NYC Teases Massive Fifth Avenue Makeover That’s Greener And Pedestrian-First
Image via NYC Mayor’s Office
New York City’s famed 5th Avenue is upgrading to version 5.1. On Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams shared visualizations for a revamp along 42nd and 59th Street that will put the public first as well as encourage New Yorkers to seek more sustainable modes of travel.
New renderings reimagine the luxury shopping, office, and tourism hub with expanded green spaces, wider sidewalks—made possible by reducing car lanes to single files—and safe routes for cyclists.
The blueprint—notably focused on the area of Fifth Avenue connecting Bryant Park and Central Park—pictures a “safer, less congested, pedestrian-centered boulevard that also prioritizes cyclists, mass transit, and the public realm,” with the added bonus of accelerating bus travel, says the New York government. Fifth Avenue’s overhaul will serve as just one way the city will form a “New New York.”
Mayor Adams acknowledges that, as an iconic corridor and a powerhouse of the Midtown economy, Fifth Avenue should be seizing the “unmissable opportunity” to prove how a “world-class public space can help create vibrant central business districts.”
“New York isn’t coming back, New York is back… We will continue to bring everyone to the table, come up with innovative ideas together, and make our city safer, fairer, and more prosperous,” Adams declares.
Maria Torres-Springer, deputy mayor for economic and workforce development, concurs by saying that rethinking New York’s public spaces “is the most effective path toward neighborhood recovery, economic recovery, and long-term sustainability.”
The announcement follows New York City’s introduction of open-street Sundays on Fifth Avenue this month, where car lanes will be closed off to give way to pedestrians’ shopping and other public activities during the holiday season.
yes yes yes
— Transportation Alternatives (@TransAlt) December 18, 2022
it’s time to give people more space on fifth avenue
let’s get it done! https://t.co/Y46fy81bUX pic.twitter.com/eUR5wZu1Lh
Although advocates for traffic safety are welcoming the concept with open arms, some members of the public point out that the removal of vehicle lanes could add to the congestion in the area, Architectural Digest quotes.
However, others are applauding the move, sharing that it also prioritizes public transportation while considering locals who don’t have cars.
It’s worth noting that this is an early interpretation of the roadmap, and that the new Fifth Avenue might turn out not looking like the design pitched in the drawings. The city hasn’t chosen a design firm to help visualize the transformation, but it says it will confirm one in 2023.
Adams notes that “early action improvements” will begin in 2023, and a full construction plan should be in place within the next two years following the gathering of input from government officials, community leaders, and other stakeholders.
[via Architectural Digest and Gothamist, images via NYC Mayor’s Office]
