Last year New York City pedestrianised large chunks of Broadway around Times Square – one of the busiest and most notable intersections in the whole world. Here’s a great video showing the before and after:
Wouldn’t it be great to do something like this in Auckland?
Processing...
While that is a big improvement, it will be kind of sad to see all the traffic go, it was an amazing display of organised chaos.
Although this is just awesome.
I visited the US, including NYC, last year, and a lot of people I talked to really hated the new Times Square. One person I spoke to — who was not American, and had lived in various places around the world — felt that pedestrianising parts of the intersection had stripped Times Square of its energy and its life.
I personally quite liked it, but a lot of the charm of NYC is its chaotic energy, so I can see how the previous configuration might have been better in that sense. I never experienced the old Times Square, though, so I wouldn’t know. Two sides to every issue, I guess.
@James B – that clip in Japan is an example of a street that should be pedestrianised – look at how many people there are compared to the 10 or so cars waiting to go, 10 cars with probably 1 person per car and yet they have the majority of the area dedicated to them.
@rtc It’s the busiest intersection for pedestrians in the world and believe it or not it is a tourist attraction in its own right. Personally I hope they don’t pedestrianise it, if only because it is insane.
It has not been fully pedestrianised and I doubt ever would be. The change has apparently helped traffic flows by simplifying intersections and reducing the number of required light phases. It seems like the change was essential as there was literally no room for pedestrians.
When I was in Times Square last October, shortly after the semi-pedestrianisation, I still felt it was pretty car dominated. There are wider footpaths sure, but it still retains its hectic atmosphere and there’re still a heap of cars passing through.
any ideas how we could do this to auckland? what intersection(s) would be changed. I know I’d prefer to make most of midtown a shared space (for pedestrians and busses) but unfortunatly with Auckland being so car centric you’d have to start with such tiny steps
We are starting with small steps, turning streets like Fort Street and Elliott Street into shared spaces. In terms of your bigger ticket items, I think that some pedestrianisation during the Rugby World Cup would be a great way to start: people will see how awesome it is to be able to walk down Queen Street or along Quay Street. Hopefully that would increase the public pressure to make some of the changes permanent.
Need to advocate closing Queen St on selected days, maybe just one Saturday or Sunday a month.
This will help build support from many in the public who an unwary and also from noisy retailers who think they will suffer. RWC would be a good time to start, this was actually Fran O’Sullivans idea for the original party central.
Interesting how some of the more well traveled members of the business community could actually be allies for us for once.
absoloutly can’t wait for shared spaces
Reminds me of a clip I watched a few days ago
http://www.streetfilms.org/thousands-play-in-oaklands-streets-at-the-first-ever-oaklavia/
some wicked comments from the general public in the clip, like how it feels it should be illegal