U2's (Temporary) Street

Photograph of Adam Clayton, Bono, The Edge and Larry Mullen, with Mayor Bloomberg (far left) and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (far right) by Mary Altaffer/AP

It's official: The city deemed part of West 53rd Street U2 Way, coincidentally timed with the release of the group's latest album. U2's members helped make sure the street was clear of snow yesterday and noted how they were honored with this temporary distinction (it'll last a week, as they'll promote their music for NYC for about that long). Bono said, "The Beatles had Penny Lane, Elvis lived on the end of Lonely Street. We're here somewhere between 10th Avenue and funky, funky Broadway, somewhere south of Duke Ellington Way and north of Joey Ramone Place we find ourselves ... where the streets have no name." He added, "New York is a place that people come to [and] feel at home. And we truly do feel at home here in New York."

Mayor Bloomberg also got in a U2 song-title-pun: "It's a beautiful day, to quote a famous Irish rock band. Everyone in this city, including me, considers these four Dubliners honorary New Yorkers." U2 Way is on West 53rd between Broadway and 8th Avenue—which is just east of... Jerry Orbach Way (the sign is on the southwest corner), named after the great Broadway and Law & Order actor!

U2 is the resident band playing the Late Show with David Letterman this week; they'll end things with a concert on Friday at Fordham.