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Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

nytimes.com

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Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#11

Post by snovv_crash »

rubyboss wrote: post #5

I don't understand this anti-car sentiment from the city liberals. It's already happened here in London and it's getting worse. From 20mph speed limits to blocking roads for bus-only traffic to ultra-low emission zones and congestion charges. It's becoming pretty clear that they don't want people to own their own cars. I'm struggling to see how this is progress.

In the city, space is a limited resource. Hogging limited resources is generally considered rude, whether you're liberal or conservative, urban or rural. The difference is just what people consider a limited resource.

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#12

Post by ses1984 »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

As far as I'm concerned, cars have no place in Manhattan, and should be banned from all but a handful of designated roads. Maybe give out special licenses to the disabled, or anyone else who physically requires a car—that way, they'll actually be able to get around at reasonable speeds, too.

I think Manhattan is way to big to ban cars from the entire island.

They could do it gradually and add public streetcars to main thoroughfares, but the way things are now, it would not work to straight up ban cars today.

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#13

Post by omosubi »

rubyboss wrote: post #5

I don't understand this anti-car sentiment from the city liberals. It's already happened here in London and it's getting worse. From 20mph speed limits to blocking roads for bus-only traffic to ultra-low emission zones and congestion charges. It's becoming pretty clear that they don't want people to own their own cars. I'm struggling to see how this is progress.

Because cars have a lot of externalities that negatively affect cities? Pollution, noise, increase in collisions, space required to house and fuel them to name a few. I, and many other people, prefer areas of cities where cars aren't dominant and would like to see more of it

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#14

Post by electric_muse »

rubyboss wrote: post #5

I don't understand this anti-car sentiment from the city liberals. It's already happened here in London and it's getting worse. From 20mph speed limits to blocking roads for bus-only traffic to ultra-low emission zones and congestion charges. It's becoming pretty clear that they don't want people to own their own cars. I'm struggling to see how this is progress.

Walkable cities sounds great until you have luggage to carry or groceries to lug. It’s all about the collective good over that of the individual.

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#15

Post by gniv »

The article is a bit lacking in facts. Here's some more info from another source [1]:

"The MTA and Department of Transportation announced Monday that beginning July 1, private cars will be banned along 14th Street from Third to Ninth Avenues from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m."

"It’s part of the MTA’s plan to increase bus service while repairs continue on the L train."

[1] https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2019/06/11/commuter-alert-most-...

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#16

Post by Swizec »

randall wrote: post #9

Imagine if, in high density areas like Manhattan, cars were simply not allowed. Wow. The thought of how pleasant Manhattan would become if only cabs + busses + delivery trucks + ambulances were allowed makes me almost too happy. Would be so awesome.

This is in fact a trend in European city centers. It is wonderful and amazing.

Areas where before closing for traffic it didn’t make sense to drive anyway because walking is literally faster due to narrow streets, too many cars, etc. I don’t understand why people choose to drive there unless someone explicitly tells them they can’t.

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#17

Post by thebradbain »

Wowfunhappy wrote: post #3

As far as I'm concerned, cars have no place in Manhattan, and should be banned from all but a handful of designated roads. Maybe give out special licenses to the disabled, or anyone else who physically requires a car—that way, they'll actually be able to get around at reasonable speeds, too.

Instead of an outright ban, I'd love to see price-prohibitive congestion pricing and street-parking pricing (prohibitive in the sense that it wouldn't make financial sense to drive a car as the primary mode of transport, not that if someone needed to occasionally use a car they couldn't) within Manhattan, with the aforementioned provisions carved out for those who demonstrate a need for a car.

That way, for any of those stubborn and wealthy enough who refuse to use public transit, we can direct all funds generated to improving public transit -- not just reliability and frequency, but also line expansions and remodeling the deteriorating stations and upgrading train/bus interiors to create a first-class transit experience for the rest of us and to finally prioritize public transit correctly in the US.

Singapore already operates a similar (but stricter and broader) scheme: https://www.cnn.com/2017/10/31/asia/singapore-cars/index.htm....

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#19

Post by electric_muse »

omosubi wrote: post #13
rubyboss wrote: post #5

I don't understand this anti-car sentiment from the city liberals. It's already happened here in London and it's getting worse. From 20mph speed limits to blocking roads for bus-only traffic to ultra-low emission zones and congestion charges. It's becoming pretty clear that they don't want people to own their own cars. I'm struggling to see how this is progress.

Because cars have a lot of externalities that negatively affect cities? Pollution, noise, increase in collisions, space required to house and fuel them to name a few. I, and many other people, prefer areas of cities where cars aren't dominant and would like to see more of it

But I’m not sure this is a widely held preference. Seems to be a vocal minority trying to impose their will on others.

Re: Restricting Manhattan’s 14th street to buses has been a success

#20

Post by NeedMoreTea »

rubyboss wrote: post #5

I don't understand this anti-car sentiment from the city liberals. It's already happened here in London and it's getting worse. From 20mph speed limits to blocking roads for bus-only traffic to ultra-low emission zones and congestion charges. It's becoming pretty clear that they don't want people to own their own cars. I'm struggling to see how this is progress.

Just about anyone who has breathed London air in the last 30 years sees how it is progress. Dirty, smelly and unhealthy that creates a coating on clothes, furniture and windows. That's probably not ideal for lungs.

We notice, and hate it every time we visit the relatives down there. "Start breathing crap" kicks in around Hendon.

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