Streetsblog New York City

If the point is that given the level of traffic just two moving lanes are enough, why not just expand the outside areas of the circle leaving just two moving lanes toward the center?

The entire circle could be green for motor vehicles for a long light cycle, and then green for pedestrians in all directions. Vehicles would not be delayed by other vehicles making turns. A smaller circle would leave the cars to queue on the side streets.

The problem with expanding the center is that given the limited pedestrian traffic in the area, it does not feel safe at night. I know people who walk through this area all the time, and they walk around the edge -- not even currently legal on the overpass side.

Just imagine that the area in yellow toward the center, instead of being the place where the motor vehicles were not, was the place where the motor vehicles were -- with a smaller area on the park side.

Close the park to traffic. It requires no redesigning, costs nothing, and is an easy way way to eliminate one at least one dangerous crossing for pedestrians at Park Circle.

Commerce Bank is no more -- it's now TD Bank. But whatever it's called, it could benefit from a redesign.

interesting, Larry...would love to see a photoshop'd mockup of your idea

Thanks, streetsblog, for featuring my idea! I must admit I was really surprised to see it pop up here and on the sidebar last week... it was just a quick idea that I wanted to digitize and share.

I just wanted to get people to think about what the area could be like if it was treated like a "normal" road, and not a circle or a roundabout. This was just a high-level "metal sketch", and not based on traffic data or the like. I'm know there's a zillion other things to consider in any design.

With Sean's idea, how about giving buses their own lane near the circle so they are not delayed with other traffic?

On the other hand, putting the lanes on the outside, as in Sean's design, gives more space back to the park, which I like. What I think is particularly exciting is reconnecting the island to the mainland, so to speak, and reclaiming it for the park.