New 34th St. plan shrinks road, nixes pedestrian plaza idea
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The city’s latest vision for a revamped 34th Street shrinks the road to two lanes, but abandons the initial proposal’s pedestrian plaza and barricaded bus lane.
The Department of Transportation’s new plan, which will be officially released Monday, would put bus lanes on both sides of the street without concrete barriers, create loading and parking areas, and restrict traffic to one lane in each direction, according to published reports.
A DOT spokesman declined yesterday to comment on the proposal.
Councilman Dan Garodnick applauded the new plan, saying via email that 34th Street is "screaming out for an overhaul.”
A spokesman for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who was opposed to the first proposal, called the latest one "a major step forward."
The first plan, unveiled in 2008, called for separating bus lanes with concrete barriers and eliminating car and truck traffic between Herald Square and the Empire State Building to make way for a pedestrian mall.
That outraged some residents and business owners who said it would jam traffic and prevent businesses from getting deliveries.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
