The Department of Transportation has made 17th St. between Fourth Ave. and Broadway, below, one-way and is installing new pedestrian plazas and seating areas along the sides of the street, while creating a protected bicycle lane, blocked off from traffic by a buffer area with planters. Protected by granite blocks and planters, the plaza area wraps around onto Broadway between 17th and 18th Sts. Al Williams, a dishwasher from Wildwood Barbecue restaurant on 19th St. and Park Ave. South, was taking a break in the new seating area on Broadway by 17th St. last Friday morning, above. “They just put these chairs and tables out here 15 minutes ago,” he said. “I got tired of sitting on the stone step to have my lunch on the other block. This is comforting.” Noticing a bee buzzing by one of the new planters behind him, he laughed, “The insects are getting used to the area, too.”
Lincoln Anderson
