A recent ban of cars on 14th Street downtown could make way for a more green city less dependent on automobiles which are responsible for the vast majority of air pollution in urban areas. The idea was to have a major cross street in Manhattan clear of traffic so buses can be on time. There were a lot doomsday critics but it all worked out with faster buses and more people taking the bus. Now there is a discussion on other main cross streets to consider and maybe 125th Street could be car free one day.
Some smaller streets have already been closed off uptown including the north end of Hamilton Place by 143rd Street which is now a tranquil outdoor plaza with tables and potted plants. Fresher air for our children, less health problems, safe streets for bikes, fewer accidents, quicker public transportation and even new green space sounds like a big win but somehow some critics seem to have a problem with all of this. Considering that a small 22 percent of the population in Manhattan own cars and only 8 percent actually use an automobile to commute, it is probably more imperative to focus on building more efficient public transportation and encouraging citizens to ditch the automobile habit for the subway or bus route.
HarlemBespoke.com 2019
i see many people using e-bikes and electric scooters in Harlem now. Reducing car traffic would make the streets a lot more friendly for these alternative transportation modes
ReplyDeleteAn e-bike/scooter can travel 15-20 miles on one charge. Each charge costs around 25 cents. Charging stations and these forms of transportation may actually beat other alternatives in speed and convenience