Times Square stakeholders have begun to raise the specter of "too much of a good thing," as the crowds flocking to Times Square threaten to squeeze the life out of the place.
"The Crossroads of the World has never been more popular. And that is becoming a problem," reports Charles V. Bagli. There is a lot of evidence that Times Square is more popular and, economically at least, more successful than ever. Retail rents are second only to Fifth Avenue, and Broadway shows set a record for attendance last year.
But according to Bagli, "[the] same reason that retailers and advertisers lust after a Times Square location is the same reason that others now find it unbearable: the crowds." In fact, "[few] landlords are willing to talk about the issue [of crowding] publicly for fear of turning their concerns into reality. But companies are dealing with the problem in small and large ways." Such measures include adding amenities in the building so employees don't have to leave and generally never setting foot in Times Square.
Bagli notes that since 1996, the number of tourists visiting Times Square has doubled to an estimated 40 million. Figuring prominently in the surge, according to Bagli, was the pedestrian friendly makeover Times Square received in 2009. After the city closed a stretch of Broadway between 42nd and 47th Streets, "the number of pedestrians in Times Square has jumped to as high as 480,000 a day, from about 350,000 before 2009."
FULL STORY: Times Square’s Crushing Success Raises Questions About Its Future
Saving Lives: Including Sidewalk Bollards in Street Design
Countless lives were likely saved by a strategically placed bollard on W. 45th Ave. which stopped a motorist who had driven three blocks on city sidewalks, mowing-down as many pedestrians as possible, from entering the Times Square pedestrian plaza.
Crowded NYC Sidewalks Force Commuters Into the Street
In the 1970s, the fear of getting mugged had some NYC pedestrians walking in the street. Nowadays, commuters are sharing space with cars for a very different reason: the sidewalks are too crowded.
Counting Foot Traffic in Times Square
The BBC talks with some of the people involved with counting pedestrians in New York City's Times Square. Since being closed off to cars, foot traffic has greatly increased.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service