42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

#1

42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:06pm

Five Blocks of Broadway Expected to Become Pedestrian Mall in Times Square

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"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

Updated On: 2/26/09 at 12:06 PM

#2

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:09pm

Interesting. Hopefully this helps..

#3

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:13pm

actually, according to the article in the New York Times, it's not permanent (yet). it's for now only going to be through the end of the year; if it works, then they'll make it permanent.

Broadway down by Herald Square will be closed to car traffic, too.
Mayor Plans to Close Parts of Broadway to Traffic

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When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain. -Kad

#4

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:17pm

I'm glad its just experimental. I'm not too sure how well it will work. At the very least it should lighten up the pedestrian traffic so times sq would be easier to walk through.

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"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

#5

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 12:23pm

Glorify Sixth Avenue--
Or put bathrooms in the zoo--
But please don't monkey with Broadway!

Move Grant's Tomb to Union Square--
And put Brooklyn anywhere--
But please, please,
I beg on my knees!
Don't monkey with old Broadway!


Fred Astaire and George Murphy sing and dance Cole Porter's "Don't Monkey with Broadway"

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#6

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:00pm

That's crazy talk.

How will they do load ins and outs and deliveries to Angus McIndoe?

I stand corrected.

Updated On: 2/26/09 at 01:00 PM

#7

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:02pm

Angus McIndoe.

Close, though!

Now I'm craving Angus. Oh, baby.

#8

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:10pm

Well, the cross streets will still be open, so that shouldn't be a problem.

#9

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:16pm

Schwoooo!

#10

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:42pm

I never thought car traffic was a problem. Just the amount of people, but that's sort of what you sign-up for when you go to that area. Plus, I like to think that everyone there is there to see a show, so that makes me happy.

#11

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:43pm

This should be really interesting.

#12

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:49pm

Will this be where Carol Channing's autographed handprints are finally displayed? It's been years since there was talk of a Broadway Walk of Fame.

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"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)

#13

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:52pm

Ou sont les neiges d'antan?

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#14

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 1:57pm

I, personally, find foot traffic to be at its worst in front of the Marquis. You have the photographers offering to take your picture, people passing out flyers for whatever show is in the theatre, and the musicians that set up shop on the corner. I don't mind the music but they don't choose a great spot. People stop to watch them and clog up the curb.

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"All our dreams can come true -- if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney We must have different Gods. My God said "do to others what you would have them do to you". Your God seems to have said "My Way or the Highway".

#15

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:09pm

this is stupid. i already walk in the street whenever i feel like it. i don't need Bloomberg giving me permission. now he's going to encourage all the stupid tourists, who already don't know how to walk on a sidewalk, to spill their corn fed cluelessness into the street. and how the hell am i supposed to get to the theater in my last minute cab when i'm running late as usual? bloomberg should be impeached! or at least forced to sit through The Little Mermaid at least once a week.

#16

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:09pm

Ah, an orange Julius and a matinee of FRENCH SHAMPOO, the perfect date.

#17

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:17pm

"in my last minute cab when i'm running late as usual?"

ARRIVE EARLY

and

PLAN AHEAD

#18

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:28pm

Sydney has issues.

I do hope this doesn't negatively impact Access A Ride.

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Rest in peace, Iflitifloat.

#19

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 2:39pm

I don't see how this will help, considering blocks are so short and the cross-streets will be open.

Also, the additional traffic on 6th, 7th, and 8th avenues will probably suck.

#20

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:08pm

Yeah, this reeks of BAD IDEA to me.

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I chose, and my world was shaken. So what? The choice may have been mistaken. The choosing was not.

#21

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:29pm

"Yeah, this reeks of BAD IDEA to me."

It's Mayor Bloomberg's attempt at backdoor congestion pricing.

Create more congestion so he can say "Look, we need congestion pricing".

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If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.

#22

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:33pm

Just seems messy to me.

I think there's plenty of places to sit as it is. But when it's like 30 degrees outside and the its windy, no body is going to want to sit on the benches.

#23

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:40pm

If Bloomberg wants it, it means he's making money off it and that it will be a bad idea for pretty much everybody else.

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"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers." Thomas Pynchon, GRAVITY'S RAINBOW "Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Philip K. Dick My blog: http://www.roscoewrites.blogspot.com/

#24

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:43pm

I think it's a great idea. Those crowded masses in front of the Marquis and elsewhere will be able to move out into the street areas. It should make moving North and South (by foot) much easier.

(sydney - you need some professional help.)

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Meow!

#25

re: 42nd - 47th Streets & B'way To Be Closed Permanently To Car Traffic

Posted: 2/26/09 at 3:47pm

Interesting...I can't decide if it's a good or bad idea though.