New York Construction Report staff writer
The next phase of the Broadway Vision plan will connect Manhattan’s Flatiron District to Union Square. The city’s department of transportation 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 upgrades competed in June including expanded outdoor dining between Madison Square and Herald Square, just north of the new project area.
“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 Eric 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.”
Engagement sessions started 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 goal of the Broadway Vision project is to “reclaim and transform public spaces along the 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.
“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.”
