Comments on: Independence Day Special: The Freedom to Sit http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:31:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Lux Living http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-79011 Lux Living Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:00:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-79011 What happened to New York City? It used to be cool. What happened to New York City? It used to be cool.

]]> By: David http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77891 David Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:42:06 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77891 The "performance areas" are curbs I think. One problem with pedestrian areas on street level is that if they want to get ride of the ugly orange things, they need a way to designate the difference between pedestrian areas and the open streets. So, this is essentially a curb - I have a feeling they will paint crosswalks at these (so you dont have to only cross at the existing corners). People can congregate on the platform and "step down" into the street when the light turns green. I am sure there will be over-sized planters as well. There is a small space on one side which most likely will be a bike lane, and there is a one-lane space on the other which is the "emergency" lane that DOT has said they will keep. I think that they will build ones on the other side of the street when these are done. The "performance areas" are curbs I think. One problem with pedestrian areas on street level is that if they want to get ride of the ugly orange things, they need a way to designate the difference between pedestrian areas and the open streets.

So, this is essentially a curb - I have a feeling they will paint crosswalks at these (so you dont have to only cross at the existing corners). People can congregate on the platform and "step down" into the street when the light turns green. I am sure there will be over-sized planters as well.

There is a small space on one side which most likely will be a bike lane, and there is a one-lane space on the other which is the "emergency" lane that DOT has said they will keep. I think that they will build ones on the other side of the street when these are done.

]]> By: Charles Siegel http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77841 Charles Siegel Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:56:24 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77841 I am surprised that streetsblog missed the obvious photo op that I have posted at http://preservenet.blogspot.com/2009/07/hope-in-times-square.html I am surprised that streetsblog missed the obvious photo op that I have posted at
http://preservenet.blogspot.com/2009/07/hope-in-times-square.html

]]> By: jass http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77581 jass Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:06:54 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77581 Standing on the thingy http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_1274.jpg The "straight" side of it http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_1275.jpg Standing on the thingy
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_1274.jpg

The "straight" side of it
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y17/jamesinclair/IMG_1275.jpg

]]> By: gary fisher http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77561 gary fisher Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:20:12 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77561 That NYT piece is terrible. That NYT piece is terrible.

]]> By: vnm http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77551 vnm Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:07:15 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77551 Well, White has two rooks versus Black's rook and bishop. But I think Black potentially has a strong positional advantage. If Black can manage to put together a coordinated bishop-rook attack, they have a shot at winning this game. In fact, it looks like they're about to move their bishop that's being threatened by the rook at d6. I say move that bishop to c4. Then, on the next move, if possible, Black can move its rook to e1, putting the White king in check. If White tries to get out of check by moving its rook to f1, that team puts its rook in jeopardy. White's best hope is to create a distraction by using its d-file rook to repeatedly put the Black king in check, which is actually not half bad. Well, White has two rooks versus Black's rook and bishop. But I think Black potentially has a strong positional advantage. If Black can manage to put together a coordinated bishop-rook attack, they have a shot at winning this game. In fact, it looks like they're about to move their bishop that's being threatened by the rook at d6.

I say move that bishop to c4. Then, on the next move, if possible, Black can move its rook to e1, putting the White king in check. If White tries to get out of check by moving its rook to f1, that team puts its rook in jeopardy. White's best hope is to create a distraction by using its d-file rook to repeatedly put the Black king in check, which is actually not half bad.

]]> By: jass http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77541 jass Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:03:13 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77541 The "future performance area?" has a steeper side where the cars are, which hints that its a sort of barrier to out of control cars. One of them was in place a few weeks ago when I was there, Ill check if I have pictures of it. The "future performance area?" has a steeper side where the cars are, which hints that its a sort of barrier to out of control cars. One of them was in place a few weeks ago when I was there, Ill check if I have pictures of it.

]]> By: Rhywun http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77531 Rhywun Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:35:06 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77531 I hope those humps aren't a prelude to something similar to those god-awful barriers (complete with watchtowers) going up on every street in a circle around the stock exchange. I loathe what's going on down there. I'm sick of the machine-gun toting military types. Meanwhile, the still-lively-despite-everything Nassau Street (outside the Militarized Zone) remains a free-for-all with cars all over what is supposed to be a pedestrian street. I wish the folks who are getting these good things done in Midtown would pay a little attention to the awful things that are going on in the financial district. I hope those humps aren't a prelude to something similar to those god-awful barriers (complete with watchtowers) going up on every street in a circle around the stock exchange. I loathe what's going on down there. I'm sick of the machine-gun toting military types. Meanwhile, the still-lively-despite-everything Nassau Street (outside the Militarized Zone) remains a free-for-all with cars all over what is supposed to be a pedestrian street. I wish the folks who are getting these good things done in Midtown would pay a little attention to the awful things that are going on in the financial district.

]]> By: Clarence Eckerson Jr. http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77501 Clarence Eckerson Jr. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:16:58 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77501 Mike: You know I was starting to think of that too. Actually this new group at the DOT is so clever, I suspect it is a little of everything - a traffic calming/impediment to cars, but it is also just the right size that a band could play on it or a performer could charm a crowd. In addition, I am figuring it is ADA compliant. So nice to have smart people in charge. On another note: a friend and I walked from TSq to HSq thru Broadway Boulevard and it was just so crowded with people we could not find two chairs near each other to sit down! If this isn't a slam dunk.... Mike: You know I was starting to think of that too. Actually this new group at the DOT is so clever, I suspect it is a little of everything - a traffic calming/impediment to cars, but it is also just the right size that a band could play on it or a performer could charm a crowd. In addition, I am figuring it is ADA compliant.

So nice to have smart people in charge.

On another note: a friend and I walked from TSq to HSq thru Broadway Boulevard and it was just so crowded with people we could not find two chairs near each other to sit down! If this isn't a slam dunk....

]]> By: Mike Epstein http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/07/02/independence-day-special-the-freedom-to-sit/comment-page-1/#comment-77481 Mike Epstein Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:08:00 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=7681#comment-77481 Something in the shape of that "future performance area?" seems to appear at the north end of every closed-off block in the plans. I suspect that it has something to do with emergency vehicle access, but I don't know anything for sure. Something in the shape of that "future performance area?" seems to appear at the north end of every closed-off block in the plans. I suspect that it has something to do with emergency vehicle access, but I don't know anything for sure.

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