Many New Yorkers dread the area around 42nd Street. It's loud, the sidewalks are packed with confused tourists, and more often than not the traffic is a gridlocked mess. But one group believes that with some creative thinking and lots of money, that can all change.
The Institute for Rational Urban Mobility (IRUM) has a grand plan for 42nd Street. It wants to close the entire thing down to auto traffic and build a 2.5 mile street-level train that runs from one end of the street to the other, transforming what is today a hellish car ride across the city into a soothing 20 minute trip. George Haikalis, head of Institute, told Wired.com that with New York canceling a planned subway extension, congestion pricing far from becoming a reality, and the Obama administration about to dole out a big stack of infrastructure money, there's never been a better time to transform 42nd Street.
"This project makes sense in good times, but in bad times too," Haikalis says. "In this economic climate, we need to do things that will make the city a more attractive place for both visitors and tourists."
At the heart of the IRUM plan, which is called vision42, is the idea that much of the city's traffic problem is due to poor "crosstown circulation." The vision42 project proposes dusting off a 1990s plan to convert the southern half of 42nd Street into a transitway, but ups the ante by suggesting that auto traffic be eliminated in both directions. Cars would be replaced by light rail running the length of the street, with a pair of stops where each avenue intersects 42nd Street. The resulting free space would be reconfigured to handle foot traffic, and to make room for restaurants, cafes, and other pedestrian friendly perks.
Haikalis says the argument that Vision 42 would make life hell for drivers rerouted to other streets is unfounded. He points to a study [.pdf] conducted by transportation planning firm Sam Schwartz which finds that with relatively simple reconfiguration of hotel, parking garage, and taxi stand access, the impact on auto traffic would be minimal.
"Years ago the area around Washington Square Park was closed to cars, and the result was diminished traffic," Haikalis points out. "Build a road and they will come. Close streets, and cars will rearrange themselves.
There are examples of this all over the world."
He adds that in cities like Denver and Minneapolis, where pedestrian only streets with transit components have been been put in place, they've been successful. "In the face of suburban sprawl, these cities have very viable downtown districts."
But a project like this doesn't come cheap. Vision42 estimates that construction costs would run from $411.25 million to $582.31 million, a princely sum for a city facing a $1.9 billion budget deficit this year. Haikalis argues that big picture, the project would deliver gains that make it worth the money. "A
better transport system means better accessibility, and that means higher rents in the area," he says. "Better pedestrian access means more traffic for retailers and restaurants. In the long term, those benefits will make a difference."
He says that while he would love vision42 to win a chunk of the infrastructure money that gets doled out as part of the proposed stimulus package, he knows it's a long shot. "We think this project would be an excellent candidate, but we also understand that much of that money will be allocated to shovel ready projects." He's more hopeful about the Federal Transport Bill, which is up for renewal this fall, but even there he knows he'll be competing with other transit projects.
We like the vision42 plan, but think it would be a tough sell during the best of times. In this economy, finding support may be almost impossible.
Images: Institute for Rational Urban Mobility
