Having made considerable strides to make streets more accessible to pedestrians and bikers in recent years, New York City is continuing to build on that momentum.
Ya-Ting Liu, the city’s first public realm officer, is shepherding $375 million in funding earmarked for projects intended to make the city more environmentally friendly and boost quality of life. The projects will produce more pedestrian plazas on congested streets, wider sidewalks, more bike lanes, and expanded public space.
Community advocates are hopeful that the new position, a kind of “czar of public space,” will speed up progress on these initiatives.
One example: Work wrapped up in June on the first phase of the Mayor’s Broadway Vision Plan. This project added two new plazas and a two-way bike lane along Broadway from West 25th Street to West 32nd Street. The next phase of the plan calls for extended curbs and widened crosswalks to make it easier for vehicles to do pickups and drop-offs without blocking traffic. This project will stretch about 2.8 miles.
Across the East River in Queens, a stretch of Jamaica Avenue now includes granite blocks, tables, chairs, and planters. This space is meant to encourage people to sit, eat, read, and meet friends. This stretch of roadway will also get wider sidewalks, extended curbs, and elevated crosswalks.
Liu’s mission includes bringing equity to projects so that neighborhoods and boroughs all across the city benefit. Liu says the pandemic has sharpened the focus on the importance of having vibrant, inclusive public spaces, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Related Stories
Urban Planning | Jan 2, 2024
Federal Highway Administration releases updated traffic control manual
With pedestrian deaths surging nationwide, the Federal Highway Administration released a new edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. The manual contains standards for street markings and design, standardizing signage, and making driving as seamless as possible.
Urban Planning | Dec 18, 2023
The impacts of affordability, remote work, and personal safety on urban life
Data from Gensler's City Pulse Survey shows that although people are satisfied with their city's experience, it may not be enough.
Multifamily Housing | Nov 30, 2023
A lasting housing impact: Gen-Z redefines multifamily living
Nathan Casteel, Design Leader, DLR Group, details what sets an apartment community apart for younger generations.
Condominiums | Nov 6, 2023
Douglas Elliman launches its first Metro D.C. condominium project
Douglas Elliman, one of the largest independent residential real estate brokerages in the United States, announced last week that the firm will be handling the sales and marketing for Ten501 at City Centre West.
Office Buildings | Oct 16, 2023
The impact of office-to-residential conversion on downtown areas
Gensler's Duanne Render looks at the incentives that could bring more office-to-residential conversions to life.
Urban Planning | Oct 12, 2023
Top 10 'future-ready' cities
With rising climate dilemmas, breakthroughs in technology, and aging infrastructure, the needs of our cities cannot be solved with a single silver bullet. This Point2 report compared the country's top cities over a variety of metrics.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
Affordable Housing | Jul 27, 2023
Repeatable, supportive housing for the unhoused
KTGY’s R+D concept, The Essential, rethinks supportive housing to support the individual and community with a standardized and easily repeatable design.
Urban Planning | Jul 26, 2023
America’s first 100% electric city shows the potential of government-industry alignment
Ithaca has turned heads with the start of its latest venture: Fully decarbonize and electrify the city by 2030.
University Buildings | Jun 26, 2023
Addition by subtraction: The value of open space on higher education campuses
Creating a meaningful academic and student life experience on university and college campuses does not always mean adding a new building. A new or resurrected campus quad, recreational fields, gardens, and other greenspaces can tie a campus together, writes Sean Rosebrugh, AIA, LEED AP, HMC Architects' Higher Education Practice Leader.
