A More Democratic Use of Space on 34th Street

who_uses_34th_st.jpgImage: NYCDOT

This graphic tells you all you need to know about the rationale behind DOT’s plans for 34th Street, which are getting some play today in the Times and on Gothamist. DOT displayed it prominently at Wednesday’s info session about the project.

The biggest group of users — pedestrians — will get wider sidewalks and refuge islands, as well as a major new plaza between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. For the roughly 33,000 daily bus riders, DOT predicts the physically separated busway will improve travel times by 35 percent. Private drivers? Well, they may take up a lot of space, but there just aren’t very many of them.

34th Street is relatively narrow for such an important corridor. This will be a democratic redistribution of scarce space, giving a little more room back to the overwhelming majority of people who use the street. 

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

Tonight: Give DOT Your Ideas for the Future of 34th Street

By Ben Fried |
Will NYPD cruisers and other bus lane blockers steer clear of the next transit improvement on 34th Street? Photo: Chris O’Leary. Last September DOT and the MTA launched the 34th Street bus lane, New York City’s second Select Bus Service route. You could say it’s had some growing pains. Bus riders aren’t getting the speedy, […]

DOT, MTA Launch 34th Street Select Bus Service Today

By Brad Aaron |
SBS lanes are the first phase of the 34th Street Transitway concept DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and MTA CEO Lee Sander are scheduled to officially roll out 34th Street Select Bus Service at a 1 p.m. press conference today. The new Manhattan route will be the city’s second foray into bus rapid transit, following a […]

City Scraps Pedestrian Plaza Option for 34th Street Transitway

By Ben Fried |
Pedestrians who navigate Midtown’s crowded sidewalks won’t get as much as they could have from the proposed 34th Street Transitway. The Times reported last night that NYC DOT will not pursue plans for a pedestrian plaza between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue as part of the project. The plaza was the focus of serialized attacks […]

DOT Plans to Bring NYC’s First Separated Busway to 34th Street

By Noah Kazis |
What the 34th Street transitway might look like between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Image: NYCDOT When DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan hinted last Tuesday that bolder ideas were on the way for bus rapid transit in New York City, she apparently meant "next week." The DOT website now displays an updated plan for the next phase […]