NYC unveils plan to transform iconic Fifth Avenue by expanding sidewalks

NEW YORK - Big changes are coming to New York City's iconic Fifth Avenue. It would be the avenue's first major redesign in its 200-year history.

The city plans to transform the stretch between Bryant Park at 42nd Street and Central Park at 59th Street into a "pedestrian-centered boulevard." 

The vision includes widening sidewalks, and cutting traffic lanes from from five to three – a center bus lane surrounded by two car lanes. Crosswalks would also be shortened, and more greenspace would be added. 

Mayor Eric Adams and the Future of Fifth Partnership unveiled new renderings of what the revised streets would look like. 

The amount of sidewalk space would increase nearly 50%. Future of Fifth is hoping the plans would deter vehicular traffic and encourage pedestrians to come through.

The city says the project will pay for itself through property and sales taxes in the area. 

"New Yorkers deserve an iconic boulevard that will rival the rest of the world — and together with the Future of Fifth Partnership, we're going to deliver just that," Adams said. "This is a huge win for New York City." 

Adams said some 23,000 people use Fifth Avenue sidewalks per hour during the holiday season, "cramming like sardines into constrained sidewalks. That makes no sense." 

"People across the globe identify Fifth Avenue as a premier destination for strolling and shopping. But its larger-than-life reputation means that its sidewalks have reached their capacity, hosting more people per hour in peak seasons than Madison Square Garden," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. 

"Reversing the century-old trend of putting cars first, this visionary design will transform our overcrowded avenue into a spacious and green corridor for shoppers and workers, visitors and New Yorkers, and everyone on Fifth," said Madelyn Wils of the Fifth Avenue Association.

The design, study and schematic design of the plan is set to be complete by next summer.

Reactions mixed to plans for Fifth Avenue transformation

Queens resident Janelle Stewart, who sometimes drives to work near Bryant Park, doesn't think the plans will work.

"I think it's gonna make traffic worse. It's gonna create more congestion, longer wait times to get to where you need to go, especially during the week," she said.

Corey Stewart, a tourist from Texas, said he would "absolutely" like the plan.

Noah Martinez, an employee at Gifts on 5th Avenue, said, "For us, it's gonna be super helpful because we depend on this kind of business. Not only us, a lot of businesses around here, we depend on tourism, the tourist people."

Janet Liff, with the nonprofit Streets Political Action Committee (StreetsPAC), supports the plan, but says there's something missing from the renderings and wants the plan to be amended.

"We're very disappointed that there is no bike lane ... On both Eighth and Ninth avenue, DOT has put wider sidewalks and a bike lane, so we know it is possible," she said.

But civil engineer George Haikalis is OK with no bike lanes, citing possible dangers of them  coming into contact with pedestrians.

"I do think that bikes and pedestrians are not harmonious," he said.