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American Morning

America's New War: Morning Rush Hour in New York City Getting a Whole Lot More Harried Than Usual

Aired September 26, 2001 - 11:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: The morning rush hour here in New York is getting a whole lot more harried than usual for commuters. Beginning tomorrow, police will not allow single-occupant commuter cars across the East River Bridges from midtown to lower Manhattan. And the ban may soon apply to tunnels.

CNN's Jason Carroll has more.

And there is an additional complication for commuters, isn't there?

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely.

Good morning to you, Paula.

Traffic bad enough in New York City. Now it is even worse.

I'm standing at a security checkpoint in Queens. Why don't you take a look. This is where police are stopping trucks and vans and other vehicles, and putting them through in inspection. And as best we can tell, the inspection process takes less than a minute. New York City really stepped up its efforts in the wake of a federal investigation into terrorist activities. Attorney General John Ashcroft said that a number of people have been arrested who obtained or tried to obtain a license to carry hazardous materials. New York City in response has really stepped up its inspections, like the ones you see happening right out here.

It's just been causing even more traffic tie-ups and delays. The mayor has come out and said that if you are planning on using the four major bridges on the east side of Manhattan, to get into the city of Manhattan, you are going to have to carpool a little bit earlier this morning. Paula, you have the opportunity to speak to a number of drivers. I want to listen to what they had to say about the delays.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The city just taking precautions. Can you blame them? Just part of living right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The whole thing is messed up, you know. Yesterday, we had like two hours in the city, you know.

CARROLL: Today another hour.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No problem with it.

CARROLL: Tell me why.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's for everybody's safety. I mean, I have no problem with it. I'll wait five hours, as long as everyone is safe.

CARROLL: How long did you have wait in traffic this morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About two hours, sir.

CARROLL: About two hours?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think of the process of being stopped and searched?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's all right. It's good.

CARROLL: It's all right with you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it's all right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: That new rule in terms of commuting goes into effect beginning tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. Just a little while ago, I had an opportunity to listen into the mayor's address that he gives every single day. He basically says that he wants people to use mass transit, use the buses, use the ferries, use the trains, he says, in order to get in and get out of the city.

He says that is going to be the only way to stop all of the traffic that we've been seeing as a result of these security checkpoints.

ZAHN: Boy, you have a variety of opinions there. When you poll these drivers on what it's like to live with these new checks, not easy, is it?

I think he's having trouble hearing me right now. But we will continue to go to Jason throughout the day.

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