Drivers are indignant, pedestrians rejoice: traffic will be limited on one of the busy streets of New York

In the first week of October in New York, cars will be banned on one of the busiest streets - Union Square in Manhattan. This publication reports Pix11.

It is noted that the legal battle around this street has been going on for several months, although the movement on it causes much disagreement.

So, since October 3, street traffic, on which trolleybuses have not run for 90 years, will be affected by drastic changes. This is currently a temporary change, but it may become permanent.

Thursday, October 3, was the first day when cars from 14: 6 to 00: 22 were not allowed on 00 Street - from Third to Ninth Avenue. And this is for seven days a week.

Who will be affected by the restriction?

This applies to all vehicles, with the exception of trucks, buses and ambulances.

Personal vehicles will be allowed to be on 14 Street only for boarding and disembarking passengers, as well as for access to parking garages.

People who work, live or simply visit Union Square, react differently to the upcoming changes.

Drivers reaction

Mirna Reyes, leaving the interior of her SUV, spoke negatively about the changes. “This is bad,” she said.

Myrna and her family came to the Union Square from the Bronx on an excursion to visit the restaurant located here.

“I don’t think they should restrict anyone here,” Reyes commented, adding that the change would not allow people like her and her family to travel to Manhattan and thus support local businesses.

Thomas Mason, who parked on this street, also reacted negatively to the changes.

“This is not good,” Mason answered, sitting behind the wheel of his silver sedan.

At the same time, George Rios, who was in the driver's seat of his working van, believes that this is a positive change.

“I think it will be good for us workers,” George Rios shared his opinion. He is convinced that he will not be affected by the ban on entry, because he uses this street for work.

Pedestrian response

Gerald Salam, who works on 14 Street and walks on it daily, called such changes “amazing.”

Kirtia Stout, who lived all her life on this street, called this innovation “fiction”. And she added that New York is a pedestrian city.

She also noted that the changes will positively affect the business, as there will be more pedestrians.

prehistory

The restriction of movement was preceded by several months of protests, as well as a temporary injunction against changes restricting the movement of cars, which were supposed to begin last summer.

However, on 30 of September, most judges of the appeal commission decided that the plan could be implemented while a lawsuit on this issue was pending in court.

Opponents, led by lawyer Arthur Schwartz, argue that restricting the movement of cars on 14 Street will increase their number in neighboring ones.

On the subject: Why did I stop using the New York subway?

At the same time, Transportation Alternatives, an organization working on changing transport priorities in New York, has long been lobbying for restrictions on transport on 14 Street because it expects this to have a positive effect on public transport. She claims that the M14 bus will be faster than now to transport people around the city.

It is worth noting that M14 is regularly spoken of as the slowest bus in the city.

“New Yorkers on M14 will soon see their bus line from one of the slowest in the city turn into one of the fastest in almost one night,” said Thomas de Vito, senior transport alternatives lawyer.

He added that this “should put an end to frauds that delay improvement for months.”

The consideration of the lawsuit against the city for limited access continues, the source said.

Therefore, if the appellate court decides that travel restrictions are illegal, these restrictions will be removed. Otherwise, if, after 18 months, the city decides that the changes have significantly reduced congestion, restrictions on the use of vehicles may become permanent.