Vision $12,500: How suspected corruption spilled into battle over the McGuinness Blvd bike lane

New York City corruption has, quite literally, spilled into the streets.

The revelation that Mayor Eric Adams’ former chief adviser allegedly took bribes in exchange for interfering with the controversial redesign of a busy Brooklyn thoroughfare marks a new moment in the fight over street safety in the five boroughs.

On Thursday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Ingrid Lewis-Martin of accepting $2,500, free catering at Gracie Mansion worth $10,000 and a brief appearance in the TV series “Godfather of Harlem” in exchange for using her post as the number two official at City Hall to meddle in the overhaul of McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint.

The goodies came from Tony and Gina Argento, siblings and prominent political donors who run the Broadway Stages film production company based in the same neighborhood. The Argentos opposed reducing the lanes of traffic used by their company to help set up film shoots throughout the city.

The details in the indictment confirmed the worst fears of street safety advocates throughout much of Adams’ administration. Lewis-Martin “overrode other city officials’ expertise and decision-making to ensure that certain required actions were accomplished for the benefit of her co-conspirators,” the indictment read.

Advocates like Ben Furnas at Transportation Alternatives said they felt a measure of vindication. He was among scores of street safety advocates who protested the Adams administration’s abrupt decision in 2023 to scale back the Department of Transportation's already-approved plans for McGuinness.

“ It's pretty shocking that they were told again and again that this was the Adams administration making a decision based on facts and data, when in fact it was sort of special interests and bribery,” Furnas said. “ It's also just an unfortunate reality that very frequently in streets projects all across the city, very powerful connected, small groups of people are able to block or prevent safety changes from happening that would benefit the large majority of New Yorkers who are walking or biking or trying to get to the bus or subway.”

The indictment alleged that Lewis-Martin took a dismissive attitude toward supporters of the McGuinness “road diet.” The notorious boulevard that feeds into the Pulaski Bridge has been the subject of intense advocacy since 2021, when popular teacher Matthew Jensen, 58, was killed by a driver.

The indictment included a text message Lewis-Martin sent Gina Argento in July 2023 after the group Make McGuinness Safe put flyers around the neighborhood in support of the original plan, which would have reduced traffic to one lane in each direction while creating a parking-protected bike lane for cyclists.

“We do not care what they say. We are ignoring them and continuing with our plan. They can kiss my a--,” Lewis-Martin’s text read.

The indictment notes that the city implemented the plan pushed by the Argentos and Lewis-Martin though they both “lacked the technical expertise and experience of DOT’s engineers and project manager.”

Greenpoint residents reacted to the revelation with cynicism.

“It doesn't really surprise me,” Michelle Firrello, 40, said of allegations that the redesign process had been corrupted. “I kind of thought something was weird.”

Theresa Odice, 61, also said something didn’t add up about the project — but saw it was skewed in favor of cyclists.

“ The bike lane is really a waste of a lane,” Odice told Gothamist. “It's not being utilized. It makes no sense. And if it doesn't make sense, then something is rotten in the background.”

Multiple businesses that joined Broadway Stages in opposing the street redesign declined comment.

Lawyers for the Argentos deny the allegations.

“We are disappointed that the district attorney has chosen to pursue this matter, ignoring the facts and the law and setting a dangerous precedent where legitimate business decisions and the exercise of First Amendment rights are being mischaracterized as criminal conduct,” attorneys George Stamboulidis and Artie McConnell wrote in a statement.

The Argentos pleaded not guilty, along with Lewis-Martin.

Her attorney Arthur Aidala said in a statement that “her only so-called ‘offense’ was fulfilling her duty — helping fellow citizens navigate the city’s outdated and often overwhelming bureaucracy.”

The former adviser resigned in December, shortly before Bragg's office charged her with an unrelated bribery scheme. The new charges announced Thursday included three other bribery schemes, in addition to the one allegedly involving McGuinness.

While serving as Adams’ adviser, Lewis-Martin earned a reputation for scuttling street safety projects throughout the city.

“If what the DA's indictment is for is correct, it's absolutely despicable,” Kevin LaCherra with the group Make McGuinness Safe told Gothamist. “ We have to fight hard enough to make these streets safe as is, we shouldn't have to be fighting bribery and corruption as well.”

Late last year the Adams administration reversed itself yet again on McGuinness and installed parking-protected bike lanes on a section of the road.