hhusted

Union Square Pedestrian Plaza In The Works

Has anyone seen the pedestrian plaza around 34th St and Broadway on each side? Well the DOT is considering putting up on at Union Square area.

You can read more about it by going here:

http://www.ny1.com/7-brooklyn-news-content/news_beats/transit/

DOT is also planning on developing a pedestrian plaza at the Empire State Building as well.

Pedestrians love the idea, but many motorists, especially cab drivers, hate the idea, because it will force them to turn left on 18th St. Basically more traffic congestion in the area.

What do you think. Great idea or not?

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24 Comments

uptowngirl Apr 26, 2010

I really dont know if these pedestrian plazas work ... wouldnt it be better to just install more seating in Union Square Park? that would serve the purpose for who in their right minds would want to sit in the midst of all that NYC traffic.. especially in hustling bustling Herald Square which is one of the the most tourist trafficked areas of NYC..

ajadedidealist Apr 26, 2010

Ugh - of all the places I wouldn't want to sit and have a relax, near Macy's ranks pretty high on my list! Why not just create a park somewhere like they did to great effect on the West Side Highway?

uptowngirl Apr 26, 2010

@ajadedidealist strange are the ways of NY city for sure..

JenMac Apr 28, 2010

That pedestrian area is pretty worthless, by my account. I sat there once and it was sorta depressing and really congested. Like union square needs any more lurkers?

NeverSleeps Apr 28, 2010

I am not really a fan of the pedestrian square thing either. I am guessing that none of these things will last too long, as traffic tends to overcome.

BroadwayBK Apr 29, 2010

Isn't Union Square pretty much already a pedestrian plaza? Why is Bloomberg so determined to congest traffic all over Manhattan! I just clicked on the link above and it takes you to an article (http://www.ny1.com/7-brooklyn-news-content/news_beats/transit/) about how the MTA is attempting to bridge their $800 million budget gap by laying off 750 workers. Ouch.

uptowngirl Apr 30, 2010

@BroadwayBK better get ready to encounter long queues for the subways and buses.

BroadwayBK Apr 30, 2010

UGH. This can't seriously be happening. What are we, in the Dark Ages? Why doesn't someone take a stand!!!

NeverSleeps May 02, 2010

And isn't there already long enough lines for subways and buses in Union Square? That place is generally more crowded than I would like, anyway.

NeverSleeps May 02, 2010

And: since when did this city ENCOURAGE people to stop and hang out in the middle of it? Seems so un-New York of them.

uptowngirl May 04, 2010

@Neversleeps true.. the very vibe of NYC is that it is a hustling-bustling city where people are always rushing from one point to another.. seems strange then the city fathers would want to encourage NYers to stop and take a break...and that to in the midst of the crazy NY traffic..

JenMac May 04, 2010

Those pedestrian squares are so depressing. Like who wants to stop in the middle of the street and sit down with a bunch of people from Nebraska taking pictures of the new Best Buy? Eek, this is an asinine idea.

Uraniumfish May 04, 2010

I dunno, am I the only one who likes the idea that you might actually be able to sit down in this city, just like in any other normal city?

uptowngirl May 05, 2010

@Uraniumfish but surely you don't want to sit in the midst of the mad NY traffic down there? the Union Square Park I can understand btw what happened to the plans of a restaurant there? wasnt there talk of establishing one not so long ago?anybody remember that?

hhusted May 05, 2010

I am not sure about the plan myself. I do not go to Union Square that often to even sit any place. However, if I did, I would not want to sit down in a seat and just watch cars going back and forth. I would rather sit and read a book or watch some form of entertainment.

hhusted May 05, 2010

@BroadwayBK; There were people who took a stand against the MTA but lost. The kids took a stand for free Metrocards and right now are still fighting with Bloomberg about it. He is threatening to pass a budget for the MTA that does not include free passes for kids. So a petition was sent to the mayor's office that includes well over 10,000 signatures. My name is on that list. I hope it works. The kids in this city need a break and so do the parents.

BroadwayBK May 05, 2010

@Uraniumfish I think there are better places to sit, honestly, and it does seem possible - I mean, parks tend to be equipped with benches and there are often benches on sidewalks around the city.

hhusted May 08, 2010

@BroadwayBK; The problem with park benches are the following: * Homeless sleep on them and dirty them * Birds poop on them * People spill stuff on them * And they are usually filled with people This is why when my girlfriend and I got to the park, we sit on a clean section of grass.

JenMac May 09, 2010

hhusted: just out of curiosity, where do you go in the city? It seems like every place we mention, you never go there or have never been...

uptowngirl May 09, 2010

@hhusted I hate sitting on the grass..give a grotty park bench any day..

NeverSleeps May 09, 2010

@hhusted Well..how is a park bench going to be much different from the pedestrian square thing? Are they going to put up "no homeless people allowed" signs?