Video of the Day: The Barnes Dance

The people who brought you the Bike Box video now visit the more pedestrian Barnes Dance. Named after NYC traffic commissioner Henry Barnes, the "dance" allows pedestrians to cross intersections in all directions safely while all lights are red for about 17 seconds.

Last summer we visited the idea of bringing the Barnes back to more of our streets. Streetfilms says they know of only one place in Manhattan, 17th Street & Broadway, where one can scramble about so freely these days, do you know another?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Carlson in Arts and Events on February 4, 2008 1:30 PM

Comments [rss]

ssejsllew

At the 5-way intersection of Nagle, Hillside, Bennett and Broadway in Inwood... after the cars get their turn, the people get about 15 seconds to do their running across. Hooray for Barnes!

ssejsllew

At the 5-way intersection of Nagle, Hillside, Bennett and Broadway in Inwood... after the cars get their turn, the people get about 15 seconds to do their running across. Hooray for Barnes!

ssejsllew

At the 5-way intersection of Nagle, Hillside, Bennett and Broadway in Inwood... after the cars get their turn, the people get about 15 seconds to do their running across. Hooray for Barnes!

rtd2101

Chambers and Centre, in front of the Municipal Building...though it's super dangerous b/c pedestrians try to cross Chambers unaware that, even though Chambers Street cars are stopped, there are cars making a left from the northbound lane of Centre onto Chambers that have the right of way.

Can't tell you how many times I've seen oblivious tourists or impatient lawyers come two inches from getting mowed down here...

Dave Hogarty

Nice video guys. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish more people were interested in crosswalk mediums. Well done.

Kevin Walsh

The double red for traffic at intersections so pedestrians can cross makes so much sense, it's logical that the DOT hardly ever employs it.

www.forgotten-ny.com

selmerboy

Not Manhattan but at Broadway and Northern Blvd. in Queens there is an all too brief all-red. It's a big intersection and there's not really enough time to cross for older or slower people. Pretty scary, actually - and, of course, even scarier when people don't follow the signs.

RatherBeBiking

9th Street and Avenue B

smitty

That 17th and Broadway intersection can be very dangerous - pedestrians cross south against the light and don't realize that a lot traffic from Broadway turns left at U. Square North.

Nick S

The Junction..in brooklyn where flatbush and nostrand intersect. there's a picture of it ont he masthead of this blog:

http://brooklynjunction.blogspot.com/

nycblonde

44th and Lexington. When cars going downtown on Lex have a red light pedestrians can cross anywhere since GCT cuts through 44th Street.

dorfie

31st St. and 2nd Ave in front of the Kips Bay movie theater

coach

corner of 81st street and amsterdam avenue. 81st street is a one way street going both east and west from amsterdam. when the light is red, you can walk in any direction you want, including diagonally.