Recent Streetsblog NYC posts about Midtown

Eyes on the Street: Broadway Improved Beyond Times Square

By Brad Aaron | Jun 16, 2009 | 22 Comments

Not that it didn’t deserve the attention, but last month’s car-free Times Square debut overshadowed other major Broadway safety improvements like these to the north — including pedestrian islands and separated bike lanes — which are now well on their way to being implemented. These pics were taken last weekend just south of Columbus Circle […]

Real New Yorkers Dig the New Times Square

By Ben Fried | Jun 5, 2009 | 6 Comments

We’ve been meaning to post this vid from culture mag ANIMAL New York (h/t Gothamist), which neatly undercuts the argument that the newly pedestrianized Broadway is "only for tourists." Sure, the tourists are grateful not to be jostling for space right next to traffic anymore, but so are lots of people from the five boroughs. […]

The Crossroads of the World Goes Car-Free

By Aaron Naparstek | May 26, 2009 | 29 Comments

I’ve lived in New York City for just about twenty years now but yesterday was my first trip to Times Square. Sure, I’ve been to Times Square before. Plenty of times. But until yesterday Times Square had never ever been a destination for me. Rather, it had always been a place to avoid or, if […]

Car-Free Space Is an Instant Hit on Broadway

By Aaron Naparstek | May 24, 2009 | 36 Comments

Here’s the view from 45th Street looking south at about 1 pm today, about 30 minutes after the city Dept. of Transportation closed Broadway to motor vehicle traffic in Midtown. It’s obviously way too soon to judge how this experiment is working but today, at least, car-free Broadway appears to be a huge hit. If […]

Happy Memorial Day Weekend (With Gusto This Time)

By Ben Fried | May 22, 2009 | 13 Comments

The full transformation will take a few months to set up, but come Memorial Day, pedestrians will finally have some breathing room at Times Square. When Memorial Day weekend rolls around, here at Streetsblog we usually take the opportunity to note the advent of the summer driving season — and all the waste and violence […]

Coming Soon: The Broadway You’ve Been Waiting For

By Brad Aaron | May 19, 2009 | 7 Comments

Vehicles will be redirected from Broadway to Seventh Avenue, as the orange sticker says, "Starting Sun May 24" DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan today officially announced that work on new pedestrian spaces at Times and Herald Squares — the "Green Light for Midtown" pilot program — will enter a new phase this Sunday night, when auto […]

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