Mayor Eric Adams looks to make 5th Ave more pedestrian friendly with permanent changes
NEW YORK -- This was the final Sunday that parts of Fifth Avenue were traffic-free and open to pedestrians only for the holidays.
Now, Mayor Eric Adams says he is looking for ways to carry that plan forward with permanent changes to the area.
The holiday-specific closures were part of a city program called Fifth Avenue For All. Starting next year, the city is going to expand it by transforming Fifth Avenue between Bryant Park and Central Park into a pedestrian-focused space.
Renderings of what the project is said to look like show a pedestrian-centered boulevard with wider sidewalks and more greenery.
The mayor said the vision is to make Fifth Avenue safer and less congestion for those who work, live and visit there.
He said the specifics are still being determined, but the main goals for the project include expanding sidewalks and greenspace, improving pedestrian mobility and accessibility, improving street safety -- including for cycling -- and prioritizing mass transit by speeding up bus travel.
The plan is raising concerns for drivers and some residents who say the area is already chaotic as is.
"We have multiple buses, whether they're local and limited buses or express buses. We have bike lanes and cars. So to extend the sidewalk and make it more pedestrian friendly, I don't think it's a good idea," one resident told CBS2.
However, the project is receiving the support of groups like Open Plans, a nonprofit advocating for livable public spaces throughout New York City.
"When we choose to reallocate space from cars, whether it's driving or parking, we can add seating, people can walk and talk with their neighbors. They can cross the street safely. We can have faster bus times," Open Plans Director of Advocacy Jackson Chabot said.
Dan Biederman, president of the Bryant Park Corporation, says while traffic is a concern, similar projects have been done successfully in the city.
"Like the one on Broadway Project that was started during the Bloomberg administration. The predictions were of chaos and the like, and what happens is what are called traffic assignments, which is cars learn that they should go here and they shouldn't go there," he said.
The city says the project will take a total of two years to complete, with construction starting next year.