New York wants to take 25% of its roads away from cars and give them to pedestrians and cyclists!
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The COVID-19 has upended New York City’s transportation needs, with significant portions of the city’s street space being repurposed for pedestrians and cyclists. From bike lanes to public seating and urban parks, streets that previously faced traffic jams were almost immediately transformed into public spaces that benefited the majority of residents.
Having been forced to realize the benefits of such a change in street use, New York now seems to be asking, “Why can’t the city stay that way?”
It's all part of a new plan known as NYC 25×25, which is supported by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The proposal calls for 25% of New York City's street space to be converted into pedestrian plazas, bike paths, green spaces and bus lanes by 2025.
Logic dictates that the vast majority of New York City's car-dominated streets do not benefit most city residents, and they don't really benefit cars either. With traffic jams averaging 5 mph in Midtown Manhattan, car transportation in New York City is responsible for a significant portion of carbon emissions, air pollution , and urban grime.
Meanwhile, pedestrians and cyclists are forced to navigate busy roadsides, often navigating around parked vehicles and piles of trash awaiting pickup.
And all this before we take into account the staggering number of pedestrian and bicycle deaths caused by cars in the city.
Changing the street space would help both clean up the city and better serve its residents.
Danny Harris, executive director of Transportation Alternatives, the group behind the 25×25 proposal, explained to the Guardian that “city residents will gain a better quality of life.”.
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New York City currently has about 3 million free parking spaces on its streets, a number that is greater than the number of registered cars in the city.
And considering that most New Yorkers don't own a car, but use other forms of transportation, such as buses, subways, bicycles , and walking, it simply doesn't make sense to dedicate so much space to cars.
The trend is part of a broader movement that seeks to transform cities around the world from car-centric to people-centric, creating more bike-friendly and walkable areas that still help residents get around without the negative impacts of cars.
Source of information: electrek.co
