Rendering of proposed streetscape. Image credit: Mayor’s Office
Vehicle speeds will be limited to five miles per hour, allowing them to share street with pedestrians and cyclists, while space will be provided for tables, chairs and plantings. On September 29, 2017, the de Blasio administration announced a plan to create a “Shared Street” on 43rd Street between Lexington and Third Avenues. The Mayor’s Office tied the creation of the shared street to the rezoning of East Midtown, and commitments to improvements to transit and public space through commercial growth.
On the Shared Street, the roadway will be entirely flush from streetwall to streetwall. Travel speed will be limited to five miles per hour, and the right-of-way will be shared by vehicle, cyclists, and pedestrians. Tables, chairs, and plantings are intended to enhance the public experience of the street space. The City’s first Shared Street was instituted in 2017 on Broadway, between 24th and 25th Street, in the Flatiron neighborhood.
The press release quoted Mayor de Blasio as saying that the plan will “make a big difference in the quality of life for people working and traveling near Grand Central.” The project is supported by Borough President Gale Brewer and local Council Member Dan Garodnick.
The full buildout of the Shared Street is projected to be completed in 2021.
Press Release, Mayor’s Office (Sept. 29, 2017).