Sticky Situation Near City Hall: Gum Stuck On Elevated Bus Lane Signs
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - There's a sticky situation outside of City Hall.
People are apparently vandalizing overhead bus lane signs high in the sky with gum.
From gum on the sidewalk to gum... on an elevated bus lane sign?
"That looks awful," said Bronx resident Kenny Torres. "That's don't look too kosher."
The bus lane sign on Broadway and Murray Street and the one down the road on Broadway and Barclay are covered in gum and stickers. They've apparently been placed there by people on top of double decker buses used for sightseeing.
"It's not right, you know?" one bus driver told CBS2's Alice Gainer. He's not a fan of the sticky vandalism.
Gainer watched many of the buses go by Wednesday afternoon and didn't see anyone chew and stick.
"We've been on the bus over an hour and didn't see anything like that. We haven't seen any gum," some tourists told Gainer.
Topview buses passed under the sign, and Gainer reached out to several of the bus tour companies, but they didn't respond.
The Department of Transportation says it doesn't believe it's a citywide issue. Only two signs are affected - both right next to City Hall.
"I'm like, guys, I'm into Instagram, but why is that cool?" said Mayor Bill de Blasio. "I'm tall enough. I don't to get on the bus to put the bubblegum on there. But I must tell you, in my whole life, I never said 'Hey, let me put my gum up on that sign.' It's never happened. Let me chew on it. Let me chew on it."
The DOT is taking it seriously enough to replace both signs sometime in the next two weeks. They cost $720 each.
