Opinion: It's Time To Put People Ahead of Cars in SoHo

A proposal from SoHo Broadway Initiative aims to prioritize pedestrian and bike infrastructure and discourage car traffic to make the neighborhood safer and more comfortable for the people who live and work there.

1 minute read

November 26, 2021, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


SoHo Broadway

Tony Fischer / Flickr

After describing the joys and challenges of living and working in New York City's SoHo neighborhood, Sara Schiller argues in favor of the SoHo Broadway Initiative's Public Realm Framework and Vision Plan, which presents "a fresh image of SoHo, where streets are reoriented for people and community, not cars."

Schiller notes that the pedestrian infrastructure put in place during the pandemic has once. again been subsumed by car traffic, making it difficult for pedestrians and cyclists to navigate the neighborhood safely and comfortably. According to Schiller,

The SoHo Broadway Initiative Public Realm Plan will, among other things, expand sidewalk width by at least 50 percent and divert car traffic away from the neighborhood, giving buses space to pick up and drop off travelers safely, and ensuring bikes can easily navigate these streets.

This will not only allow families to enjoy the area they love but also create a feeling of safety for those who truly need it in order to simply walk. It will boost foot traffic, which benefits the local economy, creating financial security for businesses and increasing overall livelihood in the area.

More importantly, Schiller says, these changes would most benefit the people who use the space and make SoHo "more welcoming and more human."

Wednesday, November 17, 2021 in City Limits

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight