DOT's 34th Street Plan Draws Usual Cheers And Jeers

Santacon would, conceivably, benefit from the DOT's plan (photograph by hbomb1947 the turnstile-jumper on Flickr)

Now that the Department of Transportation has revealed its latest congestion-fighting strategy—creating another pedestrian mall in Herald Square and giving buses half of 34th Street—the reactions are coming from pedestrians and drivers. Naturally, they have very different opinions! One driver complained to NY1, "Bad enough they closed Broadway. We can't even turn up and down Broadway. It will make it even more worse than what it already is," but a pedestrian said to the Daily News, "I wish they would do it tomorrow."

A delivery truck driver said, "Worst thing they can do. I think it's a bad idea. Just back up traffic even more, make it more difficult," while a pedestrian enthused, "I think that's a great idea. I work one block up from here and the commuter traffic here is pretty heavy. And between the tourists passing by and people going to work, it's usually pretty hectic here.”

Mayor Bloomberg said, "Something like nine out of every 10 people that go across 34th Street either walk, or take bus or cab. It's so slow the cars can't get across, and so people go elsewhere or even if they try to do it it just takes them forever." But business owners are worried: A clothing manufacturer on West 39th Street predicted his deliveries will take 90 minutes, instead of the usual 60 minutes, “I know they want it to look similar to places in Europe, but New York City is New York City—we need the hustle and the bustle here. It's a good way of thinking, closing the street for pedestrians, but at the same time, business-wise, there is a lot of effect.”

One Brooklyn resident summed up his feelings thusly, "It's not Disneyland, man. It's New York City."

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

By Jen Chung in News on April 24, 2010 10:55 AM

Comments [rss]

Kevin Walsh

I sound like a Mosesian on this, but roads were built to move traffic, whether they be horses and wagons in the old days or cars and trucks these days.

www.forgotten-ny.com

MrManhattan

Or humans in the future?

inoyourider

I don't understand why anyone cares.

That area sucks to drive in anyways.

horseplay

Does this greedy mindless creature think he's god or something? He is changing the whole landscape of nyc for the worst! You people say that obama hates nyc, well how stupid are Ny'ers? Your evil mayor has been goin against the will of NY'ers from day 1. He has told nyc directly/indirectly that he doesnt care what the city thinks or wants. Boy, NY'ers just arent NY'ers anymore. Had Bloomturd been doing this destuction of nyc back in the 80s/90s, the whole city would have fallen on him like wolves. NewYork is not a great city, if the people just sit back and except this reckless management from a mayor... *Goodbye nyc, hello disneyland for tourists*.... Oh, and lets not forget. Bloomturd is not even a NYer, he's from the rich suburbs of boston

mingusahum

hahaha i wouldn't consider medford/Sommerville (locally known as Slummerville) a wealthy or nice neighborhood

John Clavis

It sounds like it would help more than it would hurt. Besides, you can move clothing deliveries up the block on those rolling chrome racks! Tourists love that shit -- it's so New York!

Automocar

90% of all trips on 34th Street are made by pedestrians.

The question is not why the DOT is planning the closure. The question is why it took so long.

The city is for people, not cars. Does anyone actually believe that New York's "hustle and bustle" comes from motor vehicles?

horseplay

Are you one of those transplants (wannabee NYer)? You must be, you're saying this city is for pedestrians not motorists? No, this city is for NY'ers, not tourists! This greedy dillusional scum jew BLOOMTURD is seriously mistaking

Jen Chung

Actually, a commission, made up of members appointed by the mayor, governor, Assembly Speaker, minority Assembly leader, State Senate leader, and minority State Senate leader moved the demarcation from 86th to 60th street. (link for commission; link for Bloomberg's reaction) I think businesses in Times Square and Herald Square are pretty powerful too, so it should be interesting to see how this shakes out.

And check out how Park Avenue used to be a pedestrian paradise: http://gothamist.com/2007/01/04/park_avenues_pa.php

thefacts

OK, the Mayor originally wanted it at 86th and it was shifted by the Commission. Good research, Jen!

But we digress.

My original comment was not on congestion pricing demarcation, but why isn't Bloomberg initiating permanent street closures and pedestrian malls in HIS neighborhood as readily as he does it in poor or middle-class neighborhoods.

The only street closure that he enacted for his neighborhood was closing a very small portion of residential Park Avenue - only up to 72nd Street - for Summer Streets for two Saturdays in August - when that neighborhood is relatively deserted anyway because most of the residents there flee to their summer homes for the weekend.

Meanwhile, the rest of Summer Streets extended all the way up that thoroughfare from the Brooklyn Bridge, inconveniencing many residents and business downtown and midtown! However, suddenly and inexplicably (LOL) it was terminated at the beginning of the Park Avenue Gold Coast!

Why? Why was it not extended to 86th or 96th Street?

Because the few residents that did remain on Park Avenue during the summer weekend wouldn't want to have their pristine little neighborhood befouled by the Great Unwashed Masses and those awful perspiring cyclists and roller bladers doing their antics in front of their co-ops.

Thanks for the old Park Avenue picture. I was aware of it.

That was my point. It worked then. It should work again now.

So, why isn't Bloomberg implementing it?

I say because he would get hell from his neighbors.

Don't you recall how the Park Avenue residents raised hell when some Koreans wanted to open up a grocery store on Park Avenue in the 90s, and the influential and the wealthy there made such a stink, even though the Korean owner created a charming storefront without any sidewalk obstruction from their produce and flowers?

Bloomberg doesn't want that same wrath directed at him.

That is my guess why he hasn't done, nor will ever do, his DOT experiments where he lives. The rich and influential wouldn't stand for it. Bloomberg walks over the rest of us.

Is that a surprise?

thefacts

Does anyone have an answer why Bloomberg hasn't tried any of these schemes on the UES where he lives?

Why are the street closing either downtown or midtown?

Is he afraid of offending his wealthy neighbors and having to endure their strident wrath, or does he just disdainfully try out his experiments on the plebeian guinea pigs in the other neighborhoods way from him?

Is Bloomberg really the King of the NIMBYs?

Jen Chung

FWIW, the congestion pricing plan, when first proposed, was supposed to start below 86th Street. Which freaked out residents on both the UES and UWS, because they feared their neighborhoods would become parking zones with people leaving their cars above 86th. Later congestion pricing was modified to start below 60th Street.

Also, Mayor Bloomberg lives on East 79th Street, which is not that congested compared to the business zones of the city.

thefacts

Thanks for the response.

So, if I read you correctly, Bloomberg did in fact buckle under to the pressure of his wealthy neighbors between 86th and 59th, shifting the problem further down to the midtown area?

Yes, East 79th may be quiet, but Lex and Madison on the UES are normally congested during the day.

You can imagine what the influential citizens of Park Avenue would say if Lex or Madison were closed to vehicles, and the trucks couldn't easily make the deliveries to the luxe retail stores that service Bloomberg's neighbors?

And wouldn't Park Avenue make an attractive pedestrian mall, with that lovely landscaped and beflowered median?

What do you think are the chances of either of those scenarios happening under Bloomberg's watch?