Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Add Times Square to that also..it was a crush of people overflowing on the sidewalks with cars zooming by in every direction. Scary....it is now a place with enough space that you can actually enjoy safely (I avoid that place like the plague, but still).
focus on making it safer for pedestrians
instead of closing entire streets off. get
more crossing guards or something.
Pedestrianization would make streets safer for pedestrians. Crossing guards can help, but not prevent vehicular collisions, create more liveable spaces, or counter pollution. The benefits of street closures far outweigh more crossing guards in many locations,
Quote:
Originally Posted by K 22
Personally, I'm happy they turned Herald Square into a pedestrian plaza.
The 34th Street/6th Avenue/Broadway intersection was frightening in how cars used to FLY down each street - especially Broadway.
Great example of how street closures and narrowings create more liveable areas.
Quote:
Originally Posted by HellUpInHarlem
no. enough is enough.
Why?
Quote:
Originally Posted by SobroGuy
Add Times Square to that also..it was a crush of people overflowing on the sidewalks with cars zooming by in every direction. Scary....it is now a place with enough space that you can actually enjoy safely (I avoid that place like the plague, but still).
Again, another great example of a positive change.
Although I would like to see all of Broadway closed to traffic, I especially want it to be pedestrianized between Union Sq and Canal St. The traffic is pure gridlock there throughout the day and the sidewalks are well over capacity. At the intersections/cross streets there should be crosswalks the entirety of the width of Broadway if closed.
Last edited by nykiddo718718; 06-12-2013 at 05:03 PM..
Would the undeveloped courtyards between housing project buildings count as pedestrian plazas? They could be great examples too.
NYCHA grounds are private property. As it stands, the majority of space surrounding traditional tower-in-the-park developments is inaccessible landscaping, mostly grass. Another chunk is parking, and finally some common areas (playgrounds, seating), typically the most vibrant area.
However, in some cases that land can be redesigned into vibrant public space. Maybe some retail within those confines would leave those communities less isolated. Creating a destination for people from outside the micro neighborhood. The NYCHA is planning to do just that by allowing new construction on underutilized property. However, we do not know how much land use will change over time.
i'm against more of plazas being created in manhattan. we have to take into account the locations and proximity of these plazas that are within high vehicle traffic areas, which are a lot, near all of them. i'm concerned with the serious health issues that people might be afflicted with, that might directly stem from the gases, and toxins vehicles omit.
Herald sq and times sq are rare examples. They're packed out at all hours of the day. I would think that pedestrian plazas would need to be in 24 hour locations. People drive down 5th ave all night long, but after a certain time the sidewalks are completely empty.
i'm against more of plazas being created in manhattan. we have to take into account the locations and proximity of these plazas that are within high vehicle traffic areas, which are a lot, near all of them. i'm concerned with the serious health issues that people might be afflicted with, that might directly stem from the gases, and toxins vehicles omit.
By removing automobiles from those streets, you are removing one of the most obvious sources of harmful emissions inside those areas.
In order to combat overall emissions, we must enact congestion pricing in order to further reduce the amount of automobiles in the core.
The status quo is congestion. Tomorrow afternoon, do me a favor and walk down Broadway vicinity of Houston/Spring/Canal Sts. Gridlock.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DoomDan515
No, traffic in this city is bad enough as it is.
The pedestrian plaza in Times Sq actually reduced congestion. In the past, there were a lot of space conflicts in that area due to multiple arteries intersecting. The simplified design by pedestrianizing Broadway led to less congestion by streamlining traffic.
The same goes for other plazas. To date, no street closure or plaza has lead to increased traffic. In fact, in many cases they help relieve congestion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by G-Dale
Herald sq and times sq are rare examples. They're packed out at all hours of the day. I would think that pedestrian plazas would need to be in 24 hour locations. People drive down 5th ave all night long, but after a certain time the sidewalks are completely empty.
24 hour pedestrian activity in Times Sq far outweighs the number of vehicular trips inside that area. Pedestrian traffic only increased after pedestrianizing Broadway too, vehicular congestion decreased.
I never mentioned 5th Ave. Broadway and Lexington are prime candidates for pedestrianization right now. Lexington runs above the busiest rapid transit line in the USA, Broadway has lots activity throughout and a subway line. Pedestrian activity during the day are well over capacity in the current configuration, and new zoning could encourage more 24/7 business. There are always people on those two Avenues 24/7 too.
We can also create time sensitive closures like they do in Barcelona. For instance, closing a large section(s) of the FiDi to traffic during the day.
Last edited by nykiddo718718; 06-12-2013 at 10:14 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
