORK -- When it hosts the Republican National Convention this summer, the nation's largest city does not plan to seal off main streets or close subway stations, in contrast to the transportation shutdown planned for the Boston area during the Democratic convention.
In the Big Apple -- a city of 8 million accustomed to big conventions, tourists spilling along Fifth Avenue and Times Square, and people squeezing into buses, subway cars, and commuter trains, officials say life will go on as usual when the Republicans come to town Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
''We have the best trained police department in the world when it comes to terrorism, and unfortunately, it's because we have experience. The police will be able to pull it off with minimal intrusion on people's lives," said Peter Vallone Jr., a city council member who chairs the body's public safety committee. ''New York City is used to dealing with huge crowds. . . . We have pretty much consistently stayed on high alert, and it's made us more capable of dealing on different levels."
While city officials are under intense pressure to balance their duty to protect the public with keeping a wounded city feeling as normal as possible, New Yorkers' biggest concern is whether parts of midtown will be closed and whether police will shut Penn Station, which serves 500,000 people daily and extends under Madison Square Garden, where the convention will be held.
''The mayor has been very clear that with the exception of minor disruptions and maybe when the president is speaking, there are no plans to shut down Penn Station," said Jennifer Falk, spokeswoman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Security will cost $75 million, said Vallone, adding that much of the money will buy equipment, including helicopters and surveillance tools, that can be used again. City officials banned street fairs near the end of August so that the 10,000 police officers assigned near the arena can focus on the convention.
Emphasizing that the city's plans could change, Vallone said rather than close down the entire Penn Station, plans call for police officers to use bomb-sniffing dogs to check trains long before they ever enter Manhattan.
Still, there is confusion and concern. In a radio address, Bloomberg said he does not encourage workers to stay home during the convention. While the mayor's office and the police department said Penn Station will not shut down, security plans continue to evolve and concerns that life could be turned upside down during the convention have caused friction among the mayor's office, the Secret Service, protesters, and convention organizers.
Emotions ran especially high this month when Michael Miller, the convention's director of operations, told reporters that the Secret Service and the police department planned to shut Seventh and Eighth avenues near Madison Square Garden. Bloomberg said Miller was speaking out of turn, but he never explicitly denied the assertions.
Leonardo Alcivar, a spokesman for the Republican National Convention, tried to play down tension between convention organizers and the city, saying police will have the last say: ''The police department is working hard to balance the need for security against the need to keep New York open for business."
Police and convention organizers said recently that security plans have not been been finalized but will be announced soon. Last week in Boston, officials announced 40 miles of major road closings during the Democratic convention from July 26 to 29. Mayor Thomas Menino asked employers to allow workers to take vacation during the convention so that roads can be clearer.
''That's not our plan," Vallone said.
Paul Elliot, spokesman for New York's host committee, said the city does not intend to close major streets and transportation centers.
''We won't be shutting down anything," he said. ''We are open for business. . . . The mayor has said there may be delays. Commuters might experience minor delays, whether it's traffic or trains, but he was adamant that life will go on and that it is his job and the job of the police commissioner and others to ensure the continuity of life."
William Dobbs, spokesman for United for Peace and Justice, an antiwar coalition, said he doubts that city life will not be disrupted: ''The mayor and the police department and all the federal agencies have refused to put their cards on the table. There is great confusion whether Penn Station will be open or closed and when. Protesters from Long Island are concerned about whether they will be able to get to Manhattan for the massive protest on Aug. 29."
Bloomberg declined to allow protesters to demonstrate in Central Park, and Dobbs said police have not granted permits to protesters.
''They claim they are waiting until everything gets clarified, but we think what is going on is that they are letting the clock tick," Dobbs said. ''The longer things drag on, the harder it is for the people who are organizing." 