February 20, 2008
The 2nd Avenue Sub-Street
Photo via Modern Mechanix.
Thanks to Modern Mechanix we can now see what New York was supposed to look like by the year 2000, as seen from 1927. In that article "streets on five levels have been prophesied," but by 1931, two-level streets (pictured) seemed more realistic.
A definite step towards the relief of traffic congestion on much traveled city thoroughfares by the construction of streets under streets is soon to be taken by the city of New York. When this stupendous project has been brought to completion the metropolis will have an underground lane for fast through traffic, a tunnel for local and express trains, all built underneath the surface street, which will be left for local traffic.Underground streets on 2nd Avenue sound awfully ambitious, people of the past. As it stands, 77 years after this article was published, we're still working on the whole 2nd Avenue subway thing. At least we'll always have the Park Avenue Viaduct around Grand Central (as noted in Modern Mechanix, "If you stand in Forty-second Street, New York, for instance, in front of the Grand Central Station, there is a viaduct over you. That is one level. Forty-second Street itself is on the second level—the ground level"). And just for fun, here's a list of more unbuilt roads in New York.Extending down Second Avenue from the Harlem river, the roadway will greatly improve circulation in Manhattan. The plan proposes a four-lane roadway and a pavement 20 feet below the present street level. Local rapid transit tracks will be placed beneath the service roadways, with ramps and escalators making them easily accessible to the streets. On the surface the existing sidewalks will be placed in pedestrian arcades within the buildings lining the streets. Ventilation will be provided by openings in the street center, as illustrated in the drawing above.
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Three levels of traffic fun!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wacker_Drive
Ah yes, here in the year 1958 we are certainly still working on the whole 2nd Avenue subway. It's actually been about 76.5 years since this article was published.
Thanks for posting this though; these things are always more than fascinating.
Isn't it great how in 21st century Manhattan there's no traffic congestion? I remember reading an article from a while back on how interstates would do that for Los Angeles.
in 1900 this was the prediction for the year 2000:
There Will Be No Street Cars in Our Large Cities. All hurry traffic will be below or high above ground when brought within city limits. In most cities it will be confined to broad subways or tunnels, well lighted and well ventilated, or to high trestles with “moving-sidewalk” stairways leading to the top. These underground or overhead streets will teem with capacious automobile passenger coaches and freight with cushioned wheels. Subways or trestles will be reserved for express trains. Cities, therefore, will be free from all noises.
my fave was the robert moses proposed expressway that he wanted to run thru the village... thankfully it was shot down, something he didn't expect since he got his way with virtually everything/
clearly the short-sighted architects of the 1920's did not realize that flying cars, combined with decreased population in North American cities from moon colonization would fix this problem. Presently, only the Soviet Union has cities with two-level highways.
At least they had a hell of a lot more vision when it came to their urban planning. The arcades would've been very useful in the rain.
So that's what the IND's original version of the 2nd Avenue subway would've looked like. It would've been such a relief for the Lex.
This was probably a part of the proposed Chrystie-Forsyth Parkway which would have connected the Manhattan Bridge to 2nd Avenue's lower deck. It never got built so today it is Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
"Presently, only the Soviet Union has cities with two-level highways."
And Chicago, as matty pointed out.
We love the quote from Modern Mechanix that says, "If you stand in Forty-second Street, New York, for instance, in front of the Grand Central Station, there is a viaduct over you."
Funny, Grand Central Terminal is on 42nd while Grand Central Station (the only above ground Grand Central Station as the subway station is called such) is on Lexington.
"Presently, only the Soviet Union has cities with two-level highways."
Presently, the Soviet Union has very little, as it doesn't exist any more.
Oh, and yes, as Matty pointed out: Chicago. Lower Wacker, not to mention Lower Michigan, where you can go walk into an old John Belushi sketch at the Billy Goat.
"Presently, only the Soviet Union has cities with two-level highways."
Presently, the Soviet Union has very little, as it doesn't exist any more.
Oh, and yes, as Matty pointed out: Chicago. Lower Wacker, not to mention Lower Michigan, where you can go walk into an old John Belushi sketch at the Billy Goat.