From hats to hot dogs, you can find anything for sale at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. But starting next week that's about to change.
New York City officials are banning vendors from the popular landmark starting Wednesday, Jan. 3.
The new year is bringing about new rules for the busy bridge: as of next week vendors will not be allowed to sell their goods on any city bridge.
The City made the announcement Friday, saying pedestrians, tourists and cyclists are all competing for space because vendors have turned the iconic plate into an unauthorized bazaar.
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"Vending on Brooklyn Bridge impedes pedestrians' movement and creates security risks," DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said Friday.
DOT staff have been handing out flyers in multiple languages to let vendors know about the new rules and where they can move to instead.
"The Brooklyn Bridge is America's Eiffel Tower, and these rules will make sure millions of New Yorkers and visitors can safely enjoy," the commissioner added.
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The City says visitors to the bridge have doubled in the last year.
Many tourists packing the bridge on Friday, like every other day, could feel the congestion on the landmark -- where some spots can be as narrow as five feet.
"We got half way up and it took us an hour," Jason Jay said. "There's too many people."
One vendor said he's been selling from his food car on the Brooklyn Bridge for the last 15 years.
"I don't make millions of dollars here. I make $50 a day, I try to pay my bills," he told News 4.
