Manhattan is getting a facelift, one designed to transform a bustling street into a more walkable space safe for pedestrians.
Barricades have been erected along Broadway as crews begin the work to enact the newest phase of the mayor's "Broadway Vision" plan. Starting Monday, construction gets underway on two new pedestrian plazas between 25th Street and 26th Street, as well as 26th Street and 27th Street.
Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez outlined the expansion of the Broadway plan on Sunday, where they detailed the efforts to enhance street safety. The new initiative is designed to create more public spaces and safer streets along Broadway between West 21st Street and West 33rd Street.
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The mayor also called the plan a cultural shift, a switch from a focus on cars and one instead on pedestrians. Officials said the goal is to improve quality of life near big tourist hubs, which they believe is key to the city's economic recovery.
“You really appreciate this city when you’re able to walk through it, ride through it, skateboard through it and really engage in all that this city has to offer," Adams said.
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The "Broadway Vision" plan started with previous administrations and when it’s complete will see improvements on Broadway from Union Square to Columbus Circle.
“We know our streets don’t belong just to cars. They belong to pedestrians and cyclists and transit too," Rodriguez said.
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A major change to the street: two-way bike lanes. Additional upgrades will also extend curbs, shorten crossings and widen crosswalks, more public space for walkers and cyclists. Outdoor dining will also be permitted in the plaza areas between 25th Street and 27th Street.
The work is estimated to take several months as crews reconfigure the roadway, install new signage, signal work and markings. Expect the work to be wrapped in the summer.