Behind the City’s Traffic Crisis

Let’s not blame construction sites, Presidentelect Donald Trump’s Fifth Avenue security or tourists for the terrible traffic in New York City (“Apple Jam,” Dec. 2).

Blocks are closed all the time for one reason or another. The city is always dealing with construction and frequent visits by presidents and other high officials, and New York remains one of the largest tourist attractions in the world.

Did it ever occur to anyone that the brilliant move by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg to add Citi Bikes into the mix might have something to do with the congestion? The bikes help clog the streets of New York and bike lanes have taken away driving lanes.

How anyone could have thought that a leisurely bike ride through the streets of Manhattan was remotely plausible is mind-boggling to me. Judy Eggert Long Branch, NJ

We’re witnessing the worst traffic jams ever. All of them are self-inflicted by Mayor de Blasio’s agenda of insane tree-planting in the middle of avenues and continuing the practice of adding underused bike lanes. The mayor’s cut- ting the traffic arteries and suffocating transportation in the city.

Enough is enough. As a lifelong New Yorker, I have never felt more abused by the Democratic political class. We’re taxed and fined constantly to fund an insolvent budget — and the mayor’s gotten rid of a huge amount of free parking.

We need a Trump-like mayor to bring sanity to our city before we end up like Detroit or Chicago — two perfect examples of the Democrats’ governing. Anton Loew Manhattan