Traffic in New York City can be intense. In Manhattan, where the daytime population surges to four million and pedestrians can outnumber cars by an 18-to-1 margin, city officials recently conducted a months-long experiment on a single block along Broadway. Pavement that was used exclusively for cars was redistributed, allotting more space to bicyclists and pedestrians. The speed limit was slashed to 5 mph. Dedicated bike lanes were added. The city?s Department of Transportation deemed the experiment so successful that it has made the changes permanent.
The “shared street,” near the iconic Flatiron Building, occupies a sliver of Broadway where it intersects Fifth Avenue, just west of Madison Square Park. Viewed from above, it looks like a buffer zone between the leafy park and bustling Fifth Avenue, with tables and umbrellas beckoning pedestrians to sit down and take in the open air.
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?We?re seeing cities across the U.S. embrace innovative

street designs, like shared streets.?

? Alex Engel, National Association of City Transportation Officials

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“When we met with the local community to hear their concerns, we weren?t surprised to learn of the changes they wanted to make this area safer for pedestrians and cyclists,” Luis Sanchez, Manhattan borough commissioner for the New York City DOT. “It?s a space where motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists all travel together safely, with cars traveling at a reduced speed and pedestrians having more...