By Sam Schwartz
Volume 21, Number 45 | The Newspaper of Lower Manhattan | March 20 – 26, 2009
The city recently added pedestrian space on Forsyth St. as part of its Safe Routes for Seniors program.
Transit Sam: The Answer Man
Dear Transit Sam,
On Forsyth St., there’s a new traffic pattern in effect and part of the street is shaded beige. Is this considered a walkway? What changes have been implemented in the vicinity?
Karlo via e-mail
Dear Karlo,
The city is playing it safer for pedestrians, in this case particularly for seniors. The plan you’re referring to encompasses the Lower East Side Senior Pedestrian Focus Area, where several improvements were implemented along Broome, Delancey and Rutgers Sts. It’s also part of the larger Safe Routes for Seniors Initiative. The painted area is a sidewalk extension located along the west curb. In addition, Forsyth St. between Grand and Delancey Sts. was converted from two-way traffic to one-way northbound, which means from Delancey St., drivers have to use Allen or Ludlow Sts. for southbound traffic or Bowery on the other side of the park. Pedestrians also have more green time to cross at Delancey St. Let me know how the new implementations seem to be working out.
Transit Sam
Dear Transit Sam,
Currently, it’s hard for me to access the train station from Battery Park City at the W.T.C. site with all the traffic and construction. I typically tend to use taxis instead. What’s the plan for accessing the transit hub, specifically the PATH Station, when the W.T.C. site is complete?
Phillip, BPC
Dear Phillip,
Your best bet from north Battery Park City is to use the Chambers St. stations on the 1,2,3 on West Broadway or the A,C, E, on Church St. From the south neighborhoods, I’d use Rector St. for the 1 train, the R, W at Trinity Pl. or the 4, 5 at Broadway/Wall St. If you’re in the very south neighborhood, just go to Battery Park for the 1 or 4, 5 at Battery Pl. or Broadway for the R, W. If you’re heading to the PATH station, take the Vesey St. pedestrian bridge, and it’s just a few hundred feet ahead. Once work is complete, you’ll be able to use an underground concourse from the World Financial Center at approximately Fulton St. to access the World Trade Center, all the subways, PATH and the Financial District.
Transit Sam
Sam Schwartz, a former first deputy commissioner of city transportation, is president and C.E.O. of Sam Schwartz Engineering, a traffic engineering consulting firm to private and public entities including the Port Authority at the World Trade Center site. Email your questions to TransitSam@DowntownExpress.com
