Closed Street, Greener City

Remember when Broadway was a busy street and the sight of vehicle traffic was a constant? Well things have changed since the Midtown street closings took effect.  Now the only traffic these streets see is the pedestrian kind.

In February, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced an experimental plan that is intended to relieve traffic congestion and make more room for pedestrians. The plan, which took effect over the Memorial Day weekend, calls for closings along Broadway from 47^th Street to 42^nd Street and from 35^th Street to 33^rd Street. City Officials said that if the experiment is deemed a success at the end ofthe year, it will become permanent.

The City believes that the plan will relieve traffic congestion because it will stop Broadway from crossing certain streets. The City also expects that airquality in the area will improve.

This and other projects around the city are part of Bloomberg’s overall effort to make New York City greener. Traffic has been replaced along these closed streets–or “pedestrian malls”–with lounge chairs, umbrellas, chairs and tables. So far, some seem to be happy with the effects of this current initiative, while others aren’t so sure.

“I think it’s great! Traffic is not too bad.What I like about it is that people relax and take it easy and that I have somewhere to sit and eat my lunch,” said Glen, 34, from Howard Beach.

 Others think it isn’t all a walk in the park.  Roy, 23, from Long Island does think it’s a nice place to relax. “I think that the delivery guys might have a problem though. The bad part [is] that there’s more traffic and you have to drive around”.

Small non-chain businesses around the area may benefit from the closings since there are more people on the streets. Some have reported that they have seen an increase in customers entering the store, but they haven’t seen a change in their daily revenues at the end of the day. 

    â€œWe do get more customers, but everything is about the same for us. The street closing hasn’t had an effect on the number of sales we get daily, positively or negatively,” said Mansi, 57, an employee at  the Vitamin Gallery Shop on 37^th Street and Broadway.

The new pedestrian areas may make exploring the city more enjoyable, especially for tourists. “I think it’s an excellent idea. Hard to say because I’m not from here, but now because the streets are closed, it offers a slow pace and maybe that’s what the city needs,” said Havid Rattman, 51, from Boston. “It would have a positive effect on the city because a slower pace feels like a little community. It would make the city feel more European.”

Valerie, 72, and Gerald White, 77, tourists visiting from London,agree. “The streets closing is wonderful, people are going to stop more, andwalk more and it is an experience to see the city more for us tourists,” she said. “And the air quality would be much better”.

           But with the good, there’s always a bad. Among the most affected by the closings are yellow cab drivers and delivery trucks that have had a hard times ince the streets closed.

“Because of the street closing there are fewer parking spots. Around the lunch time hours it’s a hassle because there’s a lot of people out and it’s difficult to get through,” said an Anonymous FedEx employee. “It has affected me negatively job-wise. I mean it is good for recreation and Summer but for us, UPS/ FedEx, it makes our jobs more difficult.”

To deliver mail, large carts must be walked to their destination, instead of pulling the truck up to the curb.

 â€œTraffic is very strong and very slow; I don’t like it. I try to avoid going through Broadway as much a possible. I imagine is going to be a lot worse when the holiday season comes around,” said Azid, 47, a NYC yellow taxi driver. “I think that the street closing makes no sense to me. [It] is better for you pedestrians but for us, [it] is a nightmare. I hope the mayor doesn’t even think to keep it in effect”.  

 Views on the success of the plan may still be split. But does changing the status quo mean changing something about the character of New York? 

    â€œI think the street closing kind of takes away from the city’s fast pace. The so-called plaza is not a New York kind of thing,” said Frank, 32. “We New Yorkers are used to the fast paced life and even though it might work now, it would eventually get old”.