Comments on: A Traffic-Free Future for Harlem http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:07:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Glenn http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-653 Glenn Fri, 21 Jul 2006 12:51:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-653 I agree that seeing cars in the picture would detract from the streetscape and buildings on either side. Unfortunately we do have to see the ugly cars on our streets everyday, which detract from our enjoyment of the city. I agree that seeing cars in the picture would detract from the streetscape and buildings on either side. Unfortunately we do have to see the ugly cars on our streets everyday, which detract from our enjoyment of the city.

]]> By: Ed http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Ed Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:47:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-649 Columbia didn't even prepare this drawing. It was made by the architects to show how their design proposal would look. Trying to divine Columbia's intentions from someone else's work isn't likely to succeed. The point of this drawing is to show how the new buildings on the north side of the street will relate to the existing buildings on the south side, as well as to people and cars. Because 125th Street dominates the middle of the view, if the drawing included a more realistic number of vehicles it would become a picture of cars rather than of buildings, and its point would be lost. This is why the drawing looks the way it does. Columbia didn’t even prepare this drawing. It was made by the architects to show how their design proposal would look. Trying to divine Columbia’s intentions from someone else’s work isn’t likely to succeed.

The point of this drawing is to show how the new buildings on the north side of the street will relate to the existing buildings on the south side, as well as to people and cars. Because 125th Street dominates the middle of the view, if the drawing included a more realistic number of vehicles it would become a picture of cars rather than of buildings, and its point would be lost. This is why the drawing looks the way it does.

]]> By: Hilary Kitasei http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-641 Hilary Kitasei Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:14:05 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-641 The rendering also leaves out the trucks that will be clogging 125th Street if DOT's truck study recommendation is carried out. They want to allow trucks on the Henry Hudson Parkway between 125 and 181st to divert them from the Cross Bronx. When the parkway was built as a beautiful road through parks from 72nd to the city line in Yonkers, Harlem was made the exception. Hence the billboards. Now this. The rendering also leaves out the trucks that will be clogging 125th Street if DOT’s truck study recommendation is carried out. They want to allow trucks on the Henry Hudson Parkway between 125 and 181st to divert them from the Cross Bronx. When the parkway was built as a beautiful road through parks from 72nd to the city line in Yonkers, Harlem was made the exception. Hence the billboards. Now this.

]]> By: Columbia » Columbia - 155 Students Named On Columbia College Dean’s List http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-635 Columbia » Columbia - 155 Students Named On Columbia College Dean’s List Thu, 20 Jul 2006 09:18:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-635 [...] A Traffic-Free FutureStreetsBlog, NY - 15 hours agoThis is an artist’s rendering of what West 125th Street would look like after Columbia University’s expansion is completed more than a decade from now. … [...] [...] A Traffic-Free FutureStreetsBlog, NY - 15 hours agoThis is an artist’s rendering of what West 125th Street would look like after Columbia University’s expansion is completed more than a decade from now. … [...]

]]> By: AD http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-634 AD Thu, 20 Jul 2006 04:45:39 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-634 I probably am reading way too much into it. But I think it's still interesting that they show what I'd say is an appropriate amount of pedestrian traffic but fewer than usual cars. If cars somehow detract from the built environment but people do not, then I think <i>that</i> is what is telling from this image. I probably am reading way too much into it. But I think it’s still interesting that they show what I’d say is an appropriate amount of pedestrian traffic but fewer than usual cars. If cars somehow detract from the built environment but people do not, then I think that is what is telling from this image.

]]> By: Ed http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-633 Ed Thu, 20 Jul 2006 02:12:16 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-633 You're reading way too much into this. The drawing also shows blue sky but this doesn't mean Columbia is claiming it will eliminate clouds. Columbia has never said its project will reduce traffic on 125th Street. The drawing shows few cars because its not *about* cars. It's about the built environment, and showing a lot more cars and people would detract from its ability to present that environment. You’re reading way too much into this. The drawing also shows blue sky but this doesn’t mean Columbia is claiming it will eliminate clouds.

Columbia has never said its project will reduce traffic on 125th Street. The drawing shows few cars because its not *about* cars. It’s about the built environment, and showing a lot more cars and people would detract from its ability to present that environment.

]]> By: AD http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-631 AD Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:55:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-631 You're absolutely right - the traffic east of St. Nick is a lot heavier than west of it. In either case it is more than what appears in the rendering. I guess I don't take issue so much with the practice of under-representing traffic in renderings (after all, they're supposed to show the buildings!). My point is more than in the idealized city of the human mind, there's a lot less traffic than exists in real life. It must be the part of the brain that creates car commercials that lure you in with traffic-free winding mountain roads to get you to buy a product that allows you to sit bumper-to-bumper in the Lincoln Tunnel. You’re absolutely right – the traffic east of St. Nick is a lot heavier than west of it. In either case it is more than what appears in the rendering. I guess I don’t take issue so much with the practice of under-representing traffic in renderings (after all, they’re supposed to show the buildings!). My point is more than in the idealized city of the human mind, there’s a lot less traffic than exists in real life. It must be the part of the brain that creates car commercials that lure you in with traffic-free winding mountain roads to get you to buy a product that allows you to sit bumper-to-bumper in the Lincoln Tunnel.

]]> By: Fendergal http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/comment-page-1/#comment-630 Fendergal Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:43:34 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/2006/07/19/a-traffic-free-future/#comment-630 I happen to live a block from 125th, between Broadway and Riverside. I agree that the traffic is constant, but it is rarely bumper to bumper. The majority of traffic is cars going westbound on 125th, turning right on 12th Avenue, to access the northbound Henry Hudson. In my experience, thick traffic doesn't occur until you go east of St. Nicholas. My main complaint about the far west end of 125th Street, is that it is not pedestrian friendly. The crosswalk signal is too short, and cars fairly fly through the intersection of 125th and 12th Avenue. The planned Columbia expansion in this area has many people up in arms. My building sits in back of Prentis Hall, and we have fought the school's now hopefully scuttled plan to raze Prentis entirely, or just to build on top of it, which would deprive many of our residents of light. I happen to live a block from 125th, between Broadway and Riverside. I agree that the traffic is constant, but it is rarely bumper to bumper. The majority of traffic is cars going westbound on 125th, turning right on 12th Avenue, to access the northbound Henry Hudson. In my experience, thick traffic doesn’t occur until you go east of St. Nicholas.

My main complaint about the far west end of 125th Street, is that it is not pedestrian friendly. The crosswalk signal is too short, and cars fairly fly through the intersection of 125th and 12th Avenue.

The planned Columbia expansion in this area has many people up in arms. My building sits in back of Prentis Hall, and we have fought the school’s now hopefully scuttled plan to raze Prentis entirely, or just to build on top of it, which would deprive many of our residents of light.

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