N.Y./Region: Times Square's Pedestrian Makeover - NYTimes

[100timessquare]

Times Square is supposed to be about TRAFFIC, crowds, noise, 2 people kissing over there, 2 people fighting over there, cops giving some dude a ticket, hot dog vendors, some random bum rambling incoherently over there, rich dudes from the upper east side, Italian dudes from Bensonhurst, black dudes from uptown, sexy woman, fun, excitement. Not freaking giant M&M stores, over priced everything, corny tourist and lawn chairs, are kidding me...

[100timessquare]

I am going to sum up this entire conversation is one phrase...tourist and transplant new yorkers love this crap and Native (real) New Yorkers hate it!!

[trilobright]

Yes! One of the most iconic "squares" in America deserves to be an actual square, not just an extremely unpleasant traffic intersection!

Now let's do the same thing with Harvard "Square" in Cambridge!

[Aspekitteh]

Wow, you get some crazy people in these comments don't you? New York is an INTERNATIONAL city, which means it changes with the rest of the world. Get over it.

[bkjphilly]

This is a GREAT idea. More cities should do the same. When I visited London in 2000, and Japan in 2008 and 2010, you can see that they've considered the public, and how the space can be used. With the absence of vehicles, Times Square actually BECOMES a "square" again. When I was in London, I had read an article about how the music from the streets was INSPIRING the people in the surrounding buildings for various projects, and a great many other things. Let's keep it up!

[xbltester105]

this is a great idea

[EMBARQNetwork]

Check out all the sustainable transportation initiatives that have been put in place since the roll out of PlaNYC in 2007:

embarq.org/en/video/cities-foc­us-new-york-city

Enjoy!

[Timessquare100]

i hate these dam transplant new yorkers from all over the country crowding NY walking around with their starbucks coffee talkin on their dam blackberrys. i wish NY was the way it was back in the 80s and 90s. A city with soul and culture, character and danger. Now its just plastic, there are people here who don't even know where they live because some real estate broker told them 145th and St Nicholas ave wasn't harlem, its "HAMILTON HEIGHTS". Go back to where ever it is you came from!!

[supercooled]

@Timessquare100 I agree with your sentiment on nostalgic values but as a minority, I'm not sure if I too should feel insulted and attacked by your diatribe. I too hate the newfangled trend of crackberries and Starbucks infused hands/lips. It's like a cesspool of degenerates who are massive bone head pretenders and sycophants who bow down to the mighty dollar to further fuel their lifestyle. I wish things were more simpler and easy like they were a few decades ago.

[jupiterscastle]

As a NYer from Queens, I hate the tourists, bring back NY the way it was before , with the porn and hookers on times square.

[ctoan1]

ha!!! what a fantastic idea. Does this happen often in Times Square? they should make it a permanent fixture lay some grass down turn the road into a path leave the old road markings on it. have music stands epic win some trees!! get people to volunteer to help out people on parole to help with the work. and devise an alternative route around times square.. Is this a far fetched ideal? or something thats achievable with good planing??? just a thought

[LamontDaGrizzly]

BLAH!

[TrickyEmu]

That is a great idea. NYC has a very good subway system that allows your to reach any place by foot. Can't wait to see a Time Square Park :-)

[FelinityMithra]

Why does a multi-billionaire mayor want a pedestrian city when the subway system is sh!t?? Make the subway system emmaculate and then I'll be convinced. Don't force people to walk everywhere when the buses and subways suck.

[friendlier]

You've got to be kidding. I left NY two years ago and have heard from so many old friends complaining about this. But I had no idea until now what it looked like. This is the utter antithesis of what New York stands for. Jesus Christ, people napping in chaise lounges???

Bloomberg should be strung up.

[TheRealRomanViking]

(cont. due to character limit)

And lastly, encourage some nightclubs and "fun" places like arcades along there. Could become a very cool nightlife/shopping district akin to what's in many Asian cities (Taipei, Tokyo, Shanghai, etc). Would be a massive improvement over the current Disneyland tourist trap.

[TheRealRomanViking]

It's a good idea. But they need to add some actual things to do - cheap places to eat and shop, etc... Get rid of all those expensive stores that nobody can actually afford. Replace the black asphalt with something nice like a real plaza would have. Put some permanent benches and throw away the plastic chairs.

[mickeymoo26]

Will it be back to the old way in January. Cause I'm heading over there and when we're in New York we're going to Timesquare. I hope it's back to normal. I like it more that way

[CaptainStriker]

I love how it`s the taxis drivers who moan and they`re the ones who`re most ingnorant, always pushing infront of other traffic.I saw this on earthcam about a months back and was wondering what it was but now i know, i think it`ll be pretty cool myself.People are always so serious and in a hurry these days would be nice to slow things down, have your lunch then a quick chat with some new person, then back to work.Rather then have you lunch worry that you have like 10 mins left then back to work.

[Deusrexmachina]

It looks great to me... :D

I think it'll make people socialize more. In some other videos I've seen 'bout NY, people are walking fast and never seem to smile, always hectic, always like on the edge of something. Life is also meant to be enjoyed, not just work work work. And perhaps this, if not something else, is a good beginning.

Personal idea, of course. :)

[whitecastle10014]

i hope its not permanet its so stupid i hope they put it bak 2 the old way

[lovethestage]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS new system. At first I hated it, then I walked through it nightly. Seeing our tourists relax, mingle, have less fear in their faces of getting hit by a speeding car as they stop to take photos of the buildings which is what they flew here for, was really nice. It creates an oasis in Manhattan. I hope they encourage performing artists, painters, psychics, jugglers, comedians, actor groups and more to do free shows on the street and agents look for talent there. I LUV NY

[RandyBrandermill]

I hate it. The whole purpose of Times Square being what it is, is because it represents the epitome of a metropolitan. If I want peace and tranquility I would go to Montana or Virgina. This is a bad idea, because less traffic equals less viewers for the countless ads and jumbotrons

[cpetsos]

Actually use s0me common sense: MORE people will see and actually digest the advertising because they are lingering longer and getting a better look.

[RandyBrandermill]

Yeah, the tacky fat lazy people in the lawn chairs will get a better look. But we have countless malls and pedestrian centers in here in Virginia. Times Square lost its luster and energy

[friendlier]

"Digest the advertising"? The whole point before was that it was all moving so quickly that the signage did too. Now we're supposed to sit on chairs and stare at ads like a TV? How in the world is that a good thing? NYC has been made over by all the dullards who have moved there in the last 15 years, wanting everything to be like the blandness they came from.

[latinhero2]

People who complaining about the transformation are people who never get out of the house and never traveled around the world to see that this is what we need for Times Square. Traffic only destroy the beauty of Times Square. Sit and watch how beautiful this will look like.

[latinhero2]

FINALLY THE TRAFFIC IS CLOSED. I was wondering when NYC would turn TIMES SQUARE into a PLAZA. This is the best thing they ever done to Times Square. A lot of big cities in the world already turned busy areas into a PLAZA. I hope they close for good and remodel the new TIMES SQUARE PLAZA with flowers, garden, a huge stage for shows, benches, more Screens, more lighting, more high tech stuff, Water Fountain, etc. This what Times Square Plaza should look like.

[sonicwhip]

i love this!

people should just walk and get some fresh air instead of driving like lazy assholes.

[medwardw2]

LOVE IT !!!!!

[detroitmetro101]

idk....maybee its too early

[detroitmetro101]

times square is meant to be a busy pedestrian crossing..........bad idea.........and why close broadway why not 7th ave........people who work in the times square area can go to bryant park

[pokistick]

Wow I Love this transformation! Good job NYC for giving some priorities to pedestrians!

[pokistick]

Wow I am loving this! Good job NYC!

[BinkieMcFartnuggets]

Now all it will take is a sale in some shop before it looks like it did in "I Am Legend."

[blufflop]

lame yanks

[sonicwhip]

jealous cause you dont have any city this awesome up in canada?

[sidelmann1982]

Excellent! What about adding a light rail!

I am amazed how negative people react. This is one of the best things that have happened to NYC since the development of Central Park.

The US is so fare behind in terms of infrastructure and public space.

NYC is one of the few places in the US where people dares to think innovative, and not are struck by fear of change.

Get used to it - you are going to love it!

[LtStarkiller]

Bloomberg throwing a bitch fit. Power corrupts folks. When you're pissed....take it out any way you want.

I can't wait until a cab goes tearing through this.

[nikkilove2020]

this is a bad idea traffic is already bad downtown now its going to be a nightmare

[TechTalkGuy]

That's a shame. I used to enjoy driving through Times Square around 6:30 AM on weekends and there is absolutely no problem with that.

Now, Times Square has become a completely different place.

[Enocblood]

0:07 lol Shrek the Musical lol how's that going to work?

[aaronarmstrongskomra]

It's a publicity stunt by your dictator. A very good stunt. I would have never thought the Brave New World would involve plastic lawn chairs in Times Square. That's dollar store Disneyfication!

This article sets up the cars as a straw man. Surely someone other than a the very un-pc automobile driver objects to this arrangement.

[lazymalecat]

That Indian guy just nailed it! Can't stop laughing..

[jorgipogi]

More work for the over extended NYC police department. Then, it will be allowing weed smoking, prostitution, and so on.

[SteveXnycperformance]

Good bye NYC....Ghost town soon to be.