August 21, 2023
Building on Improvements Completed This Spring, Adams Administration’s Broadway Vision Will Extend South From East 21st Street to Union Square
Public Outreach Starting Today to Design Pedestrian, Cyclist, Safety, Public Space Improvements for Stretch of Iconic Corridor
Project Delivers on Commitments in Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda” and “New” New York Action Plan
NEW YORK – New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez today announced a new phase of the Adams administration’s popular Broadway Vision plan to connect Manhattan’s Flatiron District to Union Square. Today, DOT is launching public outreach to design pedestrian, cyclist, and public space improvements along Broadway from East 21st Street down to Union Square at East 17th Street. The new phase follows a project — announced in March and completed quickly in June — to deliver similar upgrades with expanded outdoor dining between Madison Square and Herald Square, just north of the new project area, with additional improvements coming from East 21st Street up to East 33rd Street.
The project, once again, builds on a key commitment in Mayor Adams’ “Working People’s Agenda,” which included a $375 million investment to create extraordinary new public spaces across the city and will help fund further improvements along Broadway from West 21st Street to West 33rd Street. The administration has marked milestones in other major public space projects through that investment this year, including Broadway Junction in Brooklyn and the Arches in Lower Manhattan. This phase of Broadway Vision also builds on “Making New York Work for Everyone,” the action plan put together by the “New” New York panel that Mayor Adams and New York Governor Kathy Hochul convened in 2022.
“Broadway Vision is more than a project — it’s a new way of looking at how this iconic street can serve New Yorkers and support our city’s comeback,” said Mayor Adams. “Just north of this new phase, New Yorkers are walking and biking safely, eating meals outside, and visiting local businesses, thanks to the work our team delivered in just three months. This next phase of Broadway Vision will provide the same kind of vibrant public spaces connecting Union Square and Flatiron, just like our administration is doing with incredible success across the entire city.”
“Broadway Vision has become the crown jewel of vibrant, attractive public space transformations in the city,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “We’re excited to start the next round of public engagement to continue the momentum for a pedestrian-forward Broadway from Union Square to Herald Square and beyond.”
“We are so proud of the work the Adams administration has already completed this past year as we transformed Broadway north of the Flatiron, where pedestrians, cyclists, and those who love outdoor dining together find a quieter, safer, and more welcoming street,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “As we now begin to look south toward Union Square, we want all stakeholders in this vital community — residents, business owners, office workers, and other street users — to come out and provide feedback on the design changes they would like to see in this next phase.”
Broadway north of Madison Square, part of the Broadway Vision phase completed earlier this year.
Credit: New York City Department of Transportation
DOT will kick of engagement sessions along Broadway this week. Additional opportunities for input will be offered with Union Square Partnership and local partners to transform this portion of this iconic street with major improvements. As part of the process, DOT will explore the possibility of a new two-way bike boulevard to improve cyclist and pedestrian safety.
The Broadway Vision project seeks to reclaim and transform public spaces along the storied Manhattan boulevard — from Columbus Circle to Union Square. The project includes expanded outdoor dining, shortened crossings and wider crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety, curb extensions and narrower turns to calm traffic, reconfigured curb lanes to facilitate loading and pickups/drop offs, and additional public space and cycling amenities like seating, planters, new Citi Bike stations, as well as additional bike parking. The project, once again, builds on a portion of Mayor Eric Adams’ $375 million commitment to create new public spaces, detailed in his 2023 State of the City address.
Initial Broadway Vision public survey sessions will take place as follows:
- Monday, August 21, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Broadway & East 20th Street
- Wednesday, August 23, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Union Square Greenmarket
- Friday, August 25, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Broadway & East 17th Street
DOT will host additional public sessions and community outreach in the coming months. Accessibility accommodations are available by contacting PublicSpace@dot.nyc.gov.
“When we prioritize people over private cars, we bring our neighbors together with new public spaces while making New York a safer city for pedestrians,” said U. S. Representative Jerry Nadler. “I applaud the expansion of the Broadway vision plan to connect Manhattan’s Flatiron District to Union Square. This latest phase of the Broadway Vision plan brings us closer to a Vision Zero future, with expanded bicycle access and improved public space amenities, all while helping to calm our congested streets.”
“Transforming the public realm into a more pedestrian- and bike-friendly environment is a key factor in supporting retailers, and we applaud the city’s efforts to prioritize the community’s needs as development on the Broadway Vision plan progresses,” said Julie Stein, executive director, Union Square Partnership. “The city’s investment in this next phase of Broadway is an important step towards realizing the USQNext Vision Plan to further enhance the quality of life for residents, workers, and visitors in Union Square, and we look forward to building off of the momentum from the Broadway Vision to bring these necessary public realm improvements to fruition.”
“DOT’s recent Broadway Vision treatments enhanced safety and created vibrant outdoor dining experiences in NoMad that have helped bolster our district’s economic vitality,” said James Mettham, president, Flatiron NoMad Partnership. “We look forward to engaging with residents, business and property owners, visitors, and other neighborhood stakeholders on Broadway Vision’s expansion southward to better connect Flatiron and Union Square.”
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