Nicole Gelinas reports on the effects of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s controversial 2009 transportation reforms, which have unexpectedly lightened the traffic and dangers on New York’s streets.
Gelinas looks at what was unveiled as a "targeted adjustment" to pedestrianize segments of Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, but what some understood at the time, and has become clear since, was a revolutionary "shift away from a century's worth of New York transportation policy." In 2009, New Yorkers were concerned that the "adjustment" would only increase the traffic on nearby streets, but the conversion from car-filled avenue to "pedestrian plaza" has actually increased the flow of traffic and reduced traffic-related fatalities.
Gelinas looks at the successes of the improvements to Broadway, and beyond, as "New York has been rationally using its limited physical space to get more people moving more quickly-and that means not in automobiles. New York has achieved its improvements on the cheap. Better still, the changes have saved lives."
With New York facing the challenges of overflowing subways, clogged bus systems, and reckless cyclists, Gelinas argues that Mayor Bloomberg's transportation oriented plans are a step in the right direction towards creating a safer, speedier, and sustainable New York.
Thanks to Akemi Lueng
FULL STORY: Ungridlocked
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