NYC officials urge signs for foot traffic

Business districts across the city need more pedestrian traffic in their shopping, landmark and cultural hubs, and pedestrian-friendly signs can help find those hidden gems that are off the beaten path, business and city officials say.

Exhibit A: A recent survey conducted by the city Department of Transportation, in which 27 percent of New Yorkers did not know what borough they were in when asked. And another 9 percent admitted they got lost while walking in the city in the last week.

The DOT is accepting proposals for new sign designs and maps through a $1.5 million federal grant. The deadline for proposals is July 27.

"I have no shame admitting I get lost in Queens," said Dan Miner, vice president of the Long Island City Partnership, which advocates for economic development there. "The roads, avenues and drives are not on a grid system and it's confusing."

Maps that say "you're here" would be ideal, Miner said. The maps would help pedestrians find a destination and let them know how many minutes it would take to walk there, he said.

In Long Island City, the Plaza and subway stations would be strategic locations for the maps and signs.

"Maps at major transit points could tell you where the heck you are," Miner said.

The Plaza, the center of Long Island City, has seen 17 new hotels spring up. Tourists have opted to stay in Long Island City where hotels cost less than $200 a night, said Miner. Also, two new residential apartment high-rises and several condo developments have added several thousand new residents.

And an additional 3,000 employees commuting into the Plaza area to the new JetBlue headquarters.

"It's really taken off in the last few years," Miner said. "We have international tourists coming to stay in Long Island City and we want to make sure they can find our amenities of restaurants and museums."

Long Island City is not an island on the issue.

In Chinatown, "people get lost getting to my office," said Wellington Chen, executive director of the Chinatown Partnership, whose office is located at St. James Place. The partnership oversees business and residential development.

"We need to connect all the dots to all points of interest from Ground Zero to Chinatown," he said, adding historic immigration landmarks in the Lower East Side and Little Italy are often missed by both New Yorkers and tourists who visit Chinatown and Ground Zero.

With an estimated 5 million visitors expected to visit Ground Zero, he said, "We need those visitors to come to Chinatown. Our retail businesses offer low prices but we need high volume."